Mount Hood

Zendaya and Tom Holland

Written by: Sadie Latimer | News Editor

Hollywood’s “it couple” made a big announcement at the Golden Globes, without even saying a word. Zendaya — an actress known for her roles in “Euphoria,” “Dune” and as MJ in the Spider-Man franchise — casually flaunted her engagement ring while attending the Golden Globes. 

Zendaya and Tom Holland — best known for his role as Spider-Man — confirmed their romantic relationship in 2021. The couple has been private about their relationship, however, what they do choose to share to their fans is nothing short of captivating. 

In September 2021, Holland wished Zendaya a happy birthday by posting a picture of the couple on Instagram captioned “My MJ, have the happiest of birthdays. Gimme a call when your [sic] up xxx.”

Then, in December 2021, Zendaya posted on her Instagram two photos of Holland dressed as Spider-Man, but at different ages. She captioned the post, “My Spider-Man, I’m so proud of you, some things never change and good thing.”

Over three years later, Zendaya showed off her diamond ring at the 2025 Golden Globes. Although the couple hadn’t confirmed the news themselves, they are nothing if not intentional with their publicity. 

In a September 2023 interview with Elle magazine, Zendaya said, “Parts of my life, I accept, are going to be public. I can’t not be a person and live my life and love the person I love. But also, I do have control over what I choose to share. It’s about protecting the peace and letting things be your own but also not being afraid to exist. You can’t hide. That’s not fun, either. I am navigating it more than ever now.”

Before Holland’s post in September 2021, paparazzi were able to sneak a picture of the couple in a car, kissing at a red light. Soon after, the photos were plastered over the internet, and neither Holland nor Zendaya had a say in how or when their relationship was publicized. 

In November 2021, Holland was interviewed by GQ magazine and opened up about his lack of privacy.

“One of the downsides of our fame is that privacy isn’t really in our control anymore, and a moment that you think is between two people that love each other very much is now a moment that is shared with the entire world,” said Holland.

Now, Zendaya and Holland are sure to announce their life updates on their own terms when they want the public to know. It wouldn’t be surprising if the next thing we see from them is wedding pictures.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

Trap

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Content warning: this article contains spoilers and mentions of violence and suicide

M. Night Shyamalan’s most recent theatrical release, “Trap,” has hit the streaming service Max. The movie follows Cooper Abbott, played by Josh Hartnett, as he and his daughter attend a Lady Raven concert, where it is revealed they are at the center of a dark and sinister plot.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation — FBI — has set up agents, SWAT team members and police officers throughout and around the concert venue and are set on one task: to find the serial killer nicknamed “The Butcher.”

Viewers come to find out that Abbott is who they are searching for and throughout the film, he constantly outsmarts and outmaneuvers the FBI agents and their profiler, Dr. Josephine Grant. 

One of the most pivotal scenes in the movie is when Lady Raven, played by Shyamalan’s daughter Saleka, is trapped in the Abbotts’ bathroom and reveals to the family that their patriarch is The Butcher. She then uses an Instagram livestream to urge her followers to find and free Abbott’s next victim. When chosen as his newest victim, Lady Raven manages to outsmart and escape him, even while Abbott continues to stay one step ahead of the FBI.

At the climax of the film, Abbott returns home, planning on staging a murder-suicide after figuring out it was his wife, Rachel, who had reported him to the police in the first place. What he doesn’t know is that Rachel has gotten ahold of his bag and drugs him using his supplies. When the FBI and SWAT team arrive, Cooper is already hallucinating, seeing the specter of his mother. He is ultimately taken into custody, but the movie concludes with him using the spoke of a bike wheel to unlock his cuffs. 

The film is a true thriller, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats. Shyamalan is best known for his plot twists, like in his movie “The Sixth Sense,” and heavily utilizes them in “Trap.” 

The film is also based on the true story of Operation Flagship.

In 1985, the US Marshals Service sent invitations to 3,000 fugitives — with over 5,000 outstanding warrants between them all — in Washington, D.C., under the guise that they had won tickets to a Washington Redskins football game. That day, 101 fugitives attended and were arrested on the spot. “Trap” follows that sting operation, with the concert being used to find and arrest The Butcher. 

While the movie’s plot is well-written and easy to follow, it is also extremely anxiety-inducing. Hartnett’s portrayal of a level-headed killer is convincing to the point where viewers will feel as if they are caught in the trap with Cooper Abbott. 

