Category: News

Trans support around the globe

Gabrielle Tucker

tucke026@rangers.uwp.edu

LGBTQ community rises to take a stand for their rights and their voices to be heard.

To be heard and treated with respect

The transgender community takes a stand and speaks out about the ongoing hate and discrimination that the LGBTQ community is faced with. With the many judgmental people of society, it is hard for this community to be able to be themselves when there are so many dangers that they have to face. Trans people may face harassment, assault, and homophobic slurs just because of who they are. With it being 2019, everyone should be able to be who they are without having to look over their shoulder or be afraid to be the real version of themselves. That is why in order to fight against such prejudiced people, and address the struggles of human rights there will be trans marches to get people to become more aware of the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community.

Trans marches and protests

The Trans Marches were created to empower those who feel like they have no voice and give trans people a space to be themselves. There are also protests where the community fights for their equal rights and to be treated fairly. The vision that the  LGBTQ +community wants to achieve with these marches and protests is a more safe and stable environment, support of other communities, representation in social justice services, an end to abuse, and more. Last year’s Trans March was the fifteenth annual trans march in San Francisco, California which also has the distinction of being the largest trans pride event in the United States. Celebrities also take part in raising awareness for these marches and protests, like Laverne Cox from “ Orange is the New Black”. She is transgender and a LGBTQ+ activist that takes pride in encouraging people to be themselves.

Upcoming Trans March

The latest upcoming trans march will be called “National Trans Visibility March” and was set to to be on Mar. 31, and Apr. 1 but the date was later changed due to the fact that April 1 is April Fools Day. The event is planned for Sept. in Washington D.C.

Stay Safe in the Midwest’s brutal cold

Krystal Dodge

thorn008@rangers.uwp.edu

Living the Midwest, you can experience some pretty horrendous weather. In the last couple weeks, we experienced a polar vortex. According the Weather Channel at least 17 deaths were linked to the polar vortex, as well as frostbite. These temperatures can be life threatening.  In Minnesota wind chill temperatures were as low as – 66 degrees. The United State Postal Service (USPS) was closed for several days, as well as schools and Universities. Staying safe in Wisconsin’s harsh winter weather is important especially for commuting students.

What is Frostbite?

In freezing temperatures frostbite can set in as little as five minutes. Just like water turns to ice when the temperature drops, your fingers, hands, toes, feet – even your nose and ears can freeze. When it’s cold out, exposed skin may get red or sore. This is called frostnip, and it’s an early warning sign of frostbite. If this happens, find warm shelter quickly. Early frostbite affects the top layers of the skin. More advanced cases can go all the way through to the muscles and bones.

There are three stages of frostbite. The first or early stage; Skin turns a pale yellow or white and It may itch, sting, burn, or feel like pins and needles. During the second or intermediate stage skin becomes hard and looks shiny or waxy. When the skin thaws,  blisters filled with fluid or blood form. The last stage skin is very hard and cold to the touch and darkens quickly. It may look blue and later turn black. Some people don’t know they have frostbite because as it gets worse, you can’t feel the area anymore. That’s why it’s important to watch for changes in skin color.

Safety Tips

It is important to dress appropriately for the weather. Limit time in the elements and make sure to cover all exposed skin. It is important to layer your clothes loosely, because it will allow your body heat to flow freely. A three-layer system works best.  The first should be of a material that helps keep you dry. The second goes over the first and should be made of an insulator like wool or fleece. The third should be worn on top and should be wind and waterproof.

There are warming stations throughout Kenosha. There are many emergency services available as well. If you find yourself in need of assistance you can call 211. They can help you find many types of resources to keep you safe in this weather. Most importantly keep yourself safe. If the weather is too severe stay home. Your life is more precious than errands, work, school.

Remember to stay safe out there. Wear warm clothes, and most importantly ask for help if you need it. In the famous words of George R.R. Martin, “nothing burns like the cold”.

What comes after “Be.”

Rory Larson talks after college planning

TYLER STEINSDORFER

stein078@rangers.uwp.edu

Rory Larson is a senior in their last semester at UW-Parkside and preparing to start the
next chapter of their life as a college graduate. Rory is a History major and Anthropology minor with a museum studies certificate. The Ranger News interviewed them about their college experience and plans for after college in order to get insight into how a college student plans on adjusting to life after college.

Deciding degree

Rory described how they had known for years that they had wanted to get their degree in History after spending time working at a museum. “I had started work at a museum when I was in high school and decided I liked history,” they said. They went on to say that they declared a museum certificate due to liking working at the museum that they work and wanting to continue doing so, and they added on an Anthropology minor because “Anthropology and Museum studies had some overlapping classes”.

After college

When asked where they see themselves in 5 years, they said that “ideally, I will be working for a museum or a corporation working as an archivist … Basically filing things, making sure the history and the records … are kept and available for future generations”. Rory got the idea of being an archivist after working at Racine Heritage Museum. As of right now though, they do not have a job lined up for after college, but they plan to continue working at Racine Heritage Museum as of now until they move to Kenosha and get another job there.

