Over the last few weeks, more actions against women have taken place. The Engineering Society would like to condemn these actions as profoundly disturbing and unacceptable.
Some might see these attacks against women as isolated incidents perpetrated by a few rogue individuals. However, these pervasive issues must be addressed by everyone. We all need to work together to build a safer community. A safe community makes it clear that sexism will not be tolerated. Together we can eliminate these issues and all forms of hate.
Systemic inequality is ingrained in our society. It comes from the way we communicate, the words we use and even the way we have been conditioned to think. Certain words and ideas that we use are inherently sexist even if they are not intended to be.
Sexist comments are often defended with the argument that nobody was offended. The question is not whether or not the audience was offended, but what effect such a statement may have had on the community as a whole. The ramifications of these sexist ideas accumulate over the course of a university career.
We all need to think about how our actions affect the people around us. The problem starts at the ground level in our daily interactions. If we build a stronger community that addresses problems about the way we interact with each other we will be better equipped to fight these issues in the future.
Sincerely,
Engineering Society ‘B’ Executive
Denis
Attacks? Safety? Where are the threats? This moral panic is just ridiculous.
Why not just bubble wrap them to protect them from anything they might disagree with?
Denis
“Systemic inequality is ingrained in our society.”
Why doesn't anybody ever question these false assertions? Western women are the most priviliged humans to have ever lived anywhere in the world.
Ooops, gonna get the misogyny police after me?
Denis
“A safe community makes it clear that sexism will not be tolerated.”
Isn't it also sexism to only be addressing women's issues and never men's issues?
Adi
This sounds too much like thought policing to me. Sexism and sexual assault are two very different things. While we can despise and scrutinize sexism, we cannot and should not forbid people from voicing it or we destroy freedom of speech. And by ascribing violent assault to inherent sexism, you are also working on destroying freedom of thought.
You need to internalize the fact that somebody can have the most revolting and hideous thoughts and still be entirely innocent and peaceful.
Raven001
Sexism? It is just plain incorrect. Marie Curie did not invent any atomic bomb.
perhaps the blame lays directly at the feet of feminists re-writing history to give women a more prominent place.
P.S. Equal opportunity is just fine, equal outcome is not. Disqualifying more qualified males in favour of lesser qualified females or any “under represented” group is plain sexist or bigotted. lowerring the bar for female firefighters etc… is also sexist. Either a person has the best ability or they do not.
Ranley
I am laughing so hard at this post. It's like a stereotype of a caricature.
Helani
I am pleased to find these comments. I am researching material for a IWD article and it is good to find some positivity and concern from a mainly male sector.
helani