Sexist Advertising of Halloween Ball

Hawnshand Redemption · 22-10-2012 09:10PM #1

Hi folks,

I don't ever post here, but without a proper student forum this seems the apropriate place to bring it up. I've already mailed the SU with my complants but I feel this deserves wider attention.

The campaign for this year's haloween ball is disturbingly sexist. I know we have an all male SU exec, but we should still expectt a higher standard then this. for many students this will be their first major college event and to be encouraged to behave in this manner is extremely inappropriate and offensive.

At a period in time where sexuality is finally starting to progress, I find this incredibly regressive and profoundly inapropriate. Girls are afraid to do computer and engineering courses and this doesn't help if the college has this attitude.

my sister was thinking of attending dcu, but i will most likely encourage her to look elsewhere now

Relevant links:
http://www.dcusu.ie/events/halloween-fancy-dress-ball-12/
https://www.facebook.com/dcustudentsunion/posts/424539310942177

dukedalton · 22-10-2012 09:14PM

Girls are "afraid" to do computer and engineering courses? Why? Have you any evidence of this?

What's sexist about having a Halloween dress up party? Is it's the word "sluttish" that offends you in the ad?

Attol · 22-10-2012 09:16PM

There are prizes for the sluttiest costume. I think that's pretty sexist and backwards tbh.

super_furry · 22-10-2012 09:17PM

Huh? How can having a 'sluttiest dressed' competition be anything but sexist?

Duddy · 22-10-2012 09:18PM

Good of you to bring attention to it, another common theme within today's society is that women who go against the lad-culture are called overly sensitive bra-burning feminist lesbians (which is a bad thing, apparently)

Your likely response (although maybe not the official response) will be something along the lines of "it doesn't say it has to be a girl!", and a quick google shows that its a unisex term for one of low sexual morals.

Obviously though, its a term used almost universally for women (the male equivalent is probably "legend!!1!1!1111!!") so you still have a strong enough complaint. Best thing would be to get a petition started, or at least show that other people are offended by it.

Best of luck:)

dukedalton · 22-10-2012 09:21PM

Seriously lads, I'm not going to get into a huge row with people over the use of words, but honestly I think taking offense at the word "sluttish" is over the top. It's meant in jest, it's not an insult. Seriously, there are so many other (more worthy) things in the world you could spend time and energy giving out about.

In any case, in my experience of these things, most girls choose to play up to occasion and come wearing revealing paraphernalia. All part of the fun.

lithiumoxide · 22-10-2012 09:23PM

I was just told about this. Disgusting. I was also told that the email sent by the SU expressly said female?

super_furry · 22-10-2012 09:24PM

I'd imagine its more rating and judging women on how slutty they look rather than the word is the issue.

jill_valentine · 22-10-2012 09:28PM

dukedalton wrote: »

Girls are "afraid" to do computer and engineering courses? Why? Have you any evidence of this?

Not the OP, but I studied Computer Science for a bit and female students were outnumbered about 10:1 on my course and one of our lecturers routinely made life tougher for us than for our counterparts.

"Slut" is a perfectly valid thing to get cranky about. Honestly, nobody should have to have the reasons why spelled out in this day and age.

Tree · 22-10-2012 09:40PM

Aye, I'm pretty annoyed about it also. Have emailed the SU, and also sent an email to the equality office to see if they can have any say in the matter.

To say it's all a bit of fun and sure can't the boys win really ignores the point. Willfully encouraging young people to be slutty is the wrong message to be sending. People who want to dress "sluttilly" are more than welcome to, and if they win best prize because they ahve a good costume, grand. Actively promoting "sluttiness" is unacceptable, how would you feel if you (or your daughter) won such a competition? Would you be putting it on your CV?

22-10-2012 09:45PM

Tree wrote: »

how would you feel if you (or your daughter) won such a competition? Would you be putting it on your CV?

I'd be annoyed at her for entering that category of the contest. I don't imagine many people put something their kids do on their CV.

helloyeshi · 22-10-2012 09:56PM

Attol wrote: »

There are prizes for the sluttiest costume. I think that's pretty sexist and backwards tbh.

I don't see where it picks a sex for the sluttiest costume. It makes no distinction to whether or not it's sluttiest male/female/alpaca...

jill_valentine · 22-10-2012 10:02PM

helloyeshi wrote: »

I don't see where it picks a sex for the sluttiest costume. It makes no distinction to whether or not it's sluttiest male/female/alpaca...

That's a reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally disingenuous feint, come on now.

shortie_chik · 22-10-2012 10:09PM

Hawnshand Redemption wrote: »

At a period in time where sexuality is finally starting to progress, I find this incredibly regressive and profoundly inapropriate. Girls are afraid to do computer and engineering courses and this doesn't help if the college has this attitude.
my sister was thinking of attending dcu, but i will most likely encourage her to look elsewhere now

I spent 10 years in DCU, in the School of Computer Science, as an undergrad, postgrad and staff member (I don't work there anymore), and the university does not have a regressive & inappropriate attitude towards women. They're at pains to point out how equal opportunities & progressive they are (and to be fair, they do make every effort for balance etc).

Your issue is with the organisers / promoters of this event. The SU needs to be resourceful enough to organise a good events programme, and hopefully have enough cop on to do it responsibly. :rolleyes: Maybe they think it's just a bit of craic to request (most likely) women to dress in their sluttiest costumes, but I think you'd be within reason to complain about this. I can guarantee the :rolleyes: reaction when they receive a letter from some ould crank

but if you actually have the motivation to complain, go for it. I'd probably just tut about it to my friends & then wait for the posters to disappear next week, but I'm shockingly apathetic sometimes.

Yes, there will be plenty of girls who wear lingerie+bunny-ears type costumes & good luck to them if that's what they choose (like they've walked straight out of Mean Girls :P) but I do think it's inappropriate to try to encourage girls who are comfortable enough to dress like this to try to ramp it up. There'll likely be girls who'll end up in outfits they're not really comfortable in, to try to fit in better.

Finally, please don't discourage your sister from going to DCU over this fairly trivial issue. Sure it's not perfect, but it's a great university & if they have the "best" course in her area of interest, that's surely more important than moronic events posters? It'll be a different SU team next year anyway!

Cavehill Red · 22-10-2012 10:13PM

Hawnshand Redemption wrote: »

my sister was thinking of attending dcu, but i will most likely encourage her to look elsewhere now

Her area of interest is first world problems, I assume?

stmol32 · 22-10-2012 11:33PM

Hawnshand Redemption wrote: »

my sister was thinking of attending dcu, but i will most likely encourage her to look elsewhere now

You should forbid her from attending DCU.

Konata · 22-10-2012 11:45PM

Changed the thread title as the original was slightly inappropriate.

Just a word of warning in advance to keep this thread on topic and also to avoid personal abuse etc. etc.

Urizen · 22-10-2012 11:54PM

Huh. So Sarah Flanagan, our Science & Health Convenor, and Lorna Finnegan , our Clubs Officer, are both men now? News to everyone except you apparently, I'm sure they'll be most surprised of all. Maybe research FACTS before posting, as our Executive has two female members.

I was going to be polite, but I'll be blunt; it's Hallowe'en. Have a bloody sense of humour about it, they mean no offense and you damn well know it. Or you would, but you evidently didn't even know that there were women on Exec. You're also jumping to conclusions about the whole thing, almost as though you were TRYING to find something to be annoyed about. This kind of complaint is political correctness gone mad, and I for one have no intention of indulging it.

Have some perspective, use common sense, etc. There's no point in arguing, you've clearly made up your mind on the matter. But in my opinion, it's looking for discrimination that simply isn't there.

carlowboy · 23-10-2012 12:01AM

What about the lads who want to dress real slutty? A bit sexist of the OP to leave out lads?

nua domhan · 23-10-2012 12:03AM

Tree wrote: »

To say it's all a bit of fun and sure can't the boys win really ignores the point. Willfully encouraging young people to be slutty is the wrong message to be sending. People who want to dress "sluttilly" are more than welcome to, and if they win best prize because they ahve a good costume, grand. Actively promoting "sluttiness" is unacceptable, how would you feel if you (or your daughter) won such a competition? Would you be putting it on your CV?

Why? Isn't the sexual liberation of women part of the drive to equality? I assume you also emailed the organisers of this...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SlutWalk complaining that they shouldn't be encouraging young people to dress slutty,
and I'll assume you also spend your time writing into "Loose women" and the writers of "Sex and the City"?

Attol · 23-10-2012 12:03AM

carlowboy wrote: »

What about the lads who want to dress real slutty? A bit sexist of the OP to leave out lads?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/slut?s=t

slut
noun
1.
an immoral or dissolute woman; prostitute.
2.
Obsolete . a dirty, slovenly woman.

jill_valentine · 23-10-2012 12:07AM

nua domhan wrote: »

Why? Isn't the sexual liberation of women part of the drive to equality? I assume you also emailed the organisers of this...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SlutWalk complaining that they shouldn't be encouraging young people to dress slutty,
and I'll assume you also spend your time writing into "Loose women" and the writers of "Sex and the City"?

When there's a "dress as a rent boy" equivalent, and everybody takes it for granted, the equality argument will fly. Not a moment before then.

The purpose of the slutwalk is an attempt to decouple the concept of how a girl dresses and her value as a human being. Competitions for "who can dress the sluttiest" are born of literally the opposite thought process.

Lawliet · 23-10-2012 12:08AM

Urizen wrote: »

I was going to be polite, but I'll be blunt; it's Hallowe'en. Have a bloody sense of humour about it, they mean no offense and you damn well know it.

Have a sense of humour? About what? I'm being genuine here I don't see the joke. I see "Hey girls, dress in a degrading way so we can call you sluts and maybe we'll give you a prize for it!"
And I don't really think that's funny, I think it's worrying and sad.

carlowboy · 23-10-2012 12:13AM

Lawliet wrote: »

Have a sense of humour? About what? I'm being genuine here I don't see the joke. I see "Hey girls, dress in a degrading way so we can call you sluts and maybe we'll give you a prize for it!"
And I don't really think that's funny, I think it's worrying and sad.

They don't specifically refer to women in the ad though?

Here's something you might find interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Urizen · 23-10-2012 12:15AM

Lawliet wrote: »

Have a sense of humour? About what? I'm being genuine here I don't see the joke. I see "Hey girls, dress in a degrading way so we can call you sluts and maybe we'll give you a prize for it!"
And I don't really think that's funny, I think it's worrying and sad.

The only one that's mentioned girls is the OP. Neither the poster nor the SU have. Assumptions have been made, and I feel they are innacurate. I never thought that this category applied only to women. If I show up dressed as a 'rent boy', am I not dressed sluttily?

I checked 3 online dictionaries and 2 print, and not one defined 'slut' as applying only to women. It's a genderless term these days, or it should be.

AH_David · 23-10-2012 12:18AM

Ok, few facts just to throw out there. While members of the DCUSU Exec may know about events before other students, they don't actually have a ton of input beyond making suggestions. The booking of acts is left to the Events Coordinator Shea, who I grant you is a man, but the design of our posters is mostly dealt with by Emer, the Communications and Marketing officer, who is as her name might imply, a woman.

Sexism is virtually none existent in DCU, women occupy many high level positions and are treated as complete equals. College is one of the places where people tend to be more chilled, if you don't want to dress as a 'slut' don't. If you want to wear a skirt that barely covers your arse, go right ahead.

I for one will be going as Secret Agent 007 and ladies you can objectify for my body all night long

or just laugh either is cool :P

jill_valentine · 23-10-2012 12:19AM

Shur maybe she'll flash her tits while she's at it and you can skip the middleman and just tuck cash right into her waistband. :rolleyes:

carlowboy wrote: »

They don't specifically refer to women in the ad though?

"Slut" is a specifically female word, ie. it refers only to woman. It doesn't really have a male counterpart. Certainly not in English, and I'm unaware of any in other languages.

Urizen · 23-10-2012 12:20AM

jill_valentine wrote: »

"Slut" is a specifically female word, ie. it refers only to woman. It doesn't really have a male counterpart. Certainly not in English, and I'm unaware of any in other languages.

This is untrue, look it up.

nua domhan · 23-10-2012 12:21AM

jill_valentine wrote: »

When there's a "dress as a rent boy" equivalent, and everybody takes it for granted, the equality argument will fly. Not a moment before then.

The purpose of the slutwalk is an attempt to decouple the concept of how a girl dresses and her value as a human being. Competitions for "who can dress the sluttiest" are born of literally the opposite thought process.

Rent boys aren't comparable in this case as they are for the most part homosexual. If they Gay Lesbian and Bisexual society threw a halloween party and they had a competition for the best dressed queen, rent boy or bear etc would you be up in arms as well?

I know what the slutwalk is and what it's about. I also know that if someone wants to dress slutty then they have that right and they shouldn't be worried about someone speaking up against it or being insulted by it on their behalf. (in effect belittling their value as you seem to think that anyone who would partake in such a competition has little self worth).

And don't come back with the argument that they are promoting slutty behaviour with the competition. That again suggests that girls are so easily swayed by prize that they're not confident in themselves as women.

nua domhan · 23-10-2012 12:25AM

Lawliet wrote: »

Have a sense of humour? About what? I'm being genuine here I don't see the joke. I see "Hey girls, dress in a degrading way so we can call you sluts and maybe we'll give you a prize for it!"
And I don't really think that's funny, I think it's worrying and sad.

It's only degrading if you let it be degrading. Why not look at it as a confident expression of feminism?

does dita von tease dress in a degrading way?

Cavehill Red · 23-10-2012 12:27AM

jill_valentine wrote: »

"Slut" is a specifically female word, ie. it refers only to woman. It doesn't really have a male counterpart. Certainly not in English, and I'm unaware of any in other languages.

There you are, people. The language police have spoken.

Wrongly as it happens.

There's this, and this, and then there's this GQ article which is sort of pertinent, in that it tells men how to dress slutty for Halloween.
And that's me playing nice by entirely ignoring the online tsunami of NSFW homosexual-themed manslut, slutboy, slutty men, boysluts and other variations of male sluts on websites, blogs and discussions out there.

Sexist Advertising of Halloween Ball

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