Author: madisonconnor17

founding father, pasta and cheesecake enthusiast

Showing Pride: Athens allies show support of community

~ madisonconnor17 ~ Leave a comment

by Madison Connor
Hebron Christian Academy

“We have to be visible, we should not be ashamed of who we are,” said Sylvia Rivera, a prominent gay rights activist and leader of protests and Stonewall, about pride.

While said 22 years ago, it is still felt by many. Another reason why many feel they should not be ashamed is because they believe that their sexuality is not a choice. This is very similar to how ethnicity is not one’s choice, and we as a society know it is wrong to disregard or hate someone because of something they cannot control. However, this is not the case for many in the LGBTQIA+ community.  Yet, businesses can help overcome these discriminations they face by simply being welcoming.

“I think it’s imperative, it’s more than important, I think it’s necessary,” said Jo Thomas Wilson, a small business owner and operator of My Heart Salon in Athens, Georgia.

WIlson believes it is necessary for businesses to be welcoming, especially towards those of the LGBTQIA+ community. The reason why is that Wilson, as a queer business owner, feels that it is integral for those of the gay community to want to feel loved and welcomed, and that welcoming and loving members of that community pays off.

“The LGBTQIA+ community is willing to spend it [money] in places that see and support them… if you don’t want to support me then I think you don’t want my money, I’m gonna spend it somewhere else,” said Wilson.

Another reason why Thompson believes it is necessary to support the community is because of monetary opportunities. He said that if the community feels it is not welcome, they will not spend their money in that place, and from a business perspective, it is an avoidable loss of profits. 

But, for those who are looking to support the LGBTQIA+ community, Wilson has advice.

“They could hire people like myself to help facilitate these kinds of conversations considering I have a lot of experience, when we hire people who have lived through experience, that’s when we learn the most,” says Wilson.

Wilson, who believes that in order to be truly welcoming, said it is necessary for the company to be willing to hire those who identify as LGBTQIA+. The reason being that with members of the community on your staff, you learn and develop as a business from them. The personal experiences they bring helps provide insight into how to be welcoming to others in their community, making the overall environment a much healthier space. However, the inclusivity and support should not stop there.

“We ask them for their pronouns, we also ask if they have any sensory issues so we can accommodate for that. We have a form with every booking that offers help to get inside for those with physical disabilities and we donate to personal and organizational causes,” said Wilson.

Wilson believes that there are many other methods companies can use to be welcoming, and he listed a few methods his company uses. While some of these methods might not be applicable for every business, there are some methods that can be used for nearly every business. Simple practices like asking for pronouns and helping those with disabilities inside is something any business can do, and while it may be a small act, it will be greatly appreciated by many. 

Being welcoming pays off, literally. Businesses can also make efforts to be welcoming by hanging a pride flag or advertising as LGBTQIA+ friendly. This is something that My Heart Salon does, and it is a big step for businesses who have not done so before.

Count 34: How right-wing politics is running off Gen Z

~ madisonconnor17 ~ Leave a comment

by Madison Connor
Hebron Christian Academy

The politics ruined it for me.

I grew up in a conservative Christian environment, being taught that women should be submissive and obedient, being taught that gay people were wrong, and guns are OK but abortion is not. This is exactly what caused me to run away from Christianity. The hatred spread from a loving religion seemed hypocritical, especially considering that God is supposed to see every sin as equal, meaning that if one thinks being gay is a sin, then the gay person is just as bad as one single lie told. However, I eventually realized that right-wing politics is what is causing so many to run away from the church. 

Another  factor for me, and many others in my generation, is the obsession with Donald Trump. The former reality star lost many of us when it was uncovered that he said, “Grab ‘em by the pussy,” when referring to women.

Many people have taken issue with this, and rightfully so. The former President clearly made a sexist statement, even if some argue it was taken “out of context,”although I’m not sure how this could be taken in context. Regardless, many young people have disdain towards Donald Trump over his racist tendencies, many sexual assault accusations, 34 felony counts, sexism, xenophobia and many of his other qualities that seemingly contradict everything Jesus Christ stood for. However, many right-wing voters — including conservative “Christians” — adore him.

Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Green even went so far as to compare Trump to Jesus. “President Trump is a convicted felon. Well, you want to know something? The man that I worship is also a convicted felon. And he was murdered on a Roman cross.”

