4A - Friday, September 6, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 4A - Friday, September 6, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom C 4e fitichinan l 4:3at4olm Respect begins with apronoun Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com MELANIE KRUVELIS and ADRIENNE ROBERTS MATT SLOVIN EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR ANDREW WEINER EDITOR IN CHIEF Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors. Unfair and under-regulated The University needs to take initiative toward unpaid internships Jn June, a federal district judge in New York ruled that Fox Searchlight Pictures violated minimum wage law and overtime laws by treating unpaid interns as regular employees on the set of the 2010 film "Black Swan." The case, along with many others, has shed light on the world of unpaid internships. Students are among the most vocal against the practice as many have been victim to injustices of these supposed mentorship opportunities. This recent movement brings to mind the University's role in helping its students secure sum- mer internships. The University's Career Center and internship pro- grams, such as the Public Service Internship Program and Semester in Detroit, are great resources for students to find internships. However, the University could do more for students financially by fundraising specifically for internship programs and working with other universi- ties to provide reduced-rate housing. Furthermore, the Career Center should review the types of internships it posts to ensure that they are in fact mentorships if unpaid, not free labor, and create black lists of companies who abuse the positions. Bradley Manning, the U.S. soldier praised as a whistle- blower by some and con- demned asa traitor by oth- ers, identifies as a woman. She wishes to be called Chel- sea Manning, would like to be referred to KATIE with the femi- STEEN nine pronoun and would like to begin hormone therapy. As Man- ning put it, "I was born trans. I am a woman from birth but because I was born with a penis I was labeled a man. What we do choose is when to come out, not what our gender is." So there it is - she said, "I am a woman.' Seems simple enough. See how I didn't say, "He stated, 'I am a woman?' " No, of course I didn't, because to do so would invalidate Manning's explicit request to be acknowledged as a woman. To do so would essentially say, but, yeah - you're not really a woman. To do so would roll my eyes at not just Manning but the identity of all transgender people. To do so would be essentially call- ing Manning delusional -I don't care if you think you're a woman, you have a penis, damn it! This is the same kind of mentality that results in reactions to Manning's statement like, "He's crazy" or a "He's a tranny!" It's the same mentality that keeps gender- identity disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - that essentially tells transgender people, "You have a disorder that can be treated," just like how we can all pray the gay away, right, guys? (Homosexuality was once in the DSM as well.) And yet, transphobic mentalities continue. I'm not just talking about comments and tweets and whatever other mediums the peanut gal- lery uses to spew ignorant, hateful remarks. I'm referring to articles pertainingto Manning's transgen- der identity that continue to refer to her as "him." Even articles that spe- cifically address the media's failure to comply with Manning's request to be referred to with feminine pro- nouns do exactly that. They literally do exactly what Manning requested they not do, effectively undermin- ing Manning's authority on her own gender and identity. It's patronizing, disrespectful and, apparently, cor- rect, according to the Associated Press Stylebook. Yes, the AP Stylebook, the holy book of journalistic style, states that reporters should, "Use the pronoun preferred by individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth." In other words, the identity of a transgender person is apparently not valid to a reporter until he or she undergoes surgery or hormone replacement Therapy. It's almost as if the AP Stylebook is trying to call a bluff - like, oh yeah, if you're so trans, where's your sex reassignment surgery, huh? It's insulting - not to mention that it's not always convenient or within someone's financial means to get surgery just because of some outdated stylebook. The gender of a trans person is not validated by a surgeon's knife; it's validated by the individual. The gender of a trans person is not validated by a surgeon's knife. And don't even get me started on the need for trans people to "pres- ent themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth." What the hell does that even mean? I don't bake cupcakes when I'm stressed out, I've only seen one episode of "Girls" and I never laugh while eatingsalad. I rarely wash my jeans, I shower "when I feel like it" and I sincerely like to drink beer. I'm not the most "lady-like" lady, so does that qualify me to be a transgender man? Seriously, the idea that trans people necessarily need to "present" themselves as a certain gender not only reinforces baseless gender stereotypes, it's a vague and absurd requirement. You don't have to be a reporter to support, or at the very least respect, transgender rights. The mere act of usingthe appropriate language to address Manning and any trans person sets an example of how to respect a human being. - Katie Steen can be reached at katheliz@umich.edu. I I 4 a Two successful internship programs pro- moted by the University are Semester in Detroit and the Public Service