Opinion | Columns

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Trump’s infamous money moves

Nov. 24, 2019

In the first week of November, our president was ordered by a state judge to pay $2 million in damages to nonprofit groups. This came after he admitted to the misuse of funds raised by the Donald J. Trump Foundation to promote his run for the presidency, pay off business debts and purchase a self-portrait for one of his hotels. The award of damages marks the end of a legal battle that’s been taking place since 2016 when New York’s attorney general accused the Trump family of using the foundation for business and campaign purposes. The cash in question was raised at a fundraiser intended for veterans in Iowa, which Trump later acknowledged as a campaign event.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The best Pokémon games so far

By Myles Gibbs | Nov. 17, 2019

On Friday, Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield hit the big time on Nintendo Switch after eight months of hype. In light of this notable step for the franchise – seeing a main-series game on a console for the first time – I thought it’d be prudent to look back on some of the best games in the series so far.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Talking about mental health disparities in undocumented communities

By Matthew Diaz | Nov. 17, 2019

Mental illnesses are colorblind, but the barriers to treatment aren’t. Previously, I wrote about some of the ways that immigrant communities were disproportionately affected by mental illnesses, which made me interested in our undocumented population in the United States. Roughly 10 million strong, they live in perpetual fear and anxiety, often without any sustainable way of getting professional help. Most conversations thus far have been focused on how to eliminate overt barriers to healthcare, but for this community’s sake, more needs to be said about eliminating the underlying psychosocial barriers. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Your ideal body shape should be your own

By Hannah Whitaker | Nov. 14, 2019

As a society, we must stop making certain body shapes and sizes trendy. This isn’t a revolutionary or unpopular opinion, but it is something I constantly see and am affected by daily. I am imploring us, as human beings, to stop accepting unhealthy body ideals. Young women are constantly bombarded with images of thin bodies with perky breasts on social media and ad campaigns. These body types are by no means average — or even healthy — yet, women grow up desiring to look like supermodels. We must put an end to the fetishization of certain body types. We shouldn’t only praise one breast size, as this is something no one has control over. Thigh gaps aren’t an indicator of health, and plenty of healthy people don’t have thigh gaps. We should begin to promote healthy bodies, not idealistic bodies. Regardless of body shape, you should celebrate your body. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The truth behind feminism today

By Carly Sloane Gettleman | Nov. 14, 2019

The fight for gender equality is ingrained in the United States’ history. Beginning in the mid-1800s with the battle for women’s suffrage, feminism has been in the spotlight of politics. Unfortunately, in today’s society, feminists’ efforts have become extreme. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The stigma of going braless

By Lauren Rousseau | Nov. 12, 2019

What comes in pairs, is beloved by babies, but hated by the media? Nipples! In the age of the #MeToo movement and feminism, women are taking ownership over their bodies, including their nipples.  

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Student Government budget crisis update: The good and the manure news.

By Zachariah Chou | Nov. 12, 2019

Since budget hearings have started and the money has begun flowing, let’s examine how things have been looking so far.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Talking about mental health disparities in minority communities

By Matthew Diaz | Nov. 7, 2019

According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), ethnic and racial minorities often bear a disproportionately high burden of disability resulting from mental disorders. Yet, by 2044, models show  more than half of all Americans will belong to a minority group. Taken altogether, this seems to indicate troubled waters on our horizons, and it should speak to the importance of cultural sensitivity in mental health training. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The power in profanity and the benefits of using it

By Lauren Rousseau | Nov. 3, 2019

A curse slips off your tongue as you trip up the stairs. Obscenity rips through your throat at the touch of a hot surface. A “dirty word” slithers over gaping lips when the clock strikes 12:01 a.m. and you remember that discussion post was due at 11:59 p.m.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Halloween lives on in American Horror Story

By Hannah Whitaker | Oct. 31, 2019

Halloween has unfortunately passed, but its spirit has yet to move on to the afterlife.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Avoid the temptation of all-nighters

By Jason Zappulla | Oct. 31, 2019

It’s exam season at UF. Students are crowding the libraries and voraciously consuming books and study guides to prepare for the big day. Some of these students pull all-nighters to study, forgoing sleep and staying up all night to prepare. I’m here to tell you that not only are all-nighters a poor method of studying, but that there are much better options available.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Controversy over Warren’s discrimination story misses the point

By Jason Zappulla | Oct. 27, 2019

Earlier this month, a controversy started brewing over whether Sen. Elizabeth Warren lied about being fired for being pregnant. But, does this discussion miss the point?

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

All about coming out

By Hannah Whitaker | Oct. 27, 2019

On Oct. 11, we celebrated National Coming Out Day. Oh, how happy I am to live in a time and place where coming out as LGBTQ+ is not only tolerated, but something to be proud of. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Counseling is for everyone

By Matthew Diaz | Oct. 24, 2019

I went into counseling not knowing what I would get out of it or how it could really benefit me. This might sound naïve, but it’s easy to convince ourselves that we’ve thought through everything and don’t need anyone else to explain what’s going on. In reality, just about everyone can benefit from therapy, even in a totally stress-free life. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The Hidden Costs of Natural Hair

By Lauren Rousseau | Oct. 17, 2019

For some reason, there always seems to be some pushback when things don't fall in straight lines, including hair. 

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Halloween movies you need to watch

By Hannah Whitaker | Oct. 13, 2019

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and there are dozens of movies to watch to get you into the holiday spirit. It’s spooky season, and we can honor the ghouls and goblins this month by watching proper seasonal films.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Why we should strive to be more like this president

By Hannah Whitaker | Oct. 8, 2019

In honor of former President Jimmy Carter’s 95th birthday Oct. 1, I would like to take a moment to discuss the most underrated president in modern U.S. history. His presidency is often considered a failure, despite all of its successes. Carter was ahead of his time with his foresight into climate change and human rights, serving as president from 1977 to 1981. It would be difficult to find someone who cares more about this nation than Carter.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

American health care compared to the rest of the world

By Kelly Cavaliere | Oct. 3, 2019

In the U.S., health care can be quite expensive. The total amount spent on health care last year was $3.65 trillion. U.S. health care expenditures for 2018 were nearly 17 percent of the gross domestic product. This is almost twice the average cost of other countries’ health care within the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Why is health insurance so expensive in our country, and how do our costs compare to health care costs around the world?

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

You should still care about the environment

By Myles Gibbs | Oct. 1, 2019

On Sept. 20, a youth climate strike of unprecedented proportions stood at the forefront of the world stage. Now, two weeks later, that energy has died down to some degree in Gainesville’s corner of the world. This is a shame, because it’s our generation's responsibility to enact the change. The private sector still needs to be held accountable, the government still needs to be pressured and public sentiment still needs to be changed: and here lies the purpose of the Climate Reality Project.

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OPINION  |  COLUMNS

It’s alright to feel lonely on campus

By Matthew Diaz | Sep. 29, 2019

How is it possible to feel alone in a crowd? Among 50,000 other students, I thought I’d arrive on campus and surely find my place shortly thereafter. How could I not with such a massive pool of students and clubs? I had seen cliques form as early as Preview. A few months in, and it still hadn’t happened to me.