Not everyone in the world has the same amenities that are oftentimes taken for granted in our industrialized society. Things like clean water and basic hygiene products may be something that’s readily available or easy enough to access here in the United States, but elsewhere, that’s not the case. Some organizations are putting in a great effort to provide soap to those without.

The onset of many diseases seen in developing countries is partially due to the lack of access to hygiene products. As many of us have been reminded growing up to wash our hands with water…and soap that’s not always an option for those living in lesser off situations. According to cleantheworld.org, “Pneumonia and diarrheal disease are two of the leading causes of death among children 5 years old.” These both could be combated if soap and proper hygiene educated was available in areas of the world that are deprived of these amenities.

As it is, reusing and recycling products has grown in popularity and is an initiative that’s often encouraged. However, often time’s products are tossed away without a second thought. It’s common to see recycling bins around reading paper, plastic etc. and so people may recycle bottles and cans frequently, but what about soap?

According to www.globalsoap.org, “Each day, more than 2.6 million bars of partially-used soap are thrown out by hotels in the United States.” When I think back to the times I’ve spent staying at hotels, I don’t recall ever going through a bar of soap that the hotel supplied the bathroom with. In fact, half of the time I’ve ended up bringing my own soap and hygiene products. Regardless, all the soap that goes unfinished usually is wasted and thrown away by hotels. That’s why donating these unused bars of soap to organizations like Global Soap is such a great idea to combat waste and better the lives of others all at once.

According to www.globalsoap.org, “Each week, we’re removing more than 7,500 pounds of used soap from the waste stream, and converting it into 30,000 new bars of soap.” Other organizations are also involved such as Eco-Soap Bank. This organization works to collect gently used soap from hotels in Cambodia to then sanitize and recycling them into new bars of soap. Those bars of soap are then donated. According to www.ecosoapbank.org, “75 percent of rural Cambodians still lack steady access to soap, and the Eco-Soap Bank seeks to address the critical need for hygiene.” No one should fall ill because they aren’t able to access basic hygiene products.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “An estimated 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation (more than 35% of the world’s population).” The majority of these people live in rural settings. All hotels should be committed to recycling their soap products wherever possible so that people don’t suffer from easily preventable illnesses. By throwing away soaps after guests finish their stay at a hotel, no direct harm is being done. However, if hotels recycle these soaps to be sanitized and donated to those in need, a direct impact can be made in bettering the quality of life for those without the amenities we take for granted.

Adam Urquhart can be contacted at aurquhart@kscequinox.com 

To combat the appalling amount of food wasted annually, some people are taking matters into their own hands in communities across the world. A unique initiative that seems to be on a slow rise is community fridges.

The idea behind the concept of a community fridge is quite simple. Those who are in need of food can stop by the community fridge anytime day or night and take what they need and leave what they don’t. The rules are simple and almost commonsensical in that you don’t leave behind unsealed products, food that’s rotten, half eaten, etc. It’s a way for local food retailers and producers to donate unsold food and help others as opposed to tossing it in the garbage. For example, a day and a half old pastry may hold little to no commercial value in a bakeries glass display case, but that pastry still has nutritional value. Community fridges operate on honesty and common decency. In some cases, people will volunteer to check up on the community fridge twice a day to ensure all food within the fridge is safe for consumption or not tampered with. 

There are food pantries and donation services available in many communities across the world, but with a community fridge in your neighborhood, everything is more direct. It keeps everything local and convenient for those who would really utilize this fridge. You could donate food you aren’t going to eat that’s in your fridge or cupboard as well. Also, with the fridge being available 24/7, people can have access to food or make donations around the clock on their own time.

A community fridge both reduces food waste and hunger. As it is now, according to www.feedingamerica.org, “An estimated 25 – 40 percent of food grown, processed and transported in the US will never be consumed.” That means while many go hungry, much of the food that could have fed them will end up in landfills. This in turn contributes to methane emissions. According to www.feedingamerica.org, “In 2015, 42.2 million Americans lived in food insecure households, including 29.1 million adults and 13.1 million children.” That’s just among the United States. Across the world, a lot of food that’s perfectly fine is discarded daily.