Internship Program in Washington D.C. While both programs offer financial aid, their support is limited. Semester in Detroit mandates that all participants reside in Wayne State Univer- sity residence halls, meaning students must pay the steep rates and fees. Both programs award need-based financial aid to students who qualify through the University's Office of Financial Aid. However, this award process doesn't take into consideration students who may not receive much financial aid and must maintain continuous employment in order to remain financially stable. The University should expand financial aid to students con- sidering unpaid internships especially in areas where unpaid is the norm. Reports of abuse stemming from unpaid internships are on the rise. Since the ruling of the case against Fox, more than 20 law- suits have been filed against major companies for their abuse of unpaid interns. The rights of these unpaid interns who are being taken advantage of by large corporations need to be protected. In order for an unpaid internship to be considered legal under the Fair Labor Stan- dards Act, the intern must be provided an edu- cational experience in the workplace and the company must not gain an immediate advan- tage from the intern. The University can help ensure these requirements are met by review- ing and scrutinizing the companies the Career Center posts on its internship website or are actively recruiting on campus. This would pro- mote positive mentorship experiences for its students and reward companies who provide actual educational internship programs. Internships play an important partin secur- ing a job after college. Students who can afford to will continue to apply for unpaid intern- ships and companies will still offer them. It's up to universities like Michigan to acknowl- edge the reality of this situation and advocate for their students. A billionaire real estate developer has given $200 million to the University of Michigan - with the mandate that all of the money goes to the business school and the athletic de- partment. Congrats on some shitty philanthropy, asshole." - Gawker writer Hamilton Nolan said about Stephen Ross's $200-million donation to the University on Wednesday. Recoganize our roots 0 :0 EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, Eli Cahan, Eric Ferguson, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Maura Levine, Patrick Maillet, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Jasmine McNenny, Harsha Nahata, Adrienne Roberts, Paul Sherman, Sarah Skaluba, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe COLIN KEIFFER | Moneynot well spent Dear Mr. Ross, The University announced on Wednesday that you donated $200 million - the largest single gift in the history of the school. Asa fel- low alum of the University, I want to thank you for your donation to our alma mater, but with reservations. As reported by The Michigan Daily, your gift allocates $100 million to the Athletic Department and $100 million to the business school. While the gift is commendable, I ques- tion if it will best serve the University's com- munity with its current recipients. The Athletic Department already has $386 million in net assets and a $64 million endow- ment. Dave Brandon, the University's athletic director, presented a budget in June expecting $8.9 million in profit this year. Anyone who has attended a game at Michigan Stadium, the Crisler Center or Yost Ice Arena knows that our stadiums are the best in the country. Additionally, the athletic campus has grown immensely over the last few years, and our resources for fostering student athletes are second to none. The Ross School of Business is the premier business school in the country. Neither department needs your money to con- tinue their success. As University President Mary Sue Coleman said in her 2002 inaugural address, "The glory of the University of Michigan resides in its abilityto re-invent itself continually, to cherish its roots while inventing the future." Donated elsewhere, $200 million has the ability to do just that. And I've come up with some alterna- tive, transformative ideas for your donation. The money could go toward scholarships for underprivileged and underrepresented groups. We should continue to commit to diversity on campus and give as broad a range of individu- als as possible access to the University. We should also support public service stu- dents who may wish to serve in the military before attending school or after graduation, whose only deterrent may be the financial con- sequences of attending the University. Your donation could fund initiatives foster- ing student research and creativity. The next Facebook or the cure for cancer could be in the mind of an incoming freshman. These funds could help creative individuals make their dreams a reality. More social engagement programs could be implemented within the local community. With more than 40,000 students, the Uni- versity can better serve the poor, sick and disenfranchised. More funds toward these objectives would make practical and quanti- fiable improvements in many people's quality of life. You've said you wish for the University to be a world-class institution and to train our students for leadership opportunities in their futures. Former University President James Angell once remarked, "...every appropria- tion to the University sows seeds in the most fruitful of all soils." I hope that you use your success for the good of the greater University community so it can continue to be the school that we love. Colin Keiffer is a University alum. Walkable streets, reliable public