After a demand from the university the Concordia Student Union (CSU) removed a poster considered “violent” and “offensive.” The poster is located on the outside face of the CSU back door.
Following a complaint last week the dean of students, Donald Boisvert, told the CSU to remove the poster or face consequences. For Boisvert, the words associated with the image made the poster violent. “The university wanted it taken down because of the message it sent to men.”
According to CSU president Sabrina Stea, Wimmin is a group of Concordia women who wish to remain unnamed. Speaking on behalf of Wimmin, Stea said the poster was meant to focus student union representative’s attention on sexism. “The poster targeted people who work here, hang out here and who need to work on their sexism.”
According to Stea the poster was not meant for the student population. It had been posted there because the CSU had considered the corridor part of their office space. “Not many students roam around there so it’s basically space used by people coming into CSU.”
However, Boisvert disagreed. “It was posted in public space.”
Stea said that the image of a woman carrying a gun was used because of its ties to the feminism movement. Although Stea finds guns offensive, she questioned why there is outrage when it is an armed woman. “Nobody’s ever complained about campus movie posters with big macho guys carrying huge guns,” commented Stea.
“Why is it offensive to see a woman with a gun?”
At least one individual found the poster’s contents disturbing. Chaplain Darryl Lynn Ross felt obliged to file a complaint. “The poster is hate literature that expressed a death threat against men. I feel that any male seeing that poster would have reason to feel threatened,” he said.
Following a complaint last week the dean of students, Donald Boisvert, told the CSU to remove the poster or face consequences. For Boisvert, the words associated with the image made the poster violent. “The university wanted it taken down because of the message it sent to men.”
According to CSU president Sabrina Stea, Wimmin is a group of Concordia women who wish to remain unnamed. Speaking on behalf of Wimmin, Stea said the poster was meant to focus student union representative’s attention on sexism. “The poster targeted people who work here, hang out here and who need to work on their sexism.”
According to Stea the poster was not meant for the student population. It had been posted there because the CSU had considered the corridor part of their office space. “Not many students roam around there so it’s basically space used by people coming into CSU.”
However, Boisvert disagreed. “It was posted in public space.”
Stea said that the image of a woman carrying a gun was used because of its ties to the feminism movement. Although Stea finds guns offensive, she questioned why there is outrage when it is an armed woman. “Nobody’s ever complained about campus movie posters with big macho guys carrying huge guns,” commented Stea.
“Why is it offensive to see a woman with a gun?”
At least one individual found the poster’s contents disturbing. Chaplain Darryl Lynn Ross felt obliged to file a complaint. “The poster is hate literature that expressed a death threat against men. I feel that any male seeing that poster would have reason to feel threatened,” he said.
