Mount Hood

“Pirates of the Queeribbean”

By: Joleen Braasch 
Staff Writer

With WOU Drag Show auditions just around the corner, drag fever is in the air. In recent years, Triangle Alliance has brought the campus “The Wonderful Wizard of WOU,” “Magic Queendom Academy” (Disney themed), “Out of Pandora’s Box” (Greek themed), and “Around the World in 80 Gays” to the Rice Auditorium stage.

On April 7, the cast of the 20th annual WOU Drag Show will bring “Pirates of the Queeribbean” into the hearts of the WOU community. The WOU community can expect yet another night of fun, filled with loud music, racy dance moves, and equality for all.

Hosted by the Triangle Alliance (a student-run organization on campus that aims to create a safe space for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*, Queer and Ally (LGBT*Q+) students) the drag show is important to the heart of equality on our campus while also encouraging confidence and self- expression.

Courtney Thomas, a senior biology major, defines drag as “an expression, a part of the soul, a means to release the inner portion of you, however you may be defined or not defined.”
John Goldsmith, a senior English literature major, has been performing in the drag show since his first year. It has allowed him to gain the strength to fully accept himself as a gay man, he said.

To Jenesa Ross, a senior biology major, the show is important because it is rare to find something that allows anyone and everyone to just be themselves; the drag show provides this for her and for all others involved, whether they are dancing or working behind the scenes.

Four seniors known as “the quadforce”– Gabbi Boyle, John Goldsmith, Lindsey Hughes, and Jenesa Ross– are working together to put on yet another amazing student run show.

Gabbi Boyle, a senior interdisciplinary studies major, said that this is a major factor of pride for drag show community, as outside choreographers were brought in until 2014.

Auditions start Friday, Jan. 15 from 6-8pm and continue through Saturday. Jan. 16 and Sunday, Jan. 17 from 1-3pm in HWC 302.

“The Revenant” nominated for 12 Oscars

By: Conner Williams 
Editor in Chief

With the recent box office takeover by “Star Wars,” not much else has had a chance to catch more than a glance from moviegoers.

But whether or not the lightsaber fever dies down, Alejandro Inarritu’s “The Revenant” should be on your list of movies to see, and soon. Inarritu also directed “Birdman,” which won the Oscar for best motion picture last year. “The Revenant” has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards.

It’s no surprise that a film that required an actor to survive sub-zero temperatures, freezing rivers, and eat a raw bison liver would have Leonardo DiCaprio (“Titanic,” “The Wolf of Wall Street”) as the lead. DiCaprio’s co-stars also deliver strong performances, including those from Tom Hardy (“Mad Max: Fury Road,” “The Dark Knight Rises) and Domhnall Gleeson (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Ex Machina”).

DiCaprio has often gone to great extents to give noteworthy, passionate performances, but his role in “The Revenant” takes it to a whole new level.

“The Revenant” is the true story of Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), a 19th century fur trapper who is viciously mauled by a bear and left for dead by his comrades. Glass must utilize all of his survival skills to rehabilitate his body and withstand the extreme conditions in order to exact his revenge.

Filmed in the heart of the Canadian wilderness (and in Argentina when the snow melted) with nothing but natural light for the cameras, all those involved in the making of the film had to dig deep in order to make this project happen. The crew often times had less than two hours of daylight to work with before the sun would set once again. There were even some instances in which filming almost ceased due to several severe frostbite scares.

DiCaprio gives the performance of a lifetime by doing anything necessary in order to give the film the most authentic feel possible, including refusing to eat a fake bison liver for fear that it would not look real. DiCaprio also stripped naked in below-freezing temperatures for one scene and jumped into an icy river for another.

While not as daring a request as surviving extreme weather conditions, DiCaprio did have to grow and maintain a scraggly, dirty beard for nearly a year, even during breaks in filming.

After four best actor Oscar nominations, this looks to be DiCaprio’s most complete, complex, and sincere role. Many film writers have predicted that “The Revenant” will be the film that brings it home for him. The official nominations will be announced on Jan. 14.

A Time for Change: Revisited

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

Last week, three WOU students were interviewed about their New Year’s resolutions. This week, they were asked about whether they were keeping up with them or not. Let’s see how they did!

Jocelyn Chavez, a junior anthropology major, had a main goal of being healthier. This included working on her mental health and improving her sleep. Another one of her goals was to go on a Tinder date. Was she successful?

When asked about her resolutions, Chavez responded, “I have been working out more, I’ve been taking niacin a bit more, so I’ve been sleeping really well, actually. As far that first Tinder date, I’ve got one coming up on Sunday.”

Another resolutioner was Mariah Williams, a senior interdisciplinary studies major. Her goals included getting healthier and being happy single.

“I’ve been eating pretty healthy, not eating sugar. That’s going good. And my other resolution for being single is going okay; I haven’t gone on any dates, so that’s good,” Williams said. She also has not given into the temptation of accepting phone calls from men who might be looking for a date.

