OPINION


2/28/2024, 2:21pm

The Slate Speaks: Toxicity Toward Men and Women’s Hobbies

  Since the beginning of time, a toxic relationship of depreciation has existed between the way our society views men and women. Specifically, the toxicity is highlighted from a standpoint of men’s and women’s interests and hobbies. Questions are raised about whether certain hobbies are seen as unimportant, if interests are belittled because of gender, or why there is a societal standard of “appropriate” interests. Based on the existing disparities, it is important to understand our potential contribution and how we can help heal the toxic relationship. 


2/27/2024, 12:00pm

Scrambling for Eggs: IVF and the Alabama Courts

 Two things can be true at once regarding the recent inauspicious news that the University of Alabama at Birmingham has paused its in vitro fertilization services. The court case that spurred the decision was correctly decided for the wrong reasons, and Alabama lawmakers deserve the negative press they are getting for it.


2/27/2024, 12:00pm

Scratching the Surface: The False Hope, Funding and the Ethics of State Lotteries

Anyone who has lived in Pennsylvania long enough has heard this iconic slogan for our state lottery. It is spoken by Gus, the “Second most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania,” who serves as the PA Lottery’s mascot. He’s often shown happily conversing with human friends and pulling out scratch-off tickets to share with them. Lottery games with colorful images and exciting themes are presented as a source of good, clean fun. 


2/20/2024, 12:00pm

Don’t Burn Sage; Burn Cultural Appropriation

Crystals, tarot, and astrology are familiar tropes of being a “granola girl.” However, some practices typically adopted by TikTok creators are a form of cultural appropriation. White sage has now begun to be used within Western spiritual practices. However, smudging, the practice of burning white sage, is a sacred ritual for indigenous American communities for cleansing and spiritual protection. 


2/20/2024, 12:00pm

The Slate Speaks: Let's talk about Taylor

Even if you do not find yourself keeping up to date with pop music, chances are you have had Taylor Swift popping up somewhere on your feed. Whether her concerts, award wins, NFL relationship or even the 2024 presidential election, it i’s clear Swift is on everyone’s mind. However, are we too obsessed with Taylor?


2/20/2024, 12:00pm

Presidents shouldn't be this old

Jon Stewart recently made his return to “The Daily Show”, and it started with a bang. He made national headlines for his criticisms of both primary presidential candidates in the upcoming election. The main point he made was that both Biden and Trump are the oldest candidates to run for president in U.S. history, breaking the record age that they set themselves in the 2020 election. Stewart was targeted by both liberal and conservative news agencies and personalities over his assessment, but is he wrong?


2/20/2024, 12:00pm

Biden should bail out

President Joe Biden may have fallen down a slippery slope that leads to a second term for Donald Trump. Special counsel Robert Hur’s decision not to file criminal charges against the 81-year-old Biden due to him being “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” has brought with it a focus on the president’s record that should leave Democrats seeking an escape hatch. 


2/13/2024, 12:00pm

Powerful authorities and power highs

Attending a university comes with highs and lows. College is a privilege; to be able to afford college and do well is difficult. Though college is both unaffordable for many and stressful beyond belief, it is very important to remember that with the opportunities we receive in college, our world is our oyster. 


2/13/2024, 12:00pm

Reflecting on World Hijab Day

As Muslim women around the world celebrate “World Hijab Day” on Feb. 1, I wanted to share my experience as a Muslim girl who has been wearing a Hijab for the majority of her life.


2/13/2024, 12:00pm

Addressing accessibility in response to Slate Speaks

If you were one of the individuals who could not attend this year’s MLK March for Humanity and felt upset with the university’s lack of prioritization, I want you to imagine for a moment if this is how you feel every day. Every day there are events you cannot attend or classes you are late to. Maybe you physically cannot go to things because they are being held in inaccessible areas like many events are. Perhaps you cannot go to things because you have more pressing things to address like doctors’ appointments. I bet the FOMO would be so real for you.


2/13/2024, 12:00pm

Don’t Get the Apple Vision Pro, Yet

The Apple Vision Pro is the most recent device released by the tech industry giant Apple Inc. The device has already gone viral with videos with hundreds of thousands of views. The videos depict users of the Apple Vision Pro driving, working and walking around cities while using the product. 


2/6/2024, 12:00pm

The Slate Speaks: The accessibility of events on campus

Campus events play a crucial role in fostering inclusivity. Large-scale events should consider weekend scheduling to enhance accessibility, acknowledging that valuable experiences gained contribute to students’' future careers. The prevailing emphasis on academic responsibilities sometimes undermines the significance of hands-on experiences provided by events.


2/6/2024, 12:00pm

Is our population desensitized to crime?

News broke that a man named Justin Mohn beheaded his father and posted a video of it on YouTube on Wednesday. Is there a deeper meaning behind the fact that this story got so much coverage, or is it simply because newsworthy stories include values like unusualness? 


2/6/2024, 12:00pm

Modding Is Not Equivalent to Cheating

   About a month ago, every Capcom game on Steam would have overwhelming positive reviews. Since then, those reviews have shifted quite negatively. The reason: Capcom is punishing their consumers by updating their old catalog of games with digital rights management (DRM)


2/6/2024, 12:00pm

Brainrot: TikTok’s harmful effect on adolescent minds

By now, the internet is well aware of the young girls on TikTok participating in anti-aging rituals or boys beginning to worry about the shape of their jawlines before they hit puberty. While it would be stating the obvious to say that short-form content is destroying all of our minds, I believe it is crucial to acknowledge those who are most susceptible to it — adolescents. 


1/30/2024, 12:00pm

Hot girl overconsumption

Are you an “it girl”, or are you a “clean girl” complete with a slicked-back bun, an Alo matching set and gold hoops? Are you a pink Pilates princess lacing pink ribbons in your hair, showcasing a lululemon Define jacket, platform UGGs and an Equinox membership? The categorization of the female identity can be fun when looking for a way to rebrand for the new year, but I often wonder: how much of the female identity has become rooted in consumption?


1/30/2024, 12:00pm

What was I made for?

What was I made for? This is a question that has haunted humanity for thousands of years, and was recently brought to global attention through the highly rated and successful 2023 film Barbie by Greta Gerwig. Throughout the emotional and humorous movie, a storyline of natural imperfection was perceived by Margot Robbie (Barbie) and Ryan Gosling (Ken).