Hello to all of our esteemed features section readers,
It’s been so long since we last spoke, I’ve missed you. I hope all of you are doing well. The holidays are long behind us and the winter semester is in full swing, which is somewhat tragic. However, there is hope, a silver lining to a dark miserable January cloud. The Concordian is back in full swing which means new feature articles to share with all of you.
We begin with our newest contributor Geneviève Sylvestre, who in her article Montreal Bars: Forgetting the Sapphic Experience, highlights the shocking lack of lesbian focused bars in Montreal. The Drugstore was the last lesbian bar of its kind and closed in 2013. Now groups like ElleLui, L Nights and Sweet like Honey are hosting events for montreal’s lesbian and sapphic community.
Montreal does not currently have a single lesbian bar, pushing the experiences of lesbian and sapphic people under the rug.
Despite being considered one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world, with many gay bars and a queer neighbourhood named the Village, Montreal does not have a lesbian bar. Indeed, the city’s last one, The Drugstore, closed in 2013 and no other lesbian or sapphic bar has opened since. This is a huge departure from 1988, when there were eight active lesbian bars in Montreal. Dr. Julie A. Podmore, an affiliate assistant professor at Concordia specializing in urban studies and human geography, refers to it as the “golden-age of lesbian-visibility” in a 2006 study called “Gone ‘underground’? Lesbian visibility and the consolidation of queer space in Montréal.”
Next up Nikoo Pajoom examines the Concordia University Foundation and examines where exactly the university has been investing. The article outlines the universities sustainability goals, where they have improved and where they’ve fallen short.
Concordia University Foundation juggles social and environmental responsibility with corporate profits
On Nov. 8, 2019, the Concordia University Foundation (CUF) committed to divesting all investments in coal, oil, and gas industries by 2025, in order to become 100 per cent sustainable. The CUF also added the goal of allocating 10 per cent of its long-term assets in impact investments towards its 2025 goal. Impact investments are made with the intention of bringing about positive social and environmental change together with a financial return. Concordia emphasizes that these steps ensure that the University is investing in socially and environmentally responsible ways. However, complaints from students claim a disconnect from community centred initiatives, as multinational service providers tout sustainability as a method for financial growth.
We would also like to take this time to welcome our new assistant features editor Emma Megelas to the team. She joined our Masthead this month, her spectacular debut article will be out later this week.
As always thank you, esteemed reader, for supporting the Concordian. Its smart and savvy people like you who keep us going. If you have a tip, a pitch, or any thoughts to share send a message to features@theconcordian.com.
Cheers and good luck this semester,
Evan Lindsay
Features Editor