My recommendation: if one has a history of post-traumatic stress disorder or may be sensitive to violence, do not watch this film. While the film itself is well done, Hartnett’s chilling portrayal of Abbott may be triggering. Viewer discretion is advised. 

10/10.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@mail.wou.edu

Connections

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

From Oct. 14 to Oct. 25 the Werner University Center — WUC — hosted a student art gallery by Alex Hitchens named “Connections.” The gallery, which featured a combination of acrylic paintings and photography, offered an insightful look into the changes in connection between people, nature and technology.

“The evolution of the internet is like that of a Pandora’s box, which then itself contains other little boxes of even smaller boxes,” Hitchens said. “Each box opened (social media, security challenges, AI) connects us all more greatly but then disconnects us greatly at the same time.”

Paintings of pill bugs in various stages of being rolled up, a mixtape unraveling with butterflies emerging from behind and a girl staring, almost longingly, at her computer screen conveyed Hitchens’ theme by remembering and seeking a balance between her three main focuses. 

“My painting called ‘Yin-Yang’ is my favorite because it’s the newest in the set but also because its intended meaning is seeking balance in the digital age.”

The piece featured two robotic dogs facing each other, one black and one white, on a background of binary code. The dogs are positioned in a shape similar to the well-known Chinese philosophy symbol. 

On the other side of the gallery, photos taken between 2020 and 2024 were arranged into a collage, featuring a diverse range of women and showcasing Hitchens’ photography skills.

The photo set, entitled “Feminine Powers,” shared the diversity of what it means to feel feminine and act as a reminder that femininity and womanhood are always evolving

“I made one wall my photography (and) the other wall my paintings. Both are about connection but through two different scopes. I knew my theme way beforehand because I had been painting these pieces that spoke on the connection between humans, nature and technology. Narrowing down which images was more difficult for me though, as there were way too many favorite portraits to pick from,” Hitchens said. 

Hitchens is currently a senior in the Art Education program at Western and hopes to either work at a Title I middle school or to continue their education and pursue art therapy.

“I picked Western for several reasons, but the most prominent is because I know so many people who went to this school and had nothing but positive feedback on their time here. I think I made a really excellent choice,” she said. “I’ve always been artistic but never had any discipline. (At Western) I’ve been able to grow (and) develop immensely. In part because of the diligence (and) expertise of my teachers but also in the authenticity (and) bravery of my classmates as well.”

Hitchens talked about the importance of displaying art in areas like the WUC, pointing out that it offers a low-pressure way to engage with art, for artists, gallery workers and students. They spoke of possibly inspiring other students by seeing her art displayed.

“I learned so much about how I want my art displayed, what to have prepared beforehand, how to communicate with the gallery team. This experience feels paramount to me (for) ‘working out the kinks’ in a safe space before you’re ready to start showing in other professional galleries,” they said.

Hitchens also uses her artwork and photography as a further means of awareness and social activism. In a post on their Instagram, @artbyalexzandria, Hitchens shared photos they took at a pro-Palestine march in Portland. Captioned “ceasefire now!” the images highlight protestors and their signs, as well as a graffitied watermelon — a symbol now synonymous with a call for justice for Palestine. 

Other political artwork on her page includes a satirical cartoon showing Elon Musk on the moon with the Earth on fire in the background, with Musk saying, “It’s a good thing I invested when I did.”

Hitchens continues to share her artwork and photography on her Tumblr blogs “Art by Alexzandria” and “Alex’s Photographs,” as well as selling vintage items in her Etsy store. 

“By example, I can show other students that these goals are accomplishable, so they can believe in their own work enough to hang in public, too.”

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Romance + fantasy = romantasy

Written by: Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor

Content warning: this article contains spoilers for “Crescent City” by Sarah J. Maas

Though it is unclear how long the term “romantasy” — a blend of the words romance and fantasy — has been around, the genre has now become rather common in most book social circles.

The idea behind the genre is that the plot has two defining features: romance and fantasy. If a book has too much romance and not enough fantasy, especially if the love interest is a high fae or another fantasy race, the plot cannot survive. 

The books typically contain smut —  sexually explicit content, also sometimes called “spice” online — though it is not a requirement of the genre. Many romantasy books fade-to-black or have behind-closed-doors moments — scenes where the explicit content is implied but never stated — and the romance is kept clean for readers. 

