A rare specimen has been discovered on the hills of University Avenue. It sits still most hours of the day, blue and yellow scales poking through the brush of the Enchanted Forest. Native to the North Country, this organism has a symbiotic relationship with the parasites that dwell inside. When examined this fall, the Dub had eight parasites within its inner purple membrane. These eight creatures provide sustenance for the organism through processes known as “fellowship” and “feminism.” In turn, the Dub nourishes the parasites with shelter, glucose in the form of late-night mac and cheese, and the life-blood of a St. Lawrence student: “community.”

            To learn more about “Themecottage dubae,” I sat down with Dr. Theresa Maxam, a biologist specializing in all things funky. I first wanted to know—what exactly is the Dub? Dr. Maxam told me, “The Dub is part of the theme house community at St. Lawrence. While only eight parasites live inside of the house this semester, the Dub operates a club called ‘Dub Club’ and provides different activities and services for the SLU student body.” 

As you can imagine, I was curious about what exactly the Dub’s goal is. What is this specimen all about? It turns out that the Dub is committed to promoting intersectional feminism—the idea that various aspects of one’s identity create a nuanced picture of advantage and disadvantage—on the St. Lawrence campus and beyond. Specifically, the Dub is a safe place for all SLU students, especially women, non-binary and LGBTQIA+ folks to join together and to share knowledge, concerns, thoughts and experiences.

 To accomplish this goal, Dr. Maxam told me about some of the Dub’s most common activities. “Most Tuesday nights,” she said, excited by the sheer discovery of this specimen, “the Dub hosts a conversation hour on a different feminist topic. This semester, because of the coronavirus, Dub Club is being held on Zoom, with the link sent out through the house’s listserv and on its Instagram.” 

But wait–there’s more! Dr. Maxam also told me about the Dub’s financial assistance for Plan B. Students can receive full coverage for Plan B by contacting the house through Instagram or texting a Dub member (see their phone numbers on flyers posted around campus) to get a $40 gift card and a  $10 coupon. They also have free condoms and lube located in the vestibule of the house. “The Dub hosts events throughout the year, including Take Back the Night, Body Beautiful Week, and Topless Spaghetti Dinner,” Dr. Maxam noted. 

She continued, “If you would like to stay up to date on the Dub, its parasitic members, and its daily activities, I’d recommend following @sludub on Instagram and adding ‘The Dub’ on Presence. And don’t forget the Dub adds new parasites every semester, so keep an eye out for news about how to join this rare group.”

 Absolutely extraordinary! See you out there in the wild, Saints–and keep an eye out for the Dub in your walks around campus. Crikey!