Last month, London’s first community fridge named The People’s Fridge was installed in south London. It’s located in the Brixton district in London’s Borough of Lambeth. Other similar fridges have popped up in the UK, but this is the first time it’s been brought to London. Hundreds of other community fridges are already operating in Germany, Spain and India.

I think it would be great to see more community fridges launched in the United States. Since it seems simple enough to operate, I feel more communities should look into investing in a fridge. If all food is safe and well-kept I don’t see an issue with them. As important as it is to seek to donate before discarding food, I feel it’s equally important to be conscious of our own food consumption. I mean this on an individual level in terms of eating out, grocery shopping and things of that nature. If we only buy or eat what we need, we can limit those excess amounts of food that end up being left over.

Adam Urquhart can be contacted at aurquhart@kscequinox.com

To combat the appalling amount of food wasted annually, some people are taking matters into their own hands in communities across the world. A unique initiative that seems to be on a slow rise is community fridges.

The idea behind the concept of a community fridge is quite simple. Those who are in need of food can stop by the community fridge anytime day or night and take what they need and leave what they don’t. The rules are simple and almost commonsensical in that you don’t leave behind unsealed products, food that’s rotten, half eaten, etc. It’s a way for local food retailers and producers to donate unsold food and help others as opposed to tossing it in the garbage. For example, a day and a half old pastry may hold little to no commercial value in a bakeries glass display case, but that pastry still has nutritional value. Community fridges operate on honesty and common decency. In some cases, people will volunteer to check up on the community fridge twice a day to ensure all food within the fridge is safe for consumption or not tampered with. 

There are food pantries and donation services available in many communities across the world, but with a community fridge in your neighborhood, everything is more direct. It keeps everything local and convenient for those who would really utilize this fridge. You could donate food you aren’t going to eat that’s in your fridge or cupboard as well. Also, with the fridge being available 24/7, people can have access to food or make donations around the clock on their own time.

A community fridge both reduces food waste and hunger. As it is now, according to www.feedingamerica.org, “An estimated 25 – 40 percent of food grown, processed and transported in the US will never be consumed.” That means while many go hungry, much of the food that could have fed them will end up in landfills. This in turn contributes to methane emissions. According to www.feedingamerica.org, “In 2015, 42.2 million Americans lived in food insecure households, including 29.1 million adults and 13.1 million children.” That’s just among the United States. Across the world, a lot of food that’s perfectly fine is discarded daily.

Last month, London’s first community fridge named The People’s Fridge was installed in south London. It’s located in the Brixton district in London’s Borough of Lambeth. Other similar fridges have popped up in the UK, but this is the first time it’s been brought to London. Hundreds of other community fridges are already operating in Germany, Spain and India.

I think it would be great to see more community fridges launched in the United States. Since it seems simple enough to operate, I feel more communities should look into investing in a fridge. If all food is safe and well-kept I don’t see an issue with them. As important as it is to seek to donate before discarding food, I feel it’s equally important to be conscious of our own food consumption. I mean this on an individual level in terms of eating out, grocery shopping and things of that nature. If we only buy or eat what we need, we can limit those excess amounts of food that end up being left over.

Adam Urquhart can be contacted at aurquhart@kscequinox.com

Delta Phi Epsilon and Active Minds put on the annual Eating Disorder Awareness Week to bring awareness to the Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) organization. Last week, the sorority tabled in the Young Student Center, focusing on bringing awareness about eating disorders and embracing positive body image.

According to a statistic included on the ANAD pamphlet that was handed out at their table, “90–95 percent of individuals who suffer from eating disorders are girls.”

KSC junior and double major in in elementary education and psychology with a minor in addictions Rachel Murphy is involved with both organizations. She joined both organizations during her first year at KSC. She explained that Active Minds is an organization that fights the stigma against mental health. Murphy said, “We’re big advocates for the eating disorder awareness week.” She explained that she works under the Vice President of Programming in Delta Phi Epsilon. Murphy said, “Basically, we have a table every day [during Eating Disorder Awareness Week], where each day is a different positive body image theme.” Murphy said, “ANAD is one of our philanthropies.”

