The Vivette Times
By Viz Students. For Viz Students.
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Hot Take: Traveling for spring break is overrated
Okay, I said it: spring break travel is overrated. Yeah, I said it. Everyone’s out here acting like the only way to enjoy spring break is by packing a bag and heading to some tropical destination. But let’s be real- who actually enjoys the chaos of traveling for spring break? Spoiler alert: it’s not as fun as you think.
What's Happening Around Viz?
Student Life
​The last full week before Easter break is winding down. The student body was presented with the surprise of JBD last Friday. It was a lot of fun and the day consisted of games like gaga ball, hungry hippo, and pickleball along with art activities and karaoke. The day ended with a hypnotists show that was entertaining yet the question of "was it actually real?" pondered among the Vivettes. I guess we'll leave that for you to decide. Either way our STUCO execs CJ Smith, Abby Winter, and Adele Finney put on a fabulous and memorable day.
Viz Sport Updates
Sports Update
​While the spring sports season still isn’t over yet, this is the last sports recap I will be writing. This year, we have been able to see amazing accomplishments through the season. Whether breaking school records or winning state, congrats again to the golf team, all of the athletes have done amazing. It may still be a bit far off, but I wish all the spring sports the best when competing in districts and state. Go Vivettes!
Explore these interesting reads...
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menstrual shame and period poverty
Though having a menstrual cycle is an entirely normal and healthy process for women, a negative stigma surrounds ‘the period’, leaving women ashamed of themselves and hesitant to reach out for guidance. Click below to learn about the impacts of menstrual shame and period poverty.
Some previous articles for you...
Menstrual Shame and Period Poverty
Though having a menstrual cycle is an entirely normal and healthy process for women, a negative stigma surrounds ‘the period’, leaving women ashamed of themselves and hesitant to reach out for guidance. This is most commonly defined as menstrual shame.
More specifically, in a study of 1500 women and 500 men across the United States, 58% of the women have claimed they felt embarrassed simply because they bleed and 42% of those women have also experienced verbal shaming.
If half the global population menstruates, then why is period shaming so common? This could be attributed to the fact that talking about menstrual cycles is not normalized in society. Though it's briefly mentioned in health classes, there is insufficient awareness of this issue by both men and women.
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Some fast facts for you:
42% of women feel awkward purchasing period products
62% of women feel uncomfortable even using the word "period" in a public setting
73% of women admit to hiding period products when walking to the restroom
63% of women have cancelled plans because of period or Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) pain
40% of that 63% made up a different excuse that they tought was more "valid" for cancelling those plans
41% of men have admitted to saying derogatory comments about a woman's mood, referencing her period
Now, if those statistics weren't startling enough, let's move into another underdiscussed topic: period poverty.
What is period poverty?
This can be defined as: when women have a lack of access to…
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Period products
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A clean, private bathroom
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A safe person to confide in
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A menstrual hygiene education
Did you know that 2/3 women could not afford period products at some point in 2022. AND 1/2 of those women had to choose between purchasing food and period products. Additionally, most government assistance programs do not provide feminine care products to those in need even though they should be considered a medical necessity.
Why is this issue important? Because something a person cannot control (in this case, their period) should not limit their opportunities or make others look at them any differently.
What can you do?
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Don't be hesitant to talk about periods if it's something you are comfortable discussing. It's a normal bodily function!
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Educate yourself on relevant issues and menstrual hygiene.
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Donate period products to those in need!
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Works Cited
Ageeva, Tamara. “Period-Shaming Has Been Happening for Centuries.” Medium, An Injustice!, 21 Apr. 2021, aninjusticemag.com/period-shaming-has-been-happening-for-centuries-dd251aea0c7c.
“Nearly Half of Us Women Have Experienced ‘Period Shaming.’” MHDay, menstrualhygieneday.org/nearly-half-us-women-experienced-period-shaming/#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20mark%20of,from%20those%20closest%20to%20them. Accessed 17 Nov. 2023.
Removing the Shame and Stigma from Menstruation | OHCHR, www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2022/07/removing-shame-and-stigma-menstruation. Accessed 17 Nov. 2023.
