WSV columnist Zoe Thomas explains the many reasons why Barbie (2023) is important, including how it marks a long overdue cultural shift on how women are represented in media. “Not only are the women multi-dimensional, as has thankfully become more and more common in modern media, but they show femininity hand in hand with power, intelligence, and professionalism in a way that is almost never seen in film, let alone the real world.”
Zoe Thomas
Local author, Watershed Voice columnist, and limited licensed psychologist Charles Thomas returns to Keep Your Voice Down to discuss mental health options in Southwest Michigan, his book Headcase (The Remix), his daughter’s high school graduation party, the genius of Erin Schultes, and Josh Brolin and Al Pacino’s avid listenership of KYVD. Doug, Alek, and Charles also break down the lineup for the upcoming Watershed Voice Artist Showcase.
WSV’s Zoe Thomas writes, “But most of all, the money that you have is, overwhelmingly, the best indicator of how well you will do on the SAT. If you can afford the test prep books, and the fancy calculators; if you have the luxury of time not spent working to help your family or watching your siblings, it’s almost a guarantee you’ll do well on the test. Even the motivation to study and put in the hours it takes to learn to game the system comes from monetary privilege. When you have money in the bank just waiting to pay for your college, it’s easy to find the motivation to study— everything is right there for the taking, if you only do a few more practice problems.
“But if you already know that your future consists of joining the military, attending community college, or not attending college at all, why would you study? Why work at this test when you know that even if you score a perfect 1600, there’s always going to be a giant dollar bill shaped barrier between you and a quality higher education? The answer is that you’re not, which is exactly the problem I have with this test.”
Watershed Voice set out to find how this pandemic is affecting young people in southwest Michigan, speaking to local mental health experts and teens alike. Throughout the past year, the coronavirus pandemic has drastically altered lives across the world; people have lost their jobs, lost loved ones, and had to put their lives on hold. That feeling of going on pause has especially affected young people, who feel removed from some of the most formative years of their lives. It’s no wonder these feelings of isolation and helplessness have taken a toll on child and adolescent mental health.
“No matter what you believe, who you voted for, or what you think of either candidate, I urge you to continue to educate yourself and think with empathy, because if you stop caring, the other side has already won.”
“Trans people are not dangerous, but are, in fact, one of the most marginalized, abused, and harassed groups that need to be protected, rather than excluded, by our laws. And it’s ignorant to believe that giving trans women rights will somehow impede on cis women’s rights, in the same way one would never concede that giving black people rights will somehow lessen white people’s rights.” — Zoe Thomas
“Overall I think myself, and young people in general, have been able to remain fairly calm and collected through an admittedly scary situation. If I could offer any piece of advice to someone worried about the pandemic, it would be this: only worry about what you can control.”