Colton McCracken / Equinox Staff

KSC sophomore and member of Delta Phi Epsilon Lilian Poulin said the sorority has three philanthropies. Poulin said, “Our first one is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, ANAD and the Delta Phi Epsilon Education Foundation. The last one is mainly for sisters who have difficulty paying for school or paying their dues. We would never want to turn someone away just because they can’t afford the cost of joining an organization.” She explained this week is ANAD Awareness Week, but the sorority does things to benefit that philanthropy throughout the semester.

“The tables are there for anyone and we’re there to give support to anyone,” Poulin said. “We’re selling little goody bags and they come with a purple bracelet that says ANAD awareness and it says healthy is happy on them. They also have a little compact mirror, two chocolates and a little sticker.” She mentioned they sold for two dollars and all the profits go to ANAD. There was also a free benefit concert held where donations were accepted.

Poulin said aside from tabling, they also post sticky notes on the bathroom mirrors across campus with positive messages and compliments. “Also, at the table we have a board with sticky notes and some have messages and some are blank. You can take or leave one,” Poulin said.

Poulin went on to discuss why she felt the tabling was so successful.

“I think that this tabling in particular is the most beneficial for students that we do throughout the year because this is the one I’ve seen the most outsiders come up to,” Poulin said. “Usually, when it’s a tabling for a Greek Life thing, only Greek Life and friends of people who are sitting at the table will come, but yesterday we had a lot of random strangers coming up and asking what ANAD is. I think that that is beneficial because it shows, at least to me, that we’re getting the word out and that people are noticing and not just walking by a table.”

Colton McCracken / Equinox Staff

KSC sophomore and member of Delta Phi Epsilon Casey Lynn Sowle also helped out with the tabling in the student center. “It’s more about the awareness. We obviously love if we can raise money for it, but we just want people to know what ANAD is because it’s such a big issue that plagues so many people our age.” Sowle added, “The whole cause is to give people that place to go and it’s another way to raise that self-image because obviously there’s strength in numbers.” She explained that if you see a bunch of girls sitting at the table and talking about positive image, it can really bring up the mentality all across campus.

“Eating disorders are a touchy subject and a lot of people don’t like to talk about it, but it’s something that’s there and people should be,” Murphy said. “People know about it, but it’s just unspoken.”

Poulin said a family member of hers struggled with anorexia. “I’ve seen kind of first-hand the impact that it has on the individual, but also the family. I wanted to give back and that’s why I joined Delta Phi Epsilon,” Poulin said.

Poulin said, “Obviously, there are all kinds of ridiculous standards that not just women, but also men see every day in the media in celebrities that there’s this standard that we are all supposedly held to to be considered attractive. So, I think it would be fair to say that myself and really anyone who’s seen a magazine probably has struggled or felt badly about themselves at one point in their life.”

Adam Urquhart can be contacted at aurquhart@kscequinox.com

As the spring Fraternity and Sorority Life recruitment period kicks off, a new model for recruitment periods will go into effect moving forward.

Luke Stergiou / Senior Photographer

Spring recruitment will now be the only formal recruitment period, whereas before, this period occurred in the fall as well. This semester’s recruitment period runs from Jan. 30 to Feb. 10.

Coordinator of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Student Leadership Brandon Mathieu works with the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils, which are the governing bodies for the fraternities and sororities on campus.

Mathieu said, “Historically, we have always done a fall and spring recruitment, but we are moving to a model where fall will be an informal recruitment period. So, anyone who wants to recruit a new member class in the fall will do so individually on their own as a chapter versus getting resources and support from the Interfraternity Council or the Panhellenic Council.”

Mathieu explained that spring will be the full blown formal recruitment period, where the governing bodies will support the chapters.

