Features – Page 5 – The INSIDER

The Role of Marxist-Feminism in International Women’s Day

March 17, 2020March 17, 2020 newspaper International Women's Week, Women's Month0 comment

In honour of International Women’s Day, I had the misfortune of coming across a Wall Street Journal article whose heading was: “The March 8 commemoration has Communist roots, but capitalism by far has done more for gender equality”. This sentence alone has so many errors, I must break it down. International Women’s Day only became an official holiday in 1975 but was fought for all over the world since the early 1900s. Between 1909 and 1913, National Women’s Day was celebrated in the United States every February 18th….

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Erasure in the Midst of Environmental Crisis

February 28, 2020February 28, 2020 newspaper Black History Month, Environment0 comment

In the wake of Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for Future becoming mainstream, there has been a surge in environmental activism on an international scale, hence the global climate strikes. As such, there has been a sense of urgency in regards to the issue, as people implore governments to take steps towards resolving it, especially considering the visibly exacerbated effects of climate change in recent years: summer’s heat waves are prolonged, winter comes later and is more frigid, and almost-yearly spring flooding has become the norm. Of course, these things affect everyone,…

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Tribute to Daisy Peterson Sweeney

February 26, 2020 newspaper Black History Month0 comment

To celebrate Black history month, this feature will highlight the achievements of one particularly talented Black woman; she truly put Montreal on the map as a jazz powerhouse. Daisy Peterson Sweeney was not only a great musician, but also a great teacher to some of the best artists from Montreal. Sweeney was born on May 7th of 1920, to Canadian parents – her mother a housekeeper and her father a railroad worker – and was raised in Little Burgundy, an area mainly inhabited by Black residents. She grew up during…

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Lincoln Alexander: Canada’s First Black MP

February 25, 2020 newspaper Black History Month0 comment

This February, Canadians, especially those in the black community, will celebrate Black History Month. Even though I am not black, I do wish to contribute, as a member of another visible minority, to the remembrance of influential black figures who became not only experts in their fields, but as pathfinders for their communities to thrive and prosper in Canada. Since I love Canadian political history, I will be dedicating the rest of this article to detailing the life of the Honourable Lincoln Alexander, PC, CC, O.Ont, CD, QC. Early…

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The Dark Truth Behind Black Friday and How to Combat It

February 6, 2020 newspaper Consumerism, Environment0 comment

With Thanksgiving around the corner just south of the Canadian border, industries have started promoting their Black Friday deals. A tradition that is rooted in the United States has found its way into Canada, in an effort to keep Canadian shoppers from contributing to foreign markets as opposed to their own. This being said, the excess consumption of goods and fast fashion on this day is no friend to our deteriorating climate. With the rise of consumerism surrounding the Holiday season, shoppers seek to get their shopping done on Black…

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Heroes

November 22, 2019 newspaper Heroes0 comment

Who can be considered a hero? Every individual will have a different understanding on who deserves to be called a hero, but the Merriam-Webster provides two definitions that, to me, are worth discussing. Firstly, a hero is defined as someone that is “admired for achievements and noble qualities”. It is also someone “who shows great courage”. These are very broad and simple ways to define heroism, and one person in particular comes to mind when reading said definitions: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. I am not here to sing the…

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Mr. Stark… I Don’t Feel So Good: Superhero Culture in the 21st Century

November 18, 2019 newspaper Heroes0 comment

As David Bowie sings, “We can be heroes, just for one day.” Although this song is to be interpreted as a love song, it reminisces the thought of longing to be a hero, something many can relate to. The emergence of a world where we celebrate the best in their field and glorify them to the point where they are idolized by others shows a certain ‘hero culture’ that we have been exposed to. Whether it be in terms of entertainment, such as superheroes, or in real life,…

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Of Monsters and Heroes

November 16, 2019 newspaper Heroes0 comment

In literature, monsters are a universal character across various cultures – as much in mythology as in contemporary tales. The Monster represents what our society fears. Frankenstein’s monster, for instance, represented the fear of science that society held at the time that the book was written. On the other hand, the role of the hero is to represent what our society deems as good. They are rich, brave, loyal, and, oftentimes, male. As much as we would like to think that we have moved away from these…

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The Jon Snows of Snow Removal

November 14, 2019 newspaper 0 comment

Winter is coming. Or, to give you a little bit more perspective, Canadian winter is coming. It is all fun and games during the months leading up to the holidays, because snow is expected and desired during that time of year. January 2nd, however, is when it all starts to go down (a snowy) hill. Our city becomes a slushy, desolate, frigid land roughly until the month of April. We dread having to leave our houses in such a climate. For this, we must pay tribute to the real heroes…

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Controversies over Poppies: Another Pop of Colour on Our Lapels

November 13, 2019 newspaper 0 comment

Since 1921, there is a long-standing tradition of wearing red poppies, during the Month of November, specifically on November 11, also known as Remembrance Day. Inspired by John McCrae’s “In Flander’s Fields,” the red poppies, which grew near the battlefields of the First World War, are worn in commemoration of the armistice. Over the years, the act of wearing a red poppy, as well as the concept of Remembrance Day, have been criticized for romanticizing war by depicting fallen soldiers as heroes and for promoting nationalism. “I…