SuppliedIt was Equity Diversity Inclusion (EDI) week this past week at the University of Alberta. Ironically, this week also contained a shit show of sexist commentary that pretty much said a big “fuck you” to hopes of transforming our sick culture.
The goal of EDI week was to raise awareness, exert social justice, create support amongst the university community, and initiate a “dialogue about equity diversity and inclusion beyond the people who are actually implicated in these issues,” says Janice Williamson, UAlberta English professor and AASUA Equity Chair. There were multiple presentations throughout the week, including Law Professor and task force member for the 2015 Dalhousie report Constance Backhouse’s talk on “A Culture of Sexism, Racism and Homophobia on our Campuses,” which targeted universities as places to inaugurate this change.
With the infamous Dalhousie Dentistry School scandal and documentaries like The Hunting Ground, both Williamson and Backhouse recognize there’s an “epidemic of normalized sexual violence” rooted in our culture. And because of this, we can’t focus on the “bad apple” theory as deliberated in the Dalhousie report. Both women stress that these problems aren’t individualized; therefore, we must “acknowledge the structural and systemic character of these inequities,” and the rhetorical and actual violence that occur on campus, Williamson explains.
Difficulty arises when you try dismantling such a system because it’s so embedded in today’s society. The idea of “rape culture” is prevalent on university campuses because young men are trying to measure up to an ideal yet inflated notion of masculinity in order to establish dominance.
I was ashamed to see only a handful of men attend Backhouse’s keynote presentation amongst a sea of women. It causes me to question how many men are aware of the problem and how many are willing to be a part of the solution.
We cannot change our culture until we realize why it must be changed, and how we can change it. We cannot change our culture until university students understand why it’s not okay to reduce women to objects, to insinuate rape imagery, and to perpetuate a particular level of vulgarity in the use of words like “c*nt.”
Williamson stresses the importance of leadership, policies, and funding in universities. It’s crucial that the perpetrators are isolated, not the victims. And combining these elements at high levels of administration will give the necessary support to victims and hopefully institute change.
As for the recent events that transpired at the U of A in response to Kate McInnes’ article, Williamson expresses sadness “that this young woman was harmed by this rhetorical abuse.” Williamson recognizes that McInnes’ piece was a satirical look at the politics behind the 5 Days for the Homeless: “it’s very ironic that in critiquing the power dynamics of this particular action, she herself becomes victim of the power dynamics in another economy, which is that of sex and gender.”
I don’t need to dwell on the heinous responses to McInnes’ article to recognize that sexism is an issue on campuses. It’s beyond disconcerting that disagreeing with an opinion could result in such commentary. For the record, I didn’t agree with McInnes’ article. In saying that, I’m not trying to gain a fan base or distance myself from any repercussions. Instead, I’m trying to show that we’re all entitled to our opinions. And I know, quite controversially, that entitlement might traditionally be associated with white males, but it’s actually not a gendered concept.
If you disagree with someone’s opinion, then I encourage you to engage in intelligent discussions. I thrive on writing pieces that lead to conversation. But I cannot endorse immature commentary that belittles someone because that’s the easiest way to “win” an argument. And for those of you who understand this differentiation, I thank you. I thank you for your overwhelming support and I thank you for taking the first step in creating a cohesive university community that recognizes and aims to combat these issues.