Health was a primary focus for resolutioners, shown again with Justin Oehler, a senior education major. His goals, which were inspired by a health class he is enrolled in, were to work out more and get in shape.

“I’m going to [try] to follow them as best I can, I have had a hard time getting back in the swing of things but I feel better about this week. Gym three times this week is my goal and eating vegetables,” said Oehler.

While there may be some faltering, overall our resolutioners are successful thus far. This bodes well for the year to come!

Northwest Passage seeking submissions

By: Megan Clark
Campus Life Editor

That Last Hard Mile – Emily Pate

walk.
go out into the sun-carved morning
and let yourself hunger for horizons.

it’s alright to be afraid. hold your hope
deep in your stomach where your fear lives.
let them settle there, together. let them both bloom.
you never know what seeds you swallow
until they spread leaves into all the soft parts of your body.

there are miracles in you because you made them.
this morning is a promise. curl it into
the careful callouses of your hands.
breathe.

This poem by Emily Pate, now a graduate of WOU, and photograph by Salelah Albalawi, a __ major, were published in the Northwest Passage’s fall 2015 issue.

Interested in having some of your own work published by WOU’s wonderful literary mag?

The deadline for the upcoming winter issue is February 12. The Northwest Passage accepts up to five pieces of poetry, as well as fiction, screenplays, and scripts under 2,250 words.

It also accepts art, in the form of photography, paintings, drawings, or otherwise in digital format.

If this tickles your artistic and literary fancy, then submit your work as an attachment to northwestpassage@wou.edu!

Protests Spark after Multnomah University Requests Title IX Exemption

By: Jenna Beresheim
News Editor

On Saturday, Dec. 12, a small group of students protested outside of Multnomah University after the school requested an exemption from Title IX.

“Multnomah University is one of dozens of Christian colleges and universities applying for Title IX exemptions following the Obama administration’s decision to include gender identity under Title IX, a federal statute that prevents discrimination on the basis of sex,” writes A.J. Mendoza, the Racial Justice Organizer for Basic Rights Oregon.

Enacted in 1972, the Title IX statute focuses on sexual discrimination in educational settings.
“Title IX protects any person from sex-based discrimination, regardless of their real or perceived sex, gender identity, and/or gender expression. Female, male, and gender non-conforming students, faculty, and staff are protected from any sex-based discrimination, harassment or violence,” informs the informational website titled knowyourix.org.

“It also addresses sexual harassment, gender-based discrimination, and sexual violence,” the website continues.

Title IX has been a hot topic in Oregon recently, as the issue arose beginning April 2014 with a resident student filing a complaint.

The student, a transgender male named Jayce, had not been allowed to house with other male roommates on campus at George Fox University.

George Fox University eventually won the battle for a Title IX exemption regardless, on the basis of religious grounds.

The university also claimed “that they were objecting to a housing request only, and that they haven’t kicked the student out of the university” according to insidehighered.com.

Jayce moved to an off-campus house to complete his schooling at GFU and later graduate.

Some universities are going so far as to expel transgendered students if they are ‘out’ on campus.

Multnomah University’s latest push for exemption suggests the same – that the school would “dismiss a transgender student, if one emerges in its student body” reports the Portland Mercury.

“Treating transgender students in a way that’s consistent with their gender identity would conflict with their religious tenets,” stated the University’s president, Rev. Dr. Craig Williford, in a written response to Koin 6 News.

Andrea Zekis, a policy director for Basic Rights Oregon, is a transgendered woman who attended a religious college and loved her experience there.

According to Fox 12, Andrea “worries about individuals on some religious campuses who struggle with these issues and may not feel welcomed or accepted.”

Many religious campuses, such as Multnomah University, offer counseling for those struggling with either gender or sexual identity, or a resulting sense of negative campus culture as a result.
In the last year, over 27 schools were allowed exemption from Title IX, with another nine pending applications nationwide.

Without these exemptions, discrimination may result in the complete withdrawal of federal funding for these universities in question.

Currently, there is no update as to whether Multnomah University’s exemption will pass or not as the request was only recently made.

For more information on a student’s rights regarding sexual discrimination and Title IX, visit the website knowyourix.org.

Snow Safety

By: Jenna Beresheim
News Editor

As inclement weather approaches, having already affected the first day of school for Western Oregon University, there are some important precautions to keep in mind.

Commuters especially need to take precaution and know their personal limits when it comes to driving in winter weather.

AAA recommends some of the following tips and tricks for driving in snow and ice.

Keeping a vehicle well taken care of is the first measure of prevention, with tires properly inflated and appropriate tires for the season installed, with chains as another option.

Having a tank that is at least always half full will keep the gas line from freezing up, and also allows for drivers to have enough time to travel to another gas station without being left out in the cold on the side of the road.