Luke Stergiou / Senior Photographer

He said, “That is pretty typical at many colleges and universities across the U.S..

This alignment is starting as of this spring and will continue going forward.

Mathieu said, “We have set it now, where this is our formal recruitment period this year and then moving forward there will be no more formal fall recruitment period.”

Mathieu explained that logistically, this model made more sense to kind of phase out the fall and make spring the primary recruitment period.

Mathieu said, “This is because that’s really when first-years can go through and that’s the most targeted recruitment class that our chapters go for.”

First-year students typically don’t have credits or a GPA yet until spring semester starts.

Luke Stergiou / Senior Photographer

Mathieu added, “We require all Keene State students to have at least 12 credits and a 2.5 GPA to join a sorority or fraternity.”

Mathieu also explained that the sororities in particular are hopefully looking to grow their community in the next couple of years and welcome a fourth or fifth sorority on campus.

Mathieu said, “In order for us to get to a level where that would happen, we need to start adjusting some of our practices to be a little bit more in line with national trends so that we can get to that place and have a successful expansion period if we wanted to welcome another group here.”

This new recruitment period alignment has some feeling optimistic.

Senior majoring in Safety and Occupational Health and Vice President of Recruitment for the Panhellenic Council Rachel Powers said, “I think it’s going to help because we’re trying to expand by adding a new sorority potentially in the coming years.

Powers continued, “So, with us not having the fall recruitment, we can even out our numbers because there’s a big range in one sorority over the other.”

Luke Stergiou / Senior Photographer

“We’re trying to even out to an even playing field.” Powers explained that as Vice President of Recruitment, she oversees and plans it out by booking all the rooms and making sure everyone knows all the rules they have to follow.

In terms of how Greek Life has benefited her, Powers said, “I’ve become more confident, I’ve gained leadership skills from having different positions and I know I have a support system here…It’s a home away from home.”

Junior majoring in Women and Gender Studies and Vice President of Recruitment for the Interfraternity Council (IFC) Jp Colasacco feels similarly in terms of that support system. Colasacco joined a fraternity when he was a first-year student.

He said, “I wanted to do something different in college.

Luke Stergiou / Senior Photographer

As a f[irst-year], I went to Meet the Greeks and I went to the involvement fairs and I just wanted to do something that was going to benefit me later on in life and with fraternities and sororities, you’re a part of those organizations for the rest of your life.”

He explained that one of the biggest aspects of it is the amount of networking, friendship and bonds you make.

Colasacco said, “It’s just all about that bond and the networking you’ll have for the rest of your life.”

When asked his thoughts on the new system of having just a formal recruitment period in the spring, Colasacco said, “I think that it’s going to lead for better numbers and more opportunities for people to come and join and meet the brothers and sisters for whatever organization you’re going to recruitment for.”

Luke Stergiou / Senior Photographer

He continued, “I think it’ll be an interesting outtake on maybe the kind of people that go to recruitment just because you’d think that it’s like the cookie cutter kind of student that would come to recruitment, but it really isn’t with this campus.

So, I think having it just in the spring allows for more communities of students on campus to want to attend recruitment because it allows for one set period.”

He further explained that in the fall, it’s more of a growing period and a time for students to be thinking about wanting to join.

Colasacco said, “To join a Greek organization, you’re going to want to do it. If you don’t want to do it, then it’s maybe not the best fit for you because there are so many different things you can do on a college campus. But if you have the urge to do it, then I strongly encourage people to do it.”

He continued, “If you have the interest, going to recruitment is the best time to meet the brothers and the sisters and learn about something that can benefit you for the rest of your life.”

Adam Urquhart can be contacted at aurquhart@kscequinox.com

Eight water protectors from Keene State College went to Washington D.C. to crusade against crude oil and advocate against the environmental and the social injustices that indigenous peoples all over the world face.

Adam Urquhart / opinions Editor

The reason for fighting such a cause extends its reach far beyond what’s taking place just in North Dakota alone.