“Should Tampons Be Free: Why Are Feminine Products so Expensive?” A Growing Number of Women Are Arguing That Because Men Have No Equivalent Expense, Menstrual Supplies Should Be Free in Public Restrooms Just like Toilet Paper., fsastore.com/learn-tampons-expensive.html. Accessed 17 Nov. 2023.
Bully Dogs Banned
By: Maggie Wright
This past September, Prime Minister Rishi Shanuk announced the banning of American XL bully dogs in the UK by the end of the year. This decision has come from numerous reports of attacks and even killings from this breed. Many statements have been made conveying the dangers of this breed, one from the campaign group Bully Watch claiming that the breed is “a clear and present threat to public health”. However, many groups have come forward to claim that banning dogs will not stop attacks. A representative of the Dog Control Coalition stated that it is “deeply concerned about the lack of data behind this decision and its potential to prevent dog bites.” Experts and animal activist groups including have conveyed that breed-specific bans are ineffective and could see thousands of innocent, well-mannered dogs be put down. Still, many feel that statistics and the death rates caused by this breed are difficult to ignore. There have been 10 fatal attacks in the year 2022, with American XL bullys involved in six of them. While many American XL bully pet owners scramble to rehome or unfortunately euthanize these dogs, some refuse to act and hope for change. So, this poses the question, do you feel that this breed should be banned?
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Works Cited
Independent Digital News and Media. (2023, September 15). American XL bully dogs to be banned in UK following spate of “horror” attacks. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/american-xl-bully-dog-ban-uk-attack-b2412188.html
Inspiring Woman of the Month: Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is not only known for her astounding acting but also her humanitarian work over the years. She has been involved in various causes such as advocating for refugees and abandoned children, along with fighting against sexual violence. Her considerable dedication is what inspires many individuals to get involved in humanitarian efforts and ameliorate the quality of other’s lives.
“I think we all want justice and equality, a chance for a life with meaning. All of us would like to believe that if we were in a bad situation someone would help us” Jolie once said. By aligning her actions with her words, Jolie exemplifies the epitome of generosity. Regarding her work advocating for refugees, Jolie works with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and is a Goodwill Ambassador. She has been to various locations such as Sierra Leone, Thailand, and Iraq, discovering solutions for individuals struggling with the perils within their countries. Along with aiding refugees, Jolie partnered with William Hague and started up the Preventing Sexual Violence In Conflict Initiative, which raises awareness for sexual violence against women and children in conditions where armed conflict takes place. She also partnered up with Stella McCartney, an English fashion designer, in 2014 to end sexual violence and provide aid to children in countries experiencing war. This was done with their campaign, Draw Me To Safety. Angelina Jolie’s unwavering dedication to humanitarian causes serves as an inspiration to many and reminds individuals of the impact one person can make in creating a world void of inequality and hate.
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Works Cited
Leffler, Samantha. “10 Reasons to Celebrate Humanitarian Angelina Jolie on Her Bday.” LIVEKINDLY, 4 June 2021, www.livekindly.com/angelina-jolie-humanitarian/.
Floods in Libya
By: Reilly Hill
In the last month, a large storm called Cyclone Daniel blew over Libya causing widespread devastation and chaos. On September 11th, two dams burst sending over 1 billion cubic feet of water into cities that were already full of rain water. The city of Derna got hit the hardest with 25% of the city being completely wiped out. Over 2,000 people have been reported dead and 10,000 have been reported missing. One witness mentioned, “At first we thought it was heavy rain but at midnight we heard a huge explosion and it was the dam breaking.”. Currently, there is no clean drinking water in Derna right now and very few medical supplies. Eastern officials are said to be assessing the damage right now in order to begin building roads and restore electricity to help with aid efforts. Some aid has started to arrive from Egypt, but due to the political imbalance in Libya, it has been more difficult for help to arrive. However, the U.S. Germany, Iran, Italy, Qatar, and Turkey have all agreed to send aid as soon as they are ready. The devastation has been likened to a tsunami. People are frantic and hurting all over Libya, we can only hope that help makes it there soon.
