UCO’s "Central Dissent" moves forward

Opinion by Jacob Jardel
The Central Dissent Editor in Chief

“We must dissent.”

Of all the words I wrote in the foreword of the second issue of The Central Dissent, these were the most important – particularly the last one. It’s a very active word, fitting for the activism that goes into everything we do at UCO’s Women’s Research and BGLTQ+ Student Center. As such, Dissent is not only a title. It’s a mission statement.

By the time this piece goes to print, so, too, will the second issue of The Central Dissent – about a year and a half after the publication of the inaugural journal. It has been a true labor of love for those of us involved, emphasis on labor.

The process started after the publication of issue one in the fall of 2017. We had new submissions ready in our inbox. We were all set to move forward with issue two.

Then the restructure happened. Our previous managing editor graduated into a doctorate program. The graphic designer for New Plains Student Publishing left. We went a whole summer – and then some – without the ability to put together any journal we had at NPSP.   

So, when I took over as editor-in-chief, one thing was for certain: our editorial staff had our work cut out for us.

In that same time, the government has done its best to silence the very voices we were trying to publish. Trans bans in the military. Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court. The Oval Office’s general disregard for anyone who isn’t a rich, straight, white male. It’s infuriating.

It’s also the motivation we had when putting together this second issue. We wanted to give a voice to the people silenced under the administration’s policies. Most of all, we wanted to do what our namesake and mission statement implore; dissent.

With the group of editors on staff, we accomplished these goals.

In this second issue, we have 12 of the best academic and creative works that challenge preconceived thoughts, explore modern sexuality and gender, and live up to our name. The art in this journal, from cover to cover, complements these pieces. Truly, the journal’s very existence is a radical act of dissent.

And we are nowhere near done.

By the time this piece hits the presses, we will be working on issue three – accepting submissions and, eventually, making more decisions on what pieces exemplify our mission statement the greatest. Our topic is “Sexuality in a Global World,” but the aim remains the same: challenge the norms of our state, our world, and our academic community.

In times like these, it’s what we need to do. We at NPSP and the Center are honored to do our part. We happily support our colleagues and our friends in the pursuit of truth and compassion. We take every chance we get to raise our voices amid the rabble trying to drown us out.

We, above all else, dissent.

For more information on submitting to The Central Dissent, email central.dissent@gmail.com. The deadline for submission for issue three is March 15.

Disclaimer: This piece is the opinion of Jacob Jardel and does not reflect the ideas of the New Plains Student Publishing or the Women’s Research Center and BGLTQ+ Student Center.

Copyright The Gayly – February 27, 2019 @ 12:30 p.m. CST.