For third-year Acting student Maeghan Taverner, voice courses are one of the best parts of the Theatre program. She鈥檚 amazed how much the classes have changed her technique.
鈥淚 had no idea before I came into this program how much your voice and breathing can affect every part of your performance,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like learning about Maeghan all over again.鈥�
The courses focus on freeing or releasing the voice to improve the power behind the sound 鈥� an important part of her training as an actor and a perfect metaphor for the impact Maeghan wants to make in the world.
The challenge of belonging
Though Maeghan seems quite at home as she walks around the Dalhousie Arts Centre, she talks about struggling to figure out where she belongs.
鈥淲hen I eventually did come out, it was a bit of a challenge to get to where I am identifying now but I feel as if I'm in a really good headspace.鈥�
She says that鈥檚 not true of everyone who identifies with the LGBTQ2SIA+ community. 鈥淚 still notice that people don't know where to go when they have an issue. The reliance on labels gets in the way of being able to ask questions and figure things out.鈥�
Maeghan doesn鈥檛 dismiss the progress that鈥檚 been made but she thinks it鈥檚 going to take a bit more to create an environment where people with non-conforming identities feel safe to be themselves. 鈥淵ou want to see that you鈥檙e actively being represented not just given the option of 鈥渙ther,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to be seen as an other; we want to be seen as who we are!鈥�
Beyond expectation
In other words, while she鈥檚 okay with the role of defying expectations, Maeghan would rather just get rid of expectations altogether.
鈥淲e need to be more proactive about saying and asking about pronouns to teach people not to make assumptions. Imagine if faculty could take the lead by saying their own pronouns when they introduce themselves,鈥� she suggests. 鈥淚t would be amazing because it means we鈥檙e not going to be assuming people鈥檚 gender, we鈥檙e not going to be assuming anything about them.鈥�
Maeghan explored a similar idea through a research project in one of her sociology classes. As she describes it, she was curious about the role faculty representation could play in supporting LGBTQ2SIA+ students.
鈥淚 did a quick survey that showed students would feel safer if they knew there was a representative percentile of staff and faculty on campus who are queer because it opens up the door. You have someone you can go and talk to who has experienced things during their lifetime that you might be facing now.鈥�
Improving representation
Her vision extends beyond campus. When she speaks of the film and theatre world she鈥檚 about to enter, Maeghan talks of opportunity.
For example, she鈥檚 excited that women鈥檚 voices are coming to the forefront in what has been a male-dominated industry and hopes to take that further. 鈥淚t鈥檚 inspiring to see those women who are standing up for what鈥檚 right. If this can keep going it鈥檚 going to make it so much better for all the other women who are just entering the industry.鈥�
She also hopes to see improvement in LGBTQ2SIA+ representation within film and theatre 鈥� with a focus on quality, not just quantity.
鈥淲omen are so oversexualized in the media so there's still this taboo around women who identify as queer, or it's hypersexualized,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not the representation we want or need. We're trying to break free of assumptions and that makes it much more difficult. We're getting our voices out but we're still not being heard.鈥�
Immersed in the experience
For now, Maeghan is focused on getting everything she can from her time at Dal鈥檚 Fountain School of Performing Arts. She鈥檚 looking forward to taking part in The Piper, written by Colleen Murphy and directed by Pamela Halstead. She鈥檚 teaching Musical Theatre and Highland dance with DalDance. And she鈥檚 enjoying a recurring role as cohost of Dal This Week. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 been so much fun,鈥� she says of the weekly feature on Dal鈥檚 social media channels.
Maeghan is also excited about the possibilities that await her after graduation. 鈥淭here's a lot of pilipili漫画 that comes out of this program and they have a lot of connections and access to opportunities, which was one of the draws for me to this program.鈥