Gazette spoof not so spiffy
March 30 was the date when the April Fools issue of the Western Gazette first hit the floors, and I just happened to be studying at Weldon Library at Western's when it came out. My girlfriend and I picked up a copy and started reading, what we found were multiple articles that were not only attacking the Women's Issues Network (WIN), but women in general.
In one article it mocks the very imperative “Take Back the Night” march. The article doesn't just enforce the feminist stereotypes and how important looks are over brains, but goes as far as to condone rape. It does this by having the Police Chief of London (who is mentioned by name) “greasing his stick” while he is observing the march he felt the urge to intervene and took one of the speakers into a “dark alley” and taught her a lesson, which implies raped.
But what really boils my blood is how they continue to destroy what women all over the world are working towards, women's equality, but when the Editor-in-Chief of the Gazette allows, the quote, “I love it when a man in uniform takes control,” it gives the impression that rape is alright.
Another article of the spoof paper mentions how women love the taste of “Rohypnol,” a date rape drug. They are once again targeting a huge issue that is on the rise in our society and makes light of it. This is a persistent concern to the students attending Western, as well as Fanshawe, and the fact that their money is going towards a paper with a voice that is undoubtedly sexist and speaks against 51 per cent of the student body, women.
The University Student Union President failed to see the importance of the outcry that has emerged, and when students took this problem to Ombudsperson and the President of Western, they quickly found out that there isn't much that can be done.
This type of writing cannot be allowed to continue. There needs to be change and we are the ones to do that. We must fight this while it is still fresh, as it is right now the London Free Press has taken up the issue, a lot of students have written letters, sent emails, left messages and filed complaints and so far we are waiting to hear what is going to be done. Each and every one of us has a voice, sometimes that voice falls on deaf ears so we have to get a megaphone, sometimes in the form of a petition or a rally, we must realize that everything is not set in stone and that we can make a difference.
If you want to do something about this, please e-mail the President of UWO at pdavenpo@uwo.ca. I have written my letter stating that I am very disappointed in how Western represents itself and the lack of sensitivity to serious social issues the Gazette has shown. Are we at a point in our society where we can say whatever we want because we think people should just know how to take a joke?
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
In one article it mocks the very imperative “Take Back the Night” march. The article doesn't just enforce the feminist stereotypes and how important looks are over brains, but goes as far as to condone rape. It does this by having the Police Chief of London (who is mentioned by name) “greasing his stick” while he is observing the march he felt the urge to intervene and took one of the speakers into a “dark alley” and taught her a lesson, which implies raped.
But what really boils my blood is how they continue to destroy what women all over the world are working towards, women's equality, but when the Editor-in-Chief of the Gazette allows, the quote, “I love it when a man in uniform takes control,” it gives the impression that rape is alright.
Another article of the spoof paper mentions how women love the taste of “Rohypnol,” a date rape drug. They are once again targeting a huge issue that is on the rise in our society and makes light of it. This is a persistent concern to the students attending Western, as well as Fanshawe, and the fact that their money is going towards a paper with a voice that is undoubtedly sexist and speaks against 51 per cent of the student body, women.
The University Student Union President failed to see the importance of the outcry that has emerged, and when students took this problem to Ombudsperson and the President of Western, they quickly found out that there isn't much that can be done.
This type of writing cannot be allowed to continue. There needs to be change and we are the ones to do that. We must fight this while it is still fresh, as it is right now the London Free Press has taken up the issue, a lot of students have written letters, sent emails, left messages and filed complaints and so far we are waiting to hear what is going to be done. Each and every one of us has a voice, sometimes that voice falls on deaf ears so we have to get a megaphone, sometimes in the form of a petition or a rally, we must realize that everything is not set in stone and that we can make a difference.
If you want to do something about this, please e-mail the President of UWO at pdavenpo@uwo.ca. I have written my letter stating that I am very disappointed in how Western represents itself and the lack of sensitivity to serious social issues the Gazette has shown. Are we at a point in our society where we can say whatever we want because we think people should just know how to take a joke?
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