Works Cited
“2023 Libya Floods.” Center for Disaster Philanthropy, 28 Sept. 2023, disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters/2023-libya-floods/.
Fleming, Lucy. “Libya Floods: Entire Neighbourhoods Dragged into the Sea.” BBC News, BBC, 12 Sept. 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66785466.
The Ice Glacier Issue
By: Maggie Wright
In just two years, Switzerland's ice glaciers have lost a total of 10% of their volume. Glaciers have been constantly losing their mass for the past few decades, but nowhere close to this rapid pace. The cause? Climate change.
These two years of extreme mass loss have led to the collapsing of glacier tongues, as well as the complete disappearance of many glaciers. Several major glaciers have shrunk so small they are no longer even monitored by the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (GLAMOS). The loss of ice has even been seen at higher altitudes, where ice loss is not typically seen. These losses have resulted in extremely low snow levels, reaching a record low of 30% of long-term average. These warmer winters are followed by summers with above average temperatures. The hotter summer months resulted in the melting of snow between 2-4 weeks earlier than average. These conditions have resulted in receding glaciers, causing dangerous rockslides and the death of nearby mountain climbers. Thanks to the efforts of climate change activists, efforts have been made to address this problem, with Swiss voters agreeing to pass a law to drastically decrease its usage of planet-heating pollution. If the world continues at this rate of not addressing the dangers of climate change, reports indicate that up to half of the world's glaciers could disappear by the end of the century.
Works Cited
Paddison, Laura. “Switzerland’s Glaciers Lose ‘mind-Blowing’ Volume of Ice in Just Two Years.” CNN, Cable News Network, 28 Sept. 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/09/28/europe/switzerland-glaciers-ice-loss-climate-intl/index.html.
Lab-Grown Chicken?
By: Ali McDonald
As the most popular meat in America, chicken consumption has skyrocketed in the past 50 years. However, a new variation has recently been stealing the spotlight: lab-grown chicken.
What exactly is lab-grown chicken, you may ask? Though it seems odd and relatively unhealthy, this cultivated meat is created directly from the cells of live animals or one of their fertilized eggs. Mixed with fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, salts, and sugars, lab-grown chicken has been generated in stainless-steel tanks in scientific laboratories.
Recently approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, lab-grown chicken could technically be sold in restaurants and grocery stores across the nation. Two companies have received this approval including Upside Foods and Good Meat, both ironically fierce competitors in the U.S. meat industry. However, because of the cost to produce this cultivated meat, it will most likely not be available in grocery stores nationwide until another seven to ten years. Yet, we can certainly expect it to become more readily available if increased funding is received.
This discovery could transform chicken consumption altogether in the United States with the benefits morally and environmentally. With the meat being grown from cells, transitioning to cultivated chicken would reduce animal harm tremendously. Additionally, we wouldn't have to give up as much land and food for the immense amount of animals slaughtered, ultimately changing the game environmentally, as well.
Amy Chen, Upside Foods' chief operating officer explains "the most common response after trying this cultivated product we get is, 'Oh, it tastes like chicken.'" Moving into a more scientifically progressive era, lab-grown chicken could permanently altar meat production in the United States. However, the public speculates the necessity of this cultured chicken, hesitant to try something so recently developed.
Works Cited
Aleccia, Jonel, and Laura Ungar. “US Approves Chicken Made from Cultivated Cells, the Nation’s First ‘lab-Grown’ Meat.” AP News, AP News, 21 June 2023, apnews.com/article/cultivated-meat-lab-grown-cell-based-a88ab8e0241712b501aa191cdbf6b39a.
“Most Consumed Meats.” Steakholder Foods, 14 Aug. 2023, steakholderfoods.com/most-consumed-meats/#:~:text=Today%2C%20chickens%20are%20used%20primarily,capita%20in%20America%20has%20skyrocketed.
“Will We Soon Be Eating ‘lab-Grown’ Chicken?” Food Network, www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/news/usda-clears-lab-grown-chicken. Accessed 13 Sept. 2023.