This past weekend, eight Keene State College students traveled by van 400 plus miles from New Hampshire to Alexandria, Virginia to be a part of a Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protest that was held in Washington D.C. on Saturday afternoon.

The students arrived at their hotel in Virginia early Saturday morning where they then rested up before waking up early to take on our nation’s capital.

Some of the students who came down to D.C. to stand in solidarity with the Sioux Tribe the weekend before finals week were also a part of the road trip of students who went to the site of the DAPL in North Dakota over Thanksgiving break.

However, these students stand with not only the Sioux Tribe in opposition of the DAPL, but also in resistance of all pipelines and infringement of indigenous people’s rights happening all over the world.

Adam Urquhart / opinions Editor

As vital as crude oil has become in order to maintain the functions of modern day society, at the end of the day we can’t drink oil and many feel it’s best left in the soil.

After taking the metro into the capital, the students toured the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

This impactful walk through the museum shed light upon the slow but steady genocide that’s occurring across the world in terms of water pollution.

Many feel as though poisoning water supplies is a form of genocide. Mni Wiconi, water is life, was a message delivered loud and clear at the event in D.C.

To contaminate water is to contaminate the lives of those who utilize that source of water.

In the long run this will affect us all, not just those directly at the source of the pollution and often times that is overlooked.

Water pollution affects us all, and so the eight water protectors of KSC stood in solidarity in opposition of putting big money in the oil industry above the lives of humans who are entitled to clean water.

Some may fear what’s ahead as we already pay to consume water, an element we as humans can’t live without.

Adam Urquhart / opinions Editor

KSC junior majoring in polyscience, with an addictions minor and also a State Representative for New Hampshire, Joseph Stallcop was present for both the trip to Standing Rock and the rally held in D.C. Saturday, Dec. 10.

Stallcop said, “Definitely after witnessing what I had in North Dakota, having the opportunity to stand in the one location that government is and showing that the people are unhappy about the decisions that are going on is very vital to me.”

He continued, “As big as an endeavor as it was to go to standing rock I know there is constantly more to be done to make sure the message has been brought to those involved that we are not happy about what has been going on.”

Stallcop described his experience at the rally in D.C. as pretty amazing. In terms of the atmosphere he experienced marching through the streets of the capitol Stallcop said, “It’s a mixture of emotions. There is definitely hope and joy that the amount of people attended were all fighting for the same thing,”

He continued, “also frustration and grief of what’s going on.” He explained that there are multiple messages occurring at the same time and that this is definitely something that is going beyond Standing Rock.

Stallcop also explained that there are a combination of factors present here such as colonialism, racism, all the way down to police militarization and the question of what are the freedoms and rights given by this country.

Adam Urquhart / opinions Editor

Stallcop asks that, “People as a whole look into things and when they see that something may be going wrong and that people may be being harmed as well as having their rights violated, they should find out what’s happening and do their best to change it.”

He continued, “From one comes many and from many, action can occur.”

Senior nutrition major Allie Aron was one of the two drivers that drove the KSC crew down for the protest.

Aron said, “It was eye-opening and made me think a lot about community and family.”

She continued, “To hear the speeches at the rally and seeing all of the strangers become a community was also eye opening.”

She explained that when one does stuff like this they meet like minded people. Like minds definitely came together as one, as chants were called out as hundreds marched through the streets of Washington D.C. in opposition of much more than just the DAPL.

Adam Urquhart can be contacted at aurquhart@kscequinox.com

As our society becomes more accepting of the LGBTQA+ community, some facilities are relooking at ways to break down the barriers encountered in regards to receiving health care. One group looking to offer that support is the Equality Health Care facility who hosted a LGBTQA+ Healthcare presentation last Wednesday, October 26. This event was in Morrison Hall at Keene State College.

Program Support Assistant for LGBTQ+ students in the Office of Diversity and Multiculturalism Hunter Kirschner said he was able to coordinate with a member of the Equality Health Care (EHC) Board of Directors Mitchel Riley to set up the space and put this event on.  Riley was one of three speakers who came to the event from EHC located in Concord, New Hampshire.