The fade-to-black scenes are typically best for the young adult genre, as it means that underage readers are not consuming sexually explicit content not intended for their age demographic. For example, the book “From Blood and Ash” by Jennifer L. Armentrout is considered one of the spiciest books currently on the market. As this book is one of my current reads, I can safely say that this is true; the book is roughly 20% actual plot and 80% smut and is not suitable for young adult readers, which is why fade-to-black scenes are so important. 

Within the last few years, the genre has seen an uptick in readers and number of books sold. Sarah J. Maas, the author of “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” “Throne of Glass” and the “Crescent City” series, has sold over 40 million copies of her books. Maas is currently the biggest name in romantasy, and some would say she created the current blueprint for the genre, as well as for the love interests. It seems that Maas has cracked the code behind the romantasy genre. 

One theory to explain the popularity of romantasy is that readers can see themselves in the female main character, also known as FMC in bookish communities. Generally, FMCs are ordinary women, usually in their early to mid-twenties, who are thrust into a world that they are not used to and are not meant for.

These women are also outspoken and don’t always take “no” for an answer, as well as possess some sort of supernatural power, either when they are first introduced or as their stories progress. They are angry, typically traumatized women, but begin to soften and let people in again as their stories progress. 

For example, Bryce Quinlan of Maas’ “Crescent City” trilogy is a half-human, half-fae woman who doesn’t want to get caught up in the mess of the Vanir — the immortal, non-human members of her world — but ultimately accepts being thrust into the role of her world’s savior. As the trilogy progresses, readers come to realize that Bryce possesses the Starborne abilities of her fae heritage, abilities that include manipulating starlight and absorbing energy from others. Bryce’s character is best known for her general disdain for Vanir hierarchy and hot pink tennis shoes, which draws readers in because of her relatable nature. 

Another theory is that the male main characters, or MMCs, are incredibly hot. They tend to be opposite of their FMC counterparts in the sense that they have experience in their worlds — often hundreds of years older than the women — and eventually become the steady guiding hand in teaching the world’s magic system to her, after they hate each other first, of course. Unlike their counterpart, the MMCs are typically level-headed and calm, only releasing their true rage when someone close to them is in danger. They also start in a position of power over the FMC, although they end up becoming equals as they fall in love. 

Bryce’s counterpart and love interest in the “Crescent City” trilogy is Hunt Athalar, a 233-year-old fallen angel, who just so happens to be called the Umbra Mortis, or the Angel of Death. Hunt is part of the triarii, the archangel legion that guards Lunathion, and butts heads often with Bryce as he works on protecting her from forces in the city that are coming after her. They eventually fall in love and learn to work together to save their city. 

Fans often give these MMC love interests nicknames like “Shadow Daddy,” alluding to the fact that most of these love interests are tall, dark and handsome, possess the ability to manipulate shadows and yes, are insanely good in bed. 

That leads into the third — and least favorite in the bookish community — theory of romantasy’s popularity: the smut. A theory common on the internet, it accuses the women-dominated fanbase of being, essentially, porn addicts. While a lot of romantasy books do contain smut and many fans do enjoy it, a lot of times the actual smut content is only around 30% of the actual novel. And while some readers will not read a book unless it has smut, the amount of content in these books is usually the same as an R-rated movie. 

Whatever the reason, these books have united communities across the globe on social media and discussion forums. Profiles dedicated to fanart and other content relating to these works have taken TikTok and Instagram by storm, while also connecting fans. 

Events themed to romantasy books have also gained popularity, with the traveling Starfall Ball being the most well-known. Themed as the Night Court from Maas’ “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series, attendees have the opportunity to cosplay as characters from their favorite series and meet people with similar interests.

In the next few months, the romantasy genre has titles soon to hit shelves with fans foaming at the mouth to get their hands on, with the third book in the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros releasing Jan. 21, 2025 being the most anticipated. 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Witches through the years

Written by: Taylor Duff | Lifestyle Editor

The spooky season brings many frights, imagination and of course, costumes. Girls around the world might be dressing as witches this Halloween season, or they have done so in the past, or they just know that witches are generally associated with Halloween. When people think of a witch, they most likely appoint an old decrepit woman who rides a magic broom, casts spells and has a diet that consists of children. This depiction is far from what witches are, so where did the term “witch” come from? Where did they come from? 

