The University of British Columbia announced measures it’s taking this week to deal with what is being dubbed the “rape chant” incident that gained national attention earlier this month.
UBC said Monday it is taking three “immediate measures” to deal with the embarrassing behaviour of student leaders of its elite business school, who recently led students in a cheer promoting underage, non-consensual sex with girls.
This incident, of course, is not to be confused with Halifax’s Saint Mary’s University chant given by about 80 student leaders cheering similar obscenities about women during an orientation event on Labour Day. These two events occurring on each coast of our country were so similar in nature and in time, in fact, they very well could have been mistaken for the same incident.
UBC announced Monday the behaviour is “deeply upsetting” and said it has put together a fact-finding team to look into reports of the chant (though that seems pretty easy since it’s been all over the Internet), it has increased emphasis in the curriculum on issues related to “respect, dignity and ethics” and, in a real tough move, it will no longer support the Commerce Undergraduate Society (CUS) Frosh events.
Let’s face it, not much has changed in the world for women.
Even in university, where intellect is put high on a pedestal, women are still subjected to stupid and immoral behaviour often.
But we can’t really blame the schools, can we? These episodes are really just a greater reflection of our society today.
Can we expect anything more of our young adults when video clips of an almost naked and “twerking” (look it up) Miley Cyrus, once a Disney mentor for little girls, makes the six o’clock news, not once but often, simply because she’s acting inappropriately? In fact, it’s pretty difficult to turn on the television and see anything but demoralizing behaviour toward women.
Are these latest Frosh chants at our universities a sad state of affairs for our country, yes.
Is it shocking, no.
- Williams Lake Tribune