Accompanying Riley was EHC Medical Services Coordinator Lisa Hall and the Executive Director at EHC Dalia Vidunas. Early on in the presentation, Riley explained that all populations have different needs. Understanding that there are all different types of identities isn’t always present in our society and more specifically in the medical field. Riley continued that many of those who make up the LGBTQA+ community have faced lack of access to health care catered toward their needs and barriers that cisgender people aren’t challenged with. Being cisgender is for one’s self-identity to conform with the gender that corresponds to their biological sex.

Tim Smith / Photo Editor

In the presentation, it was brought up that some LGBTQA+ folks have had to teach their doctors about their own health care needs. If a doctor doesn’t have a solid understanding, then he or she won’t know how to advise their patients on what to look for, or what preventative steps to take. The presenters explained that other barriers cisgender patients aren’t burdened with that LGBTQA+ people face is that of filling out different medical forms. It was brought up in the presentation that, this can become tricky for some in the LGBTQA+ community as far as putting down preferred names or legal names, and not all medical forms have check boxes or write-in options for different identities.

Kirschner said, “It’s becoming more aware that there are these disparities that exist but unclear about how to address them or even what the different experiences are and how to make it more of a welcoming practice.” He continued to say that increased awareness is a step in the right direction, while things continuously change as structures of gender break down and more identities expand and become understood and accepted. Kirschner also said, “Being trans[gender] is so much different now than it was 10 years ago, than 10 years before that, and we have people who practice medicine for their entire adult careers and they’re not being exposed to these ideas.”

Kirschner went on to explain how there are certain requirements that some insurance companies and doctors have in order to access care for individuals in the LGBTQA+ community. He said for most hormone therapies and surgeries, those doctors want a trans[gender] individual to see a mental health professional for at least three months so the health professional can say, “yes, this person is mentally sound.” Kirschner said. “It’s weird and gross that we need someone else’s permission approval stamp to say, yes you are who you say you are. It’s challenging because that’s how these services are accessed.” He went on to further explain that one can have surgery and one’s body will be fine, it doesn’t matter if one’s on hormones or not.

Kirschner mentioned that we keep talking about how trans[gender] and queer patients have to educate their doctors. Kirschner said, “One thing that I really appreciate about [Equality  Health Center] is that this facility educated themselves and then said, ‘Hey LGBTQA+ people, we have services you need and can provide it in a way that’s competent and respectful.’” He continued, “So, I feel safe recommending EHC, which is so unfortunately infrequent.”

However, EHC, which has been a small non-profit since 1974, hasn’t always gone by this name. Quite recently in June, the facility changed their name from Concord Feminist Health Center to Equality Health Center.

Executive Director at EHC Dalia Vidunas said, “We felt like our name was kind of getting in the way of some people contacting us.” She said this new name better represents the broad array of patients that they serve.

Tim Smith / Photo Editor

EHC is starting to see an increase in serving those clients who are a part of the LGBTQA+ community. Vidunas said, “We started looking into this program approximately four to five years ago and did a lot of training within the staff with changing our protocols and doing a lot of legwork beforehand to make sure we felt that we had something to offer.”

Vidunas said, “Some of the biggest gaps are the fact that a lot of health care providers don’t have training and/or understanding about the issues that are unique to LGBTQA+ people.” She then went on to explain how, as a result, a lot of the time people in this community will put off getting health care and not receive it preventatively. She continued, they may actually only come see a physician when they are really sick because of not wanting to go see a provider who doesn’t understand or have knowledge about them and the community they make up. Vidunas added, “They may even want to avoid discrimination.”

Hunter Kirschner said, “EHC is trying to promote their services for specifically LGBTQA+ individuals and wanted to make sure our students knew they were a resource in Concord.” Although there may be barriers some face at certain health centers, EHC strives to provide competent care for all. This presentation was meant to be relevant to all who attended, especially for those looking to enter the medical field after school.

