Ahead of tomorrows UGM, which I cannot attend as I somewhat ironically have a lesson with the Gender Institute, I feel the need to reassert my opinion in light of some of the reactions to the Mens Rugby Club being disbanded. I do so both in a personal capacity, but also in my position as the elected representative of the women at LSE. This was not a disproportionate and unreasonable punishment, given the circumstances. Those circumstances were: a) That the individuals responsible were unwilling to come forward and accept personal responsibility for their actions. They decided instead to stay silent and to protect themselves, knowing that it might result in the disbandment of the club. They, and they alone, are to blame for this result. I am disappointed to have witnessed so much anger focused at the Students Union, and as of yet I have not seen one public statement from within the AU recognising who is really to blame (please correct me if I am wrong and I will happily amend). Time and time again, myself and others have been told It is unfair that the whole of the AU is tarnished with the same brush. The actions of the minority should not be construed as supported by the majority., and I have agreed over and over. Well here is a perfect illustration of the problem we face. If people are unwilling to give up names, report and condemn that minority, in actions and in words, then the majority will suffer. Without the disbanding of the Mens Rugby Club, the funding for the entire AU was likely under threat. Do the Mens Rugby Club deserve to be reformed if it may cost the rest of the clubs, who did not behave in an abhorrent manner, to lose out? b) This is by no means the first time that the Mens Rugby Club has been warned about such behaviour. During my 3 years at LSE I can think of many occasions where members have been warned, both formally and informally, about this sort of stuff. Each time the line of the Students Union and the School has been This time were going to go easier, were giving you a second chance, but if there is a next time then punishments will be harsher. Well this IS next time and the punishment IS harsh. This is not a missed opportunity to work with the Mens Rugby Club. Many have tried, and evidently all have failed. It is insulting to those who have worked tirelessly on positive campaigns within the AU to suggest otherwise. This does not mean that I, or any of the other liberation officers will be unwilling to work with the AU clubs throughout the year. As last nights Womens Forum demonstrated, there is still plenty of work to be done both combatting negative behaviour, but also promoting the fantastic achievements of sportswomen at LSE. In the past 24 hours I have had an overwhelmingly positive response to Nonas decision from the women at LSE, especially those in the AU. They have spoken about their relief that somebody has finally taken a difficult decision which was long overdue, and have even expressed how much more confident they will feel on a Wednesday night. However, they dont feel confident expressing this opinion very publicly, because they feel there is an incredibly hostile environment towards such sentiment in the AU at the moment. Yeah I said it, hostile environment in the AU, Im begging you to prove me wrong. I believe it is very telling that myself and Alex Leung, LGBT Officer, have come out in full support of this decision. As liberation officers for those targeted by the leaflet we are very clear on who the real victims in this situation have been, and trust me, Im not talking about Mens Rugby. P.S. No, Im not inviting you to begin some sort of Facebook battle by posting this. If you want to take issue with my words, I suggest you email me at [email protected].
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 20:59:18 +0000
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