stigma

Two men, one sitting in a wheel chair and the other with an artificial leg, are taking a selfie outside on the grass
3 min 0 58

Disabled men deserve better from us

Peak Web July 13, 2026

By: Corbett Gildersleve, Opinions Editor Content warning: mentions of ableism.  Society does not treat disabled people well and it impacts men in specific ways. Being disabled comes with stigma and the expectations to still adhere to gendered roles. Being unable to meet these expectations can result in depression and even abuse. This stigma can make men feel unwanted and devalued. It’s important to build relationships be it platonic or romantic, but asking for help can also be viewed as being weaker or less able. All of this contributes to instability in work, mental health, and social life. As such, there…

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photo of a jump rope placed in front of a mental health resource poster.
6 min 0 2681

Athletes are more than their entertainment value

Peak Web September 29, 2023

By: Saije Rusimovici, Staff Writer, and Isabella Urbani, Sports Editor Whenever I overhear friends and family talking about last night’s hockey game or an upcoming playoff series, it reminds me of the way I would describe characters in a dramatic…

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This is a photo of an alley on the Downtown East Side in Vancouver. The alley is covered in graffiti. The art reads, “Test your shit,” and “Naloxone.”
5 min 0 1994

Local advocate talks dispelling drug stigma

Peak Web September 12, 2023

By: Olivia Sherman, News Writer For Nicole Luongo, substances like alcohol and heroin are only separated by the thin line of what society deems moral or legal. Luongo is a systems change coordinator for the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition (CDPC),…

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This is a photo of two people kissing each other through the face masks they are wearing.
3 min 0 2465

The effects of COVID-19 on sex workers

Peak Web February 22, 2023

By: Natalie Cooke, News Writer Ahmed Al-Rawi, an SFU Communication professor, recently published a study outlining the effects of COVID-19 on sex workers, including their stigmatization in society and representations on social media. He said in an interview with The…

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A couple are leaning into each other. Both appear somewhat femme, and look like they’re enjoying themselves.
4 min 0 2598

Mainstream media needs to address its sex stigma

Peak Web February 13, 2022

By: Maya Beninteso, Peak Associate Doing it, the devil’s tango, knocking boots — these are all euphemisms used to avoid a simple three-letter word: sex. Why do we feel the need for all these euphemisms in order to avoid one word?…

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7 min 0 2464

The Scared Straight Tour endangers people who use substances

Features July 3, 2021

by Carter Hemion, Staff Writer Content warning: mentions of drug use, overdose, stereotypes against unhoused peoples, and violence against Indigenous communities From 2003 to June 2021, a program called the Scared Straight Tour made the Downtown Eastside a living tourist…

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3 min 0 1511

Menstruators just wanna have fun, even during that time of the month

Opinions February 8, 2020

By: Agra Mikel, SFU Student Saying the words “period sex” is like opening up Pandora’s box. It’s bad enough having a woman openly talk about a healthy and normal bodily function — throw the desire for sexual pleasure into the mix…

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4 min 0 1254

Free menstrual products in New Westminster schools is fantastic, and should go further than high school

Peak Web March 18, 2019

Written by: Hannah Davis, Staff Writer When I heard New Westminster would be offering free menstrual supplies across its elementary and high schools, I was proud that my hometown would be the first school district in B.C. to adopt this…

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4 min 0 1768

SFU student wins Nora and Ted Sterling Prize for work on fat activism

Peak Web September 12, 2018

By: Srijani Datta, Assistant News Editor Layla Cameron, a journalist, fat-stigma activist, filmmaker, and PhD student at SFU is this year’s recipient of the Nora and Ted Sterling Prize in Support of Controversy. She is being awarded for her work…

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14 min 1 4866

The double life lived by student sex workers

EIC May 24, 2016

As Ava* embarks on the first semester of her master’s program, she is relieved that the admissions committee at her graduate school didn’t find out about one of her part-time jobs. The University of Calgary environmental sciences student dabbled in…

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