transporta- tion, affordable retail, healthy dining and safe resi- dential neigh- borhoods - all things we, as students of the University and residents of Ann Arbor, take _ for granted on a ALEXANDER daily basis. The HFANN city, despite some subtle flaws, provides a high quality of life for the vast majority within its borders. The same cannot be said for many in Detroit, the major metrop- olis of nearly 700,000 people, less than 50 miles east of Ann Arbor. A declining population, hem- orrhaging resources, high crime rates, a struggling school system and unemployment all culminated in the largest municipal bankrupt- cy in U.S. history just filed on July 18. Needless to say, Detroit could use a helping hand right now. And the University isn't doing enough to help the city. I don't mean to imply that the University is at all responsible for more than 60 years of progressive decline in Detroit. Nor do I believe that the University must raise the banner as a champion of the city - quite frankly, Detroit citizens and community officials neither need nor want that. ButI do think that the University needs to embrace the fact that a healthy, strong and vibrant Detroit is as good for the University as it is for southeast Michigan as a whole. I don't intend to minimize cur- rent efforts in the city, represented by the accomplishments of thou- sands of students, alumni and fac- ulty every year. The Detroit Partnership, just one student organization with strong ties to the city, sends 200 students to Detroit every week duringthe school year to participate in vol- unteer programs established in every part of Detroit. Their flagship volunteer event, Detroit Partner- ship Day, brings 1,400 students to Detroit to volunteer. Semester in Detroit is another opportunity for University students to engage with the city. It provides a unique opportunity for par- ticipants to live in Detroit on the Wayne State University campus, attend classes and work in Detroit. The University's Detroit Cen- ter in Midtown houses Semester in Detroit classrooms and also accommodates several programs benefiting Detroit residents from various schools across campus. For example, the School of Public Health's Healthy Environments Project researches and promotes heart health in Detroit neighbor- hoods, where the death rate from cardiovascular disease is nearly twice as high as state and national averages. The School of Social Work partners with the Skillman Foundation to provide technical assistance in implementing its Good Neighborhoods program in six different Detroit neighbor- hoods. The School of Art & Design, the Taubman College of Archi- tecture and Urban Planning, the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, the College of Engineering and University of Michigan Health System all have some presence at the Detroit Center. In reality, the initiatives described here only representa fraction of the good work being done by the University in the city of Detroit. But even the whole piece remains just a beginning. The first step toward greater engagement involves expanding students' knowledge of the city's history, problems and attractions. To that end, the University, from top to bottom, needs to facilitate a more prominent dialogue about Detroit and can begin by hosting an increased number of speakers dis- cussingthe issues Detroit currently faces that see national headlines almost daily. Just as importantly, more stu- dents need to go to Detroit. There's no better way to learn about the city and all it has to offer than to physically be there. Whether from fear of the city's negative reputa- tion, ignorance of its treasures or typical student time constraints, too few of my fellow classmates make the trip to Detroit in their four years. The University could facilitate more opportunities to see Detroit and, likewise, better adver- tise the Detroit Center's availability to students. A healthy, strong and vibrant Detroit is as good for the University as it is for Southeast Michigan as a whole. Also, as discussions with Feo- dies Shipp III, the Detroit Center's associate director, revealed, some University departments are notice- ably absent from the Detroit Center roster. The Career Center is an excellent resource for students on campus and could provide profes- sional development resources, job-search assistance and resume feedback to Detroit residents des- perately in need of such services. In May, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics identified Detroit's unemployment rate to be above 16 percent - devastatingly high com- pared to the state's near 9 percent. The University could positively impact the lives of many job seek- ers by establishing a branch of the Career Center in Detroit servicing, in part, local Detroiters. There are a number of other positive changes the Univer- sity could make that would affect Detroit. But the most important is the collective recognition - as students, faculty and staff mem- bers of the University - that even though the University is first and foremost a major national public research institution, it also has local roots. And since the Univer- sity was founded in 1817 in Detroit - before moving to Ann Arbor 20 years later - its roots are deepest in Detroit. - Alexander Hermann can be reached at aherm@umich.edu. I 0 0 CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONVERSATION Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor and viewpoints. Letters should be fewer than 300 words while viewpoints should be 550-850 words. Send the writer's full name and University affiliation to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.