​Colonization of gender: From tradition to modern day

A man mocked for his femininity. A non-binary person unsure of their gender’s validity. An indigenous person no longer able to comfortably and publicly identify with a gender once revered by their people.

These issues all stem from a troubling common ancestor: colonization.
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Since the arrival of colonizers on native lands, gender has long been intertwined with the inner workings of colonization. Thus, Argentine feminist philosopher María Lugones coined the concept of the “coloniality of gender,” which is the theory that gender is a colonial establishment.

Earth

As we delve deeper into a state of climate disaster, the best way to see the ramifications is simple - just look around. Our Earth is struggling, and it’s evident in everything from the dry forests to the spread of disease.

One spark; decades of damage

For the past few decades, California and other states along the West Coast have experienced annual fires. Traditionally, these are natural, seasonal events caused by warmer seasons and an increase in dry vegetation, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

​However, this year has seen a particularly destructive fire season. In just the past few months, 3,627,010 acres of land have burned, 6,223 homes have been lost, and millions of lives have been changed forever. So, while it is true that seasonal fires are beneficial to native ecosystems, the large-scale fires that have been ripping apart coastal cities for the past few years are nothing short of a climate crisis. 

​How politics flood social media

You scroll through your timeline. Dog video. Funny meme. Political post. A friend’s birthday party. Political ad. Rinse and repeat.

​If you agreed with the political post, you might have liked it. Maybe you even shared it with a friend. But if you disagreed with it, did you discuss that? Did you leave a comment explaining your views and raising questions about the part you found dubious? Did you leave a comment at all?
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In recent years, politicians have taken to broadening their reach over social media. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become notorious for hosting political discourse.

In turn, the effectiveness of social media use in politics has been questioned. Critics have begun to wonder whether social media is harming democracy or simply allowing politicians to stay in touch with their audience.