Misogynists beware; this is a call-out.
Everyone who has had even the slightest inclination to open a copy of the Charlatan this year will know that the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) council has been over-politicized, rendered entirely dysfunctional, and made devoid of any meaning or substance. So, it should not be a surprise then, that politics became personal, with attacks directed at perceived political opponents.
With the CUSA emergency meeting raging on in Robertson Hall’s Senate Room on Jan. 24, tweets came pouring out from councillors and student participants. Fortunately, some people link their Twitter account to update their Facebook status.
One executive member and one councillor — both female — were targeted using extremely offensive, misogynistic, and violent language. This is never acceptable.
While some might seek to refer to (an amended form of) the old adage that “all is fair in love and [politics],” to sit idly by while women are ridiculed and dehumanized is tantamount to complicity in their dehumanization. This is not about politics, but instead about common decency and recognition of women as people — something far too many students on campus fail to do.
If anyone was not convinced that rape culture was rampant on campus before what I am about to reveal, or that male privilege did not pervade the attitudes of students, consider the following two comments from Facebook, both made by male users:
1. “Somebody better slap these hoes [sic] around.”
2. [Directed at another female CUSA councillor] “Raise a point of cunt-punt.”
On a campus that has experienced unacceptable gender-based violence (and all gender-based violence is unacceptable), including numerous sexual assaults, to see these attitudes continue is disgusting and appalling.
Further, consider the incident alleged by Dan Sawyer (a CUPE 4600 employee) involving two male councillors and the phrase “putting [a woman] in the trunk of a car.” Consider that during the emergency meeting, a point of order was raised by a person who has experienced sexual violence on campus to ask a councillor to resign due to alleged remarks of gender-based violence — this was dismissed entirely without consideration.
Given that sexual violence disproportionately affects women, especially women of colour, and LGBTQ individuals, do these incidents create a campus environment that is safe for anyone except aggressors or alleged aggressors?
Over the past five years, the Coalition for a Carleton Sexual Assault Centre has fought tirelessly against the continuation of this sort of repulsive behaviour through the Sexual Assault Support Line staffed by dedicated volunteers who, themselves, have experienced either being or supporting survivors of sexual violence.
While I commend the work they have done, we all need to understand that the prevention of sexual assault and the end of gender-based and sexual violence is the responsibility of every student, not just those who are part of the Coalition.
Allowing this sort of language to go unchallenged — or, worse, claiming a right to it as freedom of speech — is irresponsible and makes the campus unsafe for anyone and everyone.
I had originally planned to write an opinion piece about the ongoing culture of ignorance on campus surrounding aboriginal issues, but Facebook interrupted that process and provided me with a moral imperative.
I cannot let people be victimized, threatened, or have their experiences minimized, and stand idly by while it happens. Call me a radical, and I will wear that badge proudly because if standing up for humanity makes me a radical, then I am undoubtedly one. I will continue to call people out for as long as people claim a right to be oppressive, to dehumanize people, and to make this campus unsafe. Remember the words of Simone de Beauvoir: “All oppression creates a state of war.”
Due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter, I have removed all names from this piece for publication in the Charlatan.