It is believed that the term “witch” was a moniker given to women who practiced witchcraft and satanic rituals and ate children — but that is just what the fairy tales say. One early concept of what a witch is says that in mythology, witches were healers, shamans and spiritual workers who could affect the physical and the spiritual world. They used what is called “herbal medicine,” which is healing people with hand-crafted herbs. Not so different from what everyone in ancient times would do, however, witches were believed to have a special talent for healing. Some of the negative connotations come from Greek and Roman mythology: Deities like Hecate and Circe were goddesses that possessed magic and posed potential threats because of their power. 

Whether or not mythology is accurate, the witch hunts during the 15th-18th centuries caused significant harm. These included the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, precipitated by a real-life hysteria that affected many women during the time. A group of teenage girls from Salem, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused multiple local women of witchcraft. The trials resulted in the deaths of 25 innocent women, men and children. The purported witches were hung or crushed, not burned, which is a common misconception, as that was done in Europe during the Middle Ages. There is a museum in Salem, Massachusetts, where visitors can see just how the trials began and ended. 

Folklore and stories like “The Crucible,” a play by Arthur Miller, started to paint women as villains and self-absorbed, claiming they were witches. Fairy tales did the same, such as “Hansel and Gretel,” where two siblings travel in the woods and stumble across a witch’s house; she ends up eating them. Witches during this time were generally portrayed as old, bumpy and green; they were meant to look like they arrived out of the devil’s chambers and needed to take sources of life. Green witches appear often in fiction, most famously in “The Wizard of Oz” and its prequel “Wicked,” where the Wicked Witch of the West became the bad guy, and everyone was petrified because she was robbed. In Gothic literature, things looked a little different —  witches were usually painted as seductive and beautiful. But even then, they would use their beauty and seductive nature to lure men and hurt them. 

Women’s International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell — WITCH — was a 1960s feminist group that used guerrilla theater and public rallies to criticize patriarchy and capitalism. Feminist witchcraft movements in the 1970s reclaimed the image that represents the witch as a powerful monarch. Wicca is the largest modern Pagan or Neo-Pagan religion. Its adherents, known as Wiccans, commonly identify as witches and derive inspiration mostly from pre-Christian customs in Europe. Dianic Wicca, which concentrates upon the worship of a goddess figure, or female deity, and publicly supported feminist values, frequently gained influence from the emerging women’s rights movement of the time. Because of this movement, witches are now more popular in pop culture. Movies such as “The Craft” and “The Love Witch” show women usually painted as outcasts or weird embrace their individuality and sex appeal to contradict the patriarchy. Shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “American Horror Story, Coven” showed witches as everyday people who were just trying to navigate the world, and because pop culture sparks, the public made witches more approachable. This also opened up self-expression for LGBTQ+ characters, such as Willow Rosenberg from “Buffy,” emphasizing the connection between magic and gay identity. As environmental problems, feminism and LGBTQ+ rights continue to dominate public discourse, the witch remains a symbol of resistance and self-empowerment. 

TikTok, which has #WitchTok; Pinterest; Instagram and more platforms show modern-day people participating in witchcraft. Many creators provide spells, rituals, tarot readings and astrological insights. They show their lifestyles with aspects such as decor, clothing — witch-inspired Gothic apparel with Bohemian and crystal-laden looks, — black hats, pentagrams, jewelry, tattoos, books and much more. Halloween, in particular, has converted the witch into a fun, approachable figure for people of all ages. The internet enables individuals to combine cultural traditions, such as Wicca, Hoodoo and New Age practices, and participate in virtual covens or communal rituals. 

Overall, the witch isn’t one type of person. A witch can be multiple types of people, they can be friends, family, teachers, parents and your next-door neighbor. They are someone who embraces their faith and individuality and wears it proudly. Witches just want to be accepted and painted in a light that isn’t demeaning or harmful. The witch is a symbol of feminism and strength and has spent too many years not being understood. 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

The lives of book readers

Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor

Avid readers have many nicknames: bookworm, book rat and ink drinker being commonplace titles. Whether one is a casual or consistent reader, there is a consensus that books are a lifestyle for many. 

Countless online book communities have risen in popularity on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and the anonymous message board app, YikYak. These apps have become places where readers of all ages and genres can come together and discuss what they have read. 