It is crucial to remember that being arrested does not make you a hero. Several Nazis have been previously arrested, and everyone knows they were far from heroes. Aside from this logical inaccuracy, many believe that the Bible is pro-life in the same context of pro-life right wing voters. The Bible is used too often to justify the wrong issue, and to oppress groups who have been oppressed for far too long. This leads young people to  back away from religion due to the conservative aura that clouds it. Many young people see the MAGA Republicans purchasing Trump’s Bible(which was totally blasphemous), and decide they want absolutely no part in it, and who can blame them? The idea that Trump is some sort of Jesus in the flesh, being waved in front of Gen Z’s faces, makes many opt out of religion, when in reality, many of Trump’s positions are in stark contrast to what Jesus stood for.  However, just as in the past, today’s extreme conservatives use the Bible as a weapon.

“I think that they’ll use religion to justify the bad things they’ve done, like with slavery like they would tell the people they were capturing that it’s because of the Bible, and they make it an evil thing but it’s not supposed to be,” a classmate told me. 

Just as slavery was a core issue for conservative voters two centuries ago, right-wing candidates are honing in on issues of race, gender and sexuality. My generation has been known to be extremely open minded to those topics, causing them to veer away from the close-mindedness that characterizes many Conservative beliefs. Dr. Joe Dennis, a college professor at Piedmont University and Methodist Sunday School teacher, said he notices that young Christians are not aligned politically with older Christians.

“In my experience young people really don’t care about issues like race, gender, sexuality, they’re more concerned with the content of people’s character,” he said. 

Gen Z is the most LGBTQIA+ generation that we have seen so far. Historically, Christianity and Catholicism have not been welcoming to those who identify within that margin, and as a result, Gen Z has not welcomed those religions in return. 

Another contentious issue is abortion. While being “pro-life” stands as a core issue among conservative Christians, Gen Z largely disagrees. Interestingly, Judaism sides with Gen Z. 

“Jewish law does not share the belief common among abortion opponents that life begins at conception, nor does it legally consider the fetus to be a full person deserving of protections equal to those accorded to human beings.”

A fetus is not  a living being, and does not have the same rights as the mother. Abortion is especially encouraged if the mothers life is in danger.

Right-wing political beliefs have taken control over many conservative Christians, and this is driving away my generation.

The right-wing Christianity isn’t real Christianity. 

Man or Bear: Why Women Cannot Afford to Choose the Man

~ madisonconnor17 ~ Leave a comment

by Madison Connor
Hebron Christian Academy

“When everyone believes you, what’s that like?”

Legendary singer, songwriter, doctor, and performer Taylor Swift released a song during her Lover era called, “The Man,” which discusses sexism she has experienced both in the media, and in the world. In the song she asks a powerful question, “When everyone believes ya, what’s that like?”

The reason this question is so powerful is because as women, we are rarely believed. Not to say that men are also not believed, but it is much more common for women to be doubted, scrutinized, accused of lying, accused of tempting and looked at like they do not belong. a A recent media controversy has spiked, started by a man, asking women the question of “Would you rather be alone in the woods with a random man or bear,” and to their surprise, many women  chose a bear.

“Only wear one earphone, check behind you every minute or so, never be alone with a man you do not know, never leave your drink unattended, scream, give them a fight, always be aware of your surroundings. and learn self defense.”

Many people ask why women chose the bear, but contrary to popular opinion, it is not because women woke up one day and decided to hate men. It is a result of conditional training and instinct women have been given over centuries that have taught us to be wary of men, many of them quoted above. It is a result of the fact that over hundreds of years, women have been treated like second class citizens, inferior to men,, treated like cattle, treated as objects by men, and treated like birth-givers and nothing else. We are told that boys are boys. School dress codes are even implemented supporting these notions, with girls having to dress conservatively to not “tempt” the boys.  

“I still have nightmares years later.”

One of my dearest friends said this about the man — a family member — who sexually assaulted her when she was much younger. This is another reason why women are choosing the bear, because they won’t have to see the bear at the family reunion. This response, for me, is also a result of the fact that almost every single woman in my life has been nearly sexually assaulted, sexually assaulted or knows someone who has. It is a result of the fact that in America, a person is sexually assaulted every 68 seconds, with 91% of sexual assaults being done to women, and 99% done by men. It is a result of the fact that many women, including myself, feel that if they have not joined this statistic, they will.

“At least if I got attacked by a bear people would actually believe me.”

Many have said this about why they chose the bear, specifically, content creator @mrsjrd on Tiok. No matter how prolific the person is, from superstar Taylor Swift to a fhigh school girl, women are not believed. Taylor Swift was questioned, scrutinized, and judged when she had eight witnesses, and a photo of the assault happening, so why would anyone believe the woman whose only witness is herself? Even with bites, marks and DNA evidence, women are questioned, but, if you show marks from a bear, you are more likely to be believed.