They also went on to say that “I was thinking about pursuing a master’s degree but I’m probably going to take a year off in between to save up money and to take more time to consider it.” They described that if they do go back to school, they would either get their master’s in western civilization and history or an associate’s in mortuary sciences. They mentioned that they were pulled to mortuary sciences due to the anthropologist and mortician Caitlin Doughty, who champions death acceptance and positivity.

Rory shows us that college students do not need to have their entire life planned out for them after they graduate; they still have plenty of time to figure out their desired occupation and whether or not they want to further their formal education.

California teachers go on strike

TYLER STRAKA

strak006@rangers.uwp.edu

As seen in the news in the past few years, California’s teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) have seen a number of issues involving treatment of their teachers and staff, and it has come to a head in early 2019. From a teacher shortage that has worsened throughout the decade to a wreckening pension debt, those in this education system have decided to strike for their needs as of January 14th, 2019. According to CNBC, over 30,000 have joined in the strike, following other states in the process.

Teacher frustrations

The United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) is furious with these districts. A statement they made said, “…the district is hoarding 1.86 billion in reserves that could be used to fund the union’s requests, which include a 6.5 percent pay hike and smaller class sizes”. These teachers are also fed up with class sizes, as many have reported they continue to rise with no sign of stopping. The proposal from the LAUSD included a class maximum of 39, but teachers still are not impressed, with classes consistently reaching over 45 students. Ashley Hess reports: “Mike Finn, a special education teacher in Los Feliz, tells USA Today that he has 46 students in one composition class, and calls the conditions ‘unmanageable’”.

Comments

Alex Caputo-Pearl, a teacher in the Compton and Los Angeles area, also wrote of his frustration: “Class sizes often exceed 45 students in secondary schools; 35 students in upper elementary grades; and 25 students in lower elementary grades”.

The strike has made quite a bit of noise, and has received plenty of support from teachers and politicians alike. The president of American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, showed his support directly at the protest: “The eyes of the nation are watching, and educators … all over the country have the backs of the educators in L.A.”.

These issues of teacher shortages and class sizes have been around for a while, with headlining articles going back to 2016. According to the LA Times: “The staffing problem is both wide and deep, with 75% of more than 200 districts surveyed reporting difficulties with filling positions and low-income urban and rural areas hit hardest”.

Consequences

The overarching worry here is how these practices affect colleges in general. With malpractice in spending and consistent lack of unity between teachers and those in higher standing, colleges in general could be at risk for lack of funding and maintaining reputation.

 

Atrazine: A natural born weapon

Biologist aims to relate and change his surroundings

TYLER STRAKA

strak006@rangers.uwp.edu

Tyrone Hayes, a professor at the University of California-Berkley, stopped at UW Parkside on Wednesday, February 13, to give a presentation on the state of frogs for UW-Parkside’s Science Night. Titling his slideshow “A Tale of Two Toads”, Hayes goes in on chemical usage, the biological damage these chemicals do to animals and why this is important for humans to watch out for.

A boy who loved frogs

Hayes aimed to tell a story through his presentation, so he relies on the catchphrase, “as a boy who loved frogs”, to describe his lifelong process and research. Starting his experiments as early as 19, he and his colleagues made a hypothesis: since female and male frogs have different colored skin, does dipping them in testosterone and estrogen chance their color?

After extensive research, Hayes and his collaborators found that this does work for frogs, as Male frogs change skin color when left in estrogen for periods of time. They next tried Atrazine, a chemical used as an herbicide, to see the effects. He found here that this actually makes frogs Hermaphroditic. Furthermore, he tested these hermaphroditic frogs having children with female frogs by putting them in a set box for a set amount of time. Based on his findings, he concluded that frogs exposed to Atrazine don’t have enough testosterone to have a sex drive, or aren’t able to produce sperm.

More effects lurking

These weren’t the only conclusions his research dug up, either. Based on similar testing, he confirmed that the chemical HGC makes Xenopus frogs lay eggs, and that Atrazine makes Aromatase, which transforms testosterone into estrogen.

At this point, Hayes decided to look into other animals, such as fish and rats, for testing on the topic, as some have had similar chemical testing results as humans. From testing Aromatase on rats, Hayes concluded that the chemical can cause breast cancer. He stated this is because Aromatase overproduces estrogen cells, which can turn into tumors. He found that the solution is Letrozole, which cuts down the amount of Atrazine, and thus the amount of Aromatase.

It is during this point in the presentation where Hayes became the most confrontational. He admits to having a forceful and fierce personality when it comes to his field, but backs up his evidence with clear and concise reason. A main example for him is the company Syngenta, and how they have a pipe that pumps 1.2 million pounds of Atrazine into the Gulf of Mexico every year. He believes this is extremely important for people to take note of, as he sees this as raising cancer rates throughout the country.

Large scale ramification

Nearing the end of his lecture, he shows examples of what can happen in real life to babies damaged by Atrazine exposure, and settles back into his loose story line about “a boy who loved frogs”. He’s set to continue traveling to different schools, spreading his message of chemical safety and biological research.

His research isn’t just groundbreaking, but also important to us as since we live next to a large body of water. Pollution striking our water is criminal, and should we have a similar company by us, it could be detrimental to our food and health alike.