If the above option is unavailable, keep a half tank of gas in the car in order to fill up in case of emergency. For situations where a vehicle may end up off the road, pack cat litter or sand in the car to provide traction for the wheels in icy conditions.

When driving, make sure to stray away from the use of cruise control, and accelerate and decelerate slowly on slick surfaces. Give enough time to stop at a turn, or enough space to stop behind another car in case the vehicle does not gain traction right away for a clean stop.

Always leave lights on for better visibility, even in the daytime hours, and give other drivers plenty of room on the road to account for any human error that may occur.

In worst case scenarios, always be prepared. A kit in the back of the vehicle could contain some of these items: a blanket, heat packs, extra water and food, and another way to contact those in case of emergency. Never leave the vehicle in these instances, as it provides temporary shelter and allows for easier discovery by rescue teams.

On campus, faring against the chill is easier but implements the same idea of traveling slowly.
While de-icer is applied to most campus sidewalks and heavier areas of traffic, areas may still be slick and dangerous if not approached with caution, and areas outside of campus may not have been attended to yet.

Buildings on campus, such as the modules, may also vary in temperature compared to their clustered counterparts on the main street.

For those who may not have the means to purchase warmer clothes, the WOU Food Pantry offers free clothes donations outside of their location.

“If you find yourself a little cold or in need of clothes stop by the food pantry. We have winter clothes located outside the pantry for easy access even if the pantry isn’t open. Clothes donations are coming in regularly so don’t hesitate to come pick some up!” states a post on the WOU Food Pantry Facebook group in November.

Some of the donated items include scarves, jackets, sweaters, hats, gloves, and socks.

The Western Oregon Food Pantry is located on the first floor of the Academic Programs Support Center (APSC) building, and the hours change on a weekly basis for the actual food pantry itself.

The Food Pantry is always accepting food and clothes donations from other students who have no use for them.

To keep tabs on the Food Pantry and see the latest contents, follow their Facebook page “Western Oregon University Food Pantry” or drop by in person.

Students interested in staying informed of campus closures are encouraged to check the WOU website frequently or pay attention to local news stations covering the weather’s impact on the local area.

A mildly erotic collection of poetry and short prose

Screen Shot 2016-01-08 at 4.07.43 PM

By: Katrina Penaflor 
Managing Editor

Where to begin? Well, to be honest, I’m not entirely sure, as I’ve never reviewed anentire book of poetry before. But I guess I’ll start with “Dirty Pretty Things” was very good. Fair start?

Now on to actual details, to let people know what in the world I read and why anyone else should care to read it.

The author of the collection is Michael Faudet. I first discovered Faudet’s writing on Tumblr while scrolling through my feed.

I had never read anything of his before and his poem “A Question for Anna” caught my attention. It was only one line long, so perhaps it still falls under the category of prose.

It read, “Do you know what a palindrome is Madam?”

I couldn’t decipher what it was about this line that caught my attention, but I think it had to do with how clever it was. Madam, obviously falling under an example of a palindrome, completing the cheeky joke.

From there I kept reading Faudet’s work on his blog and eventually received “Dirty Pretty Things” for Christmas.

Let’s start with the introduction, which was interesting and odd in all the best ways. Instead of a regular run of the mill insight on the work of the author, the intro talked about the book “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

The importance of this was to describe the significance of the story to Faudet and his girlfriend and poet Lang Leav, who wrote the introduction. I enjoyed this candid insight to the relationship of the two writers because it laid the groundwork for possible inspirations behind the fantastical and dream-like voice the author has.

A majority of the poetry and writing is quite short, sometimes two or three lines long and nothing over four pages.

The reoccurring theme of Faudet’s writing is the overwhelming array of emotions that occur when one falls in love.

From the initial sexual interest, to the heartbreaking realizations of loving someone who doesn’t love you back, “Dirty Pretty Things” gives an honest look into the mind of a male speaker who is completely enthralled by his female muse.

A strong point for me was Faudet’s daring attempt at expressing characters’ sexual encounters with one another. He wrote with such whimsy, that the eroticism of it all nearly came across as some kind of dream. With characters dancing from bed to bed with nothing to worry about but his or her pleasure.
The only downside to this was at times the overuse of the words “fu*king” and “panties,” and “sex” tended to drag the writing down, and left a tackiness to some of the later poems.

I wouldn’t say this book is for everyone, as it often teeters back and forth from erotic to tooth-achingly sweet. I also could have done without the clichéd rhyming that occasionally popped up, and a few of the poems were just too short for me to pull meaning from.

But if looking at the work as a whole, I think Faudet created a clever and unique look at modern love. I appreciated his portrayal of characters who didn’t shy away from their sexual desires, and weren’t afraid to openly cry tears of joy and pain.

In addition, the way the words on the page were displayed visually were quite beautiful. I would absolutely read Faudet’s writing in the future, and would be interested in reading Lang Leav’s as she has spoken of her writing being inspired by Faudet.

Western Oregon University

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Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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