KSC junior Kevin Aruilio was present for this event. Aruilio said, “Events like these are needed. These are important events.” Aruilio who’s majoring in film studies explained that in the past, he did a film project about a friend of his who came out as transgender. He said, “There are certain things I learned here that I didn’t know from that film I did.”

Aruilio said, “It’s best to know these things because when you go into any kind of field or business, it’s best to know who people are and how they want to be treated, called and what pronouns they use.” Aruilio continued, “The understanding is growing, but we still have a long way to go at this point.”

The event was sponsored by Equality Health Center, KSC Pride and the Offices of Multicultural Student Support and Diversity and Multiculturalism.

Adam Urquhart can be contacted at aurquhart@kscequinox.com 

The 2016 Summer Olympics have ended, and with fall athletics starting up again at Keene State College, I feel it’s important to note that records were also set outside of the competitions. Rio 2016 had more openly LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) athletes compete than in any other Olympics. According to www.outsports.com, this Olympics had a record 40 plus out LGBT athletes compete. Rio 2016 was progressive in comparison to the 23 out LGBT athletes that competed at the 2012 Olympics. However, there is still work to be done in order to further instill acceptance and understanding in others.

Rio 2016 brought the LGBT community to light in a number of ways. I feel a few are worth rehashing to highlight the tremendous strides that athletes have made in hope of bringing a greater understanding to those unfamiliar with this community.

There’s a first for everything and according to an article published on www.independent.co.uk, written by Alexandra Sims, “A Brazilian player became the first athlete to accept a marriage proposal at the games.” Brazilian athlete Isadora Cerullo accepted the proposal after her girlfriend Marjorie Enya gave a speech before the entire crowd. As if it’s not important enough to note that Cerullo was the first athlete to accept a proposal at the games, it’s also the first lesbian athlete marriage acceptance at the games.

Many of the Olympic LGBT athletes took home medals. One of these athletes was Italy’s long distance swimmer Rachele Bruni. According to www.advocate.com, Bruni won a silver medal for long distance swimming in a 10k marathon, after which she dedicated the medal to her girlfriend, Diletta Faina.

I think openly dedicating the medal to her partner brought to light that all humans love the same, regardless of sexual orientation, gender or race. I feel as though instances in sports where LGBT athletes are featured so positively really help reinforce that we’re all the same. The Summer Olympics in Rio can be seen as a progressive step for the LGBT community, but even with a widespread acceptance of others, there were still instances of discrimination that took place.

Graphic by samantha moore / art director

According to www.outsports.com, “LGBT women’s soccer players from the United States, Canada and Australia had to endure anti-gay chants from fans in their opening matches in Rio.” As if performing at one’s highest level isn’t difficult enough, it’s made even more challenging when fans chant slurs like “bicha” at players. Bicha is Brazilian Portuguese slang for gay. www.outsports.com also mentions how it’s odd for this term to be directed toward female athletes because bicha is a term aimed at men. Regardless, no athlete should be shamed and put down for their sexual orientation at any level whether Olympic, college or junior league.

Another instance of discrimination toward LGBT athletes at this past Olympic Games was when heterosexualand  married author Nico Hines from the Daily Beast published a controversial article. According to an article published on www.washingtonpost.com, written by Steven Petrow, Hines started off using apps such as Tinder and Grindr to discover which athletes were playing the mating game. For those who aren’t familiar with these apps, Tinder is the swipe right or swipe left dating app based off whether one finds someone attractive or not for heterosexual people. Grindr operates under the same attractive or not concept, only it’s geared toward gay and bisexual men. According to the article, Hines got a better response while using Grindr and then geared his article toward gay athletes. As if catfishing these athletes isn’t bad enough, in the article Petrow said, “The problem is his story included physical descriptions of the men he’d met, along with their sports and their countries of origin — making it easy to identify them.” In essence, Hines called them out in his article, which has now been taken down.

In my opinion, what Hines did was invasive and unacceptable, especially because some athletes come from countries where homophobia is all too common. These athletes made it to Rio because of their talent and determination, not their sexual orientation, so it shouldn’t even be mentioned, as it isn’t relevant.

With much progress having been made among the LGBT community at this year’s summer Olympics, I look forward to the day when all athletes are referred to as just that – athletes.

Adam Urquhart can be contacted at aurquhart@kscequinox.com.

A local community artist seeks to have single-use plastic bags banned in the city of Keene.

Artist and activist Danielle Baudrand said, “Going to city council wasn’t something that I planned. It was because I am so passionate about the issue and I was doing these big drives and I was getting so much trash and when you live with so much trash and plastic bags you’re just like this stuff is accumulating. If you look at the letter I wrote them it wasn’t something I sat on trying to type up, I just had enough of it. I just had to act.”

Baudrand said, “I wrote in my letter, that the ban should be put in place to stop the flow of pollution. Will it get rid of plastic pollution? No. We have plastic packaging, plastic food packaging, but it’s a start. It’s a start in a way to start forcing people to become more conscious. I think when you start doing that, then people have to start thinking about their trail they’re leaving behind and that’s actually a big part of what my plastic bag project is about.”

Braudrand said, “When I moved to Keene which was about seven months ago I noticed that everybody’s into nature [here]. I actually started pushing it as soon as I moved here like going into different schools trying to get people involved in this project.”

Photo Illustration / Colton McKracken / Equinox Staff

Braudrand said she braids and crochets plastics bags into an art piece called the Plastic Bag Project. It can be seen at www.facebook.com/theplasticbagproject.

“I actually started this project back in 2013 in New York City and it was really to bring about the idea of how much waste we are collecting in the city,” Braudrand said.

Baudrand continued, “I started back in New York City as a way to get kids involved and have them understand the concept of waste and accumulating waste and it was really through that project that I was hoping to increase the awareness of plastic bag pollution and try to decrease the consumption of it and the best place to start is with kids.”

Baudrand has a similar idea in mind as that of Keene State College’s Eco-Reps, who seek to ban plastic water bottles from campus according to an article in a previous issue of The Equinox.

Director of Campus Sustainability Cary Gaunt said, “As a whole the eco-reps and the sustainability office personally think that plastic waste is really bad in general. In the long term I would like to see us get rid of plastic, the plastic our food comes in, the disposable plastic. I’d love to see us be a campus that’s free of all disposable plastics.”

“One of the reasons that disposable plastics are so bad is because it’s a fossil fuel product, plastics are made from oil. We’ve committed as a campus to be carbon neutral. We signed something called the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. That commits Keene State to become carbon neutral sometime in the middle of the century. We don’t have a hard deadline. I want to create a set date. That’s something that will hopefully happen in the next six months,” Gaunt said.

Gaunt continued, “I think it would be great for the city of Keene to ban plastic bags, other cities have done it. I think we should do it on campus as well. I think it’s a fantastic idea. Plastics I think are one of our biggest forms of pollution from the moment it’s made, from the moment we extract oil from the ground to create plastics to the moment we dispose of them. If you look at that whole life cycle of how it’s made, how it’s used, and how it’s disposed, it’s one of our most polluting products.”

Further, Baudrand said, “Plastic pollution isn’t just a thing in Keene, it’s everywhere. It’s something we all have to come together and continually fight. Whether or not they approve it right now, we’ll eventually have to approve something. It’s only time. They can be ahead of the trend and think to the future and think of more sustainable ways that this community can deal with trash and waste consumption or they can ignore it and later on be forced to do it.”

Baudrand said, “I think it would be great to get Keene State involved and working on it together and bring it to places like Concord. I do think it can make a giant impact.”

Criminal justice major and first-year Anna Evans said in Portland, Maine, where she’s from, people have to pay five cents even if they only need one plastic bag. “I think overall especially here at school and at other schools banning plastics bags would be really good just because it’s not really a necessary thing for us to have. It’s worked…where I live, it can work anywhere,” Evans said.

Ward five Councilor Philip M. Jones was unavailable for comment before deadline.

Adam Urquhart can be contacted at aurquhart@kscequinox.com