“He didn’t seem threatening; he was skinny as a rake, aging and shorter than me.”

Anna Richards, a hiker on a trail in Armenia actually was faced with this hypothetical country. She took up an offer from a beekeeper to sleep on his porch to avoid the bears. Not even 12 hours later, she said she felt a body on hers and hot breath on her neck. Thankfully, Richards was able to push the man off, but it goes to show that even if women do choose men, it does not pay off.

“You know what to expect from a bear.”

This is exactly what my dad said on whether or not he would want me, his youngest child, alone in the woods with a man or a bear. Because, either a bear will attack or leave you alone, but a man is unpredictable.

“I want to rape you”

When I was 13, that was the phrase I received from a man solely because I would not send nudes to a man who was at least 17. This was solely a reaction to the fact I would not send nudes, and one could only imagine what would have happened if I faced this interaction in person. All of these reasons very clearly showcase why I would choose the bear, and I would probably choose the bear even if I know the man, because as my dad said, men are unpredictable.

“Men are beasts, and even beasts don’t behave as they do”

Averi Caldwell: Behind the Graduate and Summer Camp Counselor

~ madisonconnor17 ~ Leave a comment

Although Averi Caldwell already has a degree in journalism and significant experience in the field, she feels like she is making up for lost time in graduate school.

“I really like it,” Caldwell said, “Not only is it giving me a chance to get two years of my college experience back, but I have more time to gather skills I would like for the industry.”

As a graduate student of the University of Georgia, Caldwell is pursuing a master’s degree in the field of communications, and this opportunity has remained extremely important to her. One of the reasons she values this experience is because during her own undergraduate  experience, she was forced to go online for two years due to the widespread COVID pandemic Her master’s program is helping make up for  the lost time.

“There’s a whole other group of people that you’re able to communicate with, which is extremely helpful in an industry that requires communication,” she said.

Impressively, Caldwell knows both English and Spanish, which is helpful in the world of journalism. However, Caldwell’s achievements extend far beyond the world of language. Going from a small-town to a large institution, she learned to adapt to her new environment.

“I love it, while I love the people that I met growing up, I definitely enjoy a faster paced life,” she said.

By attending the University of Georgia, Caldwell spent time at a University that was more than double the size of her hometown, placing her in a much bigger environment than what she was used to. Despite this, Caldwell was able to excel contributing to various school publications  like The Red and Black, as well as Columns, the school’s online paper for faculty and staff. In addition, she made contributions to other publications, like The Atlanta Journal Constitution and InfUSion, showcasing her adversity in situations that might petrify some.

Caldwell thinks journalism is an important part of society, which is one reason why she feels she is making a positive impact. “It’s good for a country to have informed citizens, and that includes being informed of what kind of media they’re consuming.”

biography

~ madisonconnor17 ~ Leave a comment

hi, im madison connor and im a rising senior at hebron christian academy. I am a huge swiftie, as well as a fan of chappell roan, harry styles, olivia rodrigo, and sabrina carpenter. For the longest time I thought I would see sports in my future career, considering that i played volleyball and soccer for years and years, however, this quickly changed when i faced injury after injury and bad experience after bad experience. my mental health as well as physical health was deteriorating, and i decided to quit sports. i was mostly unsure of what would be next until i saw a production of newsies jr., and decided that i wanted to try theater. i tried theater, and i absolutely adored it.

this newfound love of theater led to a reintroduction of my passion for literary arts. ever since I was a kid, I had always expressed my feelings with a pen, writing songs, poems, or even short stories, because i found that symbolism and writing was sometimes easier than direct communication, and years later, this was still true. However, i was still unsure of what to do, especially considering that I had quit sports. I found the answer within my 10th and 11th grade language arts classes. we read literary classics like Julius Caesar, Animal Farm, and 1984, and I fell in love with history and language arts once more, combined with how it ties into modern politics, which led me to my next epiphany: journalism.

Journalism for me is a form of simple communication to the outside world of what is going on, sprinkled in with the occasional opinion. I experienced this the most in my AP Lang class, where my teacher would make us choose a news article on a controversial topic, and report on it. The interesting part of this assignment was that i would always choose a topic that made others uncomfortable, especially since I contradict the average opinions at my school, and I would challenge those opinions every chance I got. This natural form of argumentation so deeply embedded within me led me once more to journalism, because I can tell someone else’s story, using my unique background and knowledge, to justify the unexpected opinion of a girl from a small town and small private school within Dacula, Georgia. Since then, I have been developing my own opinions through hours of research, reading, and experimentation, so that way I can bring a fresh and unique outlook to my otherwise bland high school, and that is exactly what journalism means to me.