The most famous of these, coined “BookTok,” is a hashtag on TikTok where readers can post book reviews and content, show off their bookshelves and promote merchandise they have purchased or made. It is also common for BookTok to be used as a platform where authors can promote their works. 

A reader’s favorite part about the lifestyle is, well, reading the books. In an anonymous online poll with 95 participants, 81 percent said their favorite part was reading books. Very few participants’ favorite was discussing or collecting books — only a combined 16 percent of respondents chose either of these options. 

“I love opening a book and being immersed into a story,” said sophomore Hailey Cook. “I tend to feel strongly about each book I love and I think it makes me enjoy books even more.”

However, there can be issues within these communities.

One of the most prominent is the discourse surrounding the author Colleen Hoover, smut in books and what exactly qualifies as a “good book”; often, all three topics are discussed hand in hand.

Other authors who have come under fire in these discussions include Sarah J. Mass, author of the “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” “Crescent City” and “Throne of Glass” series, and Rebbeca Yarros, author of the “Fourth Wing” series. 

Maas, Yarros and Hoover have all been accused of “mediocre writing” that glamorizes harmful stereotypes, tropes and relationships.

However, fans often come to their defenses, stating these books are more like beach reads in the fantasy genre. They believe that the truly harmful books are those that are labeled “Dark Romance,” which often have explicit scenes of violence, assault and abuse, such as “Haunting Adeline” by H.D. Carlton. 

But, regardless of this discourse, many sections of book communities remain positive. 

“(I’ve had) positive experiences,” Cook said. “I love when I can have a genuine conversation about a book with other readers and understand why they may think a different way than me.”

Despite the discourse, book readers connect, creating and turning a hobby into a lifestyle that all can enjoy. 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Honoring the experiences of BIPOC students across Oregon universities

This Instagram page holds Oregon universities accountable, one post at a time

Natalie‌ ‌Dean‌ ‌|‌ ‌Entertainment‌ ‌Editor‌ ‌ ‌

The college experience can be an exciting time for many students, and it can also be inherently stressful — the days are full of cramming study sessions, keeping up with assignments and too many late nights. Unfortunately, there are larger issues that have been running rampant across many universities in Oregon, ones that heavily impact Black, Indigenous and People of Color students and their ability to feel safe on campuses. 

One student at Western Oregon University saw the need for a space where BIPOC students can voice their experiences with racism and harassment, so they created the Instagram account @bipocatoregonuniversities. They post experiences that are submitted anonymously through Google Forms, it allows for students from Western Oregon University, University of Oregon and Oregon State University to submit their stories anonymously. 

The creator of this page first saw a need for a safe space over the summer of 2020. They felt compelled to make the account after being profiled for a second time during Winter term of 2021, when trying to buy food at the Valsetz Dining Hall. They recounted this experience, “To people it may not be a huge deal, but for me when the simplest task of getting food is met with bias and assumptions based upon how I look, it can be difficult to feel welcome in a place you pay thousands of dollars a term to attend.” 

After experiencing this racial discrimination on Western’s campus, they followed their gut instinct and created the page to share stories from other students of color, and the page has been active since March 1, 2021.

“The purpose of this page is to make sure that universities do not have any room to think they can silence students of color’s voices by creating policies and forms that statistically deter students rather than helping them get the help and resources they need.”

Since the page started, students across universities have reached out to safely share their experiences, with the creator of the account saying, “So far this experience has been nothing short of phenomenally amazing. I have received overwhelming support from students around the state, as well as faculty, department heads, staff, and employees. I have encountered a particular post that was extremely ignorant and simply uneducated. I made sure to make an example out of what this page was not created to publicize. This page is for students of color, this is a time for particularly white students, staff, and faculty to acknowledge and truly listen to what students on this campus have endured.”

Additionally, “There are always ways for universities to grow and provide support for BIPOC students, such as hiring students of color for student work and leadership positions, a well-funded diversity center and additional supervisors, advisors and counselors of color.

There are many ways white students and staff can uplift BIPOC students, by “understand(ing) why our country, and why our world is the way it is. If you see something that is wrong, don’t just stand there and let it happen. Speak up, and just do the right thing. It’s okay to make good trouble.”

Students deserve to feel safe and represented on their campuses, and Instagram pages such as @bipocatoregonuniversities provide a space for students to be heard until the colleges decide to take further measures to address racism at their own schools.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu