‘Degrading’ sign hung during homecoming prompts response from N.S. university president
The sign, painted on a white sheet and hung on an off-campus house read “Drop-off zone: Acadia girlfriends.”
A provocative sign, deemed "degrading and deeply concerning" by St. Francis Xavier University's president, Andy Hakin, appeared during the school's homecoming event. The sign, painted on a white sheet and displayed on an off-campus residence, read "Drop-off zone: Acadia girlfriends." Hakin unequivocally declared that language objectifying women or trivializing sexualized violence has no place at StFX or any community.
This incident follows a highly publicized rape case at Cornell University in New York, less than three weeks ago. Anti-gender-based violence advocate Liz Leclair commented that there is a recent surge in attitudes towards sexualized violence, describing it as part of a culture that views women and girls as property, susceptible to exploitation.
The university had to remove the sign twice over the weekend and has referred the matter to its disciplinary process. Leclair emphasized the necessity for the students involved to publicly acknowledge the harm they've caused and its impact on women and girls in the community. Acadia University's president, Jeff Hennessy, also condemned the act. Both institutions assure that support is available for those who have experienced sexual violence.
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