Opinion pitches!

Hey everyone! Hope you're having a great week and staying alive this midterm season. Here are some story pitches if you're interested in writing this week! First drafts should be about 500-550 words, and will be due to me by 5pm Friday evening (but if you want to send them earlier, that's amazing). Just reply to this email if you want to pick up any of these pitches, or if you want any more information about these stories! And as always, if you have an idea for an article, feel free to send it my way. 

Edmonton mosque opens its doors to the community

Mosques around Canada participated in "Visit a Mosque Day" where non-Muslims were invited to see prayer ceremonies and tour the facilities. Is this a super cool initiative to combat Islamophobia, or does this just further the narrative that it is the Muslim community's responsibility to address the hate directed at them?

Study shows that transgender youth in Alberta experience disproportionate rates of violence and discrimination 

It may not come as a surprise to many of you to hear that many transgender Albertans between the ages of 14 and 18 have attempted suicide in the previous year, have hid mental health issues from their parents for fear of them finding out about their identity, or have self-harmed. Respondents also reported feeling unsafe in school (particularly in washrooms) and at home. Many reported being threatened or assaulted. How should we, as a province, react to these statistics? How can we improve our health care system/education system/political climate in order to improve the lives of transgender youth? 

#MeToo campaign takes the internet by storm

Across social media platforms, women (and men) have been posting "Me Too" in order to indicate the magnitude of people who have experienced sexual harassment or sexual assault. Some have praised the campaign for raising awareness, others have criticized it for being triggering or counterproductive. 

The Supreme Court of Canada is hearing arguments that prisons are using culturally biased tests to keep Indigenous inmates behind bars longer

A Métis man has taken the case to Canada's highest court, arguing that the tests determining things like an inmate's prison security level or the requirements for parole do not take into account important cultural and linguistic differences between Indigenous inmates and other inmates. You can read more about this case here. 

The Gateway Presents! 

As you may already know, every second Friday from 5:30-6:30pm, CJSR airs a segment of our radio show, The Gateway Presents. Each segment includes an Opinion piece where two people debate on a hot-button issue. Along with pitching Opinion stories for the website or the magazine, please also feel free to pitch me content for The Gateway Presents! Whether you know someone who'd be interested in debating on the show, you have a topic you'd like to see presented, or you'd like to produce a segment all by yourself, let me know and we'll make it happen. 

Shorter segments

Don't have time to write a whole 500-word article this week but still want to write something? Write one of these! They're about 200-300 words and a really good time. - Streeters: I'll match you up with a Photo volunteer and you'll hit the mean streets of campus, armed with a question and a camera, to survey some U of A students. Past questions have included: what should the university's logo be, what was your worst live music experience, and where do you poop on campus.- Burlap Sack: Rant about something that bothers you! - Marble Pedestal: Rant about something you love! - Adulting 101: Either tell us how to do something adult (how to use an iron, how actually make food, etc.) or tell us about a time you failed to do something adult (like that time you put the red sock in with the whites and now everything is pink).