Op-eds

Sexism and birthday parties

I had a most interesting experience today trying to book a party for my soon-to-be-four-year-old girl. It could have been simple. I knew where she wanted to have the party,…

In praise of winter

Like an old god’s curse, winter has descended once more. The northern half of the province at least has the pleasantries of snow—that innocent pillow stuffing that smooths out the…

Geek commodity and gender equity

Geek culture is becoming a part of the mainstream. With the rapid adoption of video gaming and the commercial success of movie adaptations of popular comic books, among other growing…

Beauty marketing is wrong

The other day I was waiting for an appointment and grabbed the closest magazine to distract myself. I was overwhelmed by all the beauty-related ads. My heart breaks over the marketing…

Niqab discrimination does not foster social cohesion

The niqab is a veil, worn by some Muslim women, that covers the whole body and provides a thin slit for the eyes. Many Muslim women state that they are…

Vote ‘Yes’ to making UVic come alive

When I ran for the position of Director of Events for the University of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS), I knew the long hours and small events budget would be a…

Citizen science as peer review

One of the goals any citizen scientist should have is to obtain the clearest information possible, before making any decision on an important issue. Obtaining information crucial to making decisions…

It’s food, not waste

Every day in Victoria people go hungry, food bank shelves stay empty, and low-income families struggle to put food on the table—especially around the holidays. What if I told you…

An ode to advancement

I would like to share a few observations that I’ve made about us, the Homo sapiens, and the inextricable relationship that we have with the natural world. Since the emergence…