Sebastian Barney

  Everybody needs to use the bathroom. The University of Utah isn’t necessarily bad in terms of offering gender-neutral and inclusive bathrooms. Other universities aren’t as accommodating. But bathroom accessibility and utility aren’t unique to the LGBTQ+ community, as it also impacts cisgender women and other groups who just want to use the bathroom comfortably....

Thanks to the efforts of Elon Musk, Donald Trump is now allowed to return to Twitter — but so far he’s refrained from coming back, citing he sees no reason to return. One thing is clear: Jan. 6 sent a message. Trump’s camp is not afraid to insurrect against the United States government if...

Unions are a band-aid on the gunshot wound that is capitalism. Nevertheless, collective bargaining is the working class’s most effective tool. H.B. 241 and H.B. 243 seek to remove loopholes and include specific language that protects the working class. Union participation has been in decline since the ’80s, and Utah specifically has an extremely...

When we talk about solving climate change, we typically offer the electrification of appliances and utilities as one solution. Of course, this solution must accompany renewable energy initiatives to be effective. Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more common, with many automotive companies planning to nix the internal combustion engine in the next couple decades....

The War on Drugs had serious repercussions — its failure caused an increase in crime and human rights abuses all over the world, particularly in low income areas. Beyond that, it has fundamentally shifted perceptions on drug use. There was significant fear in the latter half of the 20th century around psychedelics, which set...

At national and state levels, the general sentiment towards the transgender community is transphobic at best and hostile at worst. Rhetoric against trans people, oftentimes employing fictitious misrepresentations or outright falsehoods, is rampant in our current political atmosphere. The trend taking the United States by storm over the past few decades is outright fascistic....

  The range of political ideology in the United States is partially constrained to a left versus right dogma. We’ve seen this play out year after year, election cycle after election cycle, where we always have to hand political power over to another Democrat or Republican. This is all types of problematic, but it’s how...

Since 2020, I’ve been entrenched in the hobby of downhill longboarding. It’s a great way to both relax and get exercise, especially in the summer. A ritualistic habit has emerged from this obsession: after spending a few hours skating with friends, I’ll typically end the night at Sunset Coffee. I’ve found that after bombing...

  Healthcare in the United States is a complete nightmare. The inherent power struggle that a for-profit healthcare system presents is a horrific reality for millions of Americans. Healthcare is one of the largest industries in Utah. The University of Utah Hospital and Intermountain Healthcare consist of two of the biggest employers here. The U...