Ryerson University reversed its decision requiring a group hosting a men’s issues event on campus to change venues and pay for additional security Feb. 5 due to concerns of impeding free speech.
The event, “Are Men Obsolete? Feminism, Free Speech and the Censorship of Men’s Issues,” was held Feb. 6 by the Canadian Association for Equality (CAFE).
Karen Straughan, a Canadian human rights activist and blogger more commonly known by her YouTube moniker GirlWritesWhat, spoke at the event about various men’s issues.
CAFE spokesperson Amber Taylor said in a press release that Straughan’s lecture aimed to address building safe spaces for men, while discussing the need for greater equality between the genders.
Taylor said Ryerson charged CAFE a $1,600 security fee, which the group felt was unfair for an event that could be classified as provocative, but not hateful or discriminatory. Taylor said while the university was attempting to promote campus safety, the fee imposed on the group stifles freedom of expression.
University of Ottawa professor Janice Fiamengo, a member on CAFE’s advisory board, said Straughan’s lecture addressed the need to build safe spaces for men on campus, and for greater equality between genders.
“Young men especially often feel as though issues affecting them are ignored, because they are not adhering to the social ideal of what it means to be a man, and Ms. Straughan examines this with a calm and collected approach,” Fiamengo said. “She really focused her point on the fact that men can’t tackle these issues on their own, and need the support of women to help them.”
Ryerson spokesperson Michael Forbes said the event was flagged for security reasons after a similar presentation at the University of Toronto was disrupted when an attendee pulled a fire alarm.
“Ryerson’s initial response to the CAFE event, as with all event requests, was to review the event with the organizers and to provide guidance and assistance to make the event safer,” Forbes said via email.
“It was moved from the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) to Heaslip House, as the MAC has numerous events running, which could be disrupted due to protests or other issues.”
Forbes said it is not unusual to charge event organizers for additional security.
“Student and Community Life reviews the form and works with Ryerson’s Integrated Risk Management team and the host student/organization to identify steps that the event organizers can take to minimize risk and have a safer event,” Forbes said.
“The purpose of assessment is not to stop events—it is to help organizers hold the event in a safer manner,” he said.
CAFE decided to proceed with the event and began fundraising for it, before Ryerson reversed its decision and decided to pay for the added security.
“The university felt such a high cost is a barrier to freedom of expression, and the university decided to absorb the cost,” Forbes said.
But Fiamengo said the initial fee set a double standard.
“It’s worth noting that if [Ryerson] was hosting a different but equally controversial women’s group, such as a pro-abortion group, there is no way that the university would ask that group to pay for security,” she said.
The event attracted over 70 attendees, according to Forbes. He said there were no protests or other incidents.
