The University of Western Ontario’s frosh planning committee has banned orientation leaders from wearing bandanas, fake dreadlocks, First Nations headdresses, non-religious hijabs, and turbans after complaints from students.
Peggy Wakabayashi, Western’s residence director, said in an email frosh leaders who wear bandanas over their faces “may disturb incoming students who may have come from countries where they have been exposed to violence and unrest.”
“The use of fake dreadlocks, feathered headdresses, and other culturally significant items may be viewed as insensitive,” she said.
Wakabayashi said these rules do not apply to team members who wear these items as part of their individual and religious expression.
“The new soph [frosh leader] uniform rules are in place to create a more inclusive campus community where all students are celebrated and welcomed,” she said.
Taryn Scripnick, vice-president (student events) of Western’s University Students’ Council and co-chair of the orientation planning committee at Western, said the decision was made after complaints from students.
“This year it was brought up to us by some students at Western . . . that they were uncomfortable and even maybe offended by some of the items that are used by soph teams,” Scripnick said.
She said the problem is wearing these items collectively as part of a frosh team does not respect the cultural significance of the item. Scripnick said some sophs are upset about the decision.
“We’ve had a little bit of push back,” Scripnick said. “From what I’m seeing and hearing, they see like we’re taking away soph culture and we’re taking away a tradition piece.”
“If a first-year student is uncomfortable for some reason, that is a problem and it’s been identified by [the planning committee], then we need to make sure that were working on getting those first years to feel comfortable when they’re coming to Western,” she said.
According to the Western University’s Orientation Program Soph Uniform Guidelines, sophs are also banned from wearing tanks tops and short shorts.
Wakabayashi said faculty, residence, and affiliated college sophs on the planning committee were consulted before coming to this decision.
Jeremy Brzozowski, manager of Carleton University’s Student Experience Office, said Carleton bans frosh facilitators from carrying toy weapons for safety reasons.
Zoe Rajwani, a soph for Western’s orientation week this year, said she thinks the changes in uniform guidelines are important for ensuring all students have a positive orientation experience.
“Unintentionally ruining this experience for a first-year student by wearing something that holds a deeper, more serious implication for them would go against the intentions of O-Week and the sophing program,” she said.
Liam McClean, a soph for Western’s orientation week, said he agrees with banning some items but not others.
McClean said he is happy he has not seen First Nations headdresses, hijabs and turbans being used as costume in previous frosh weeks, and that Western has made strides to become inclusive.
“On the other hand, the fact that mohawks, dreadlocks and bandanas are now seen as culturally appropriated items is going a little bit overboard,” he added.
