Letter To Editor:15/11/2017
Dear Editor,
I think everyone will agree, that Consent Week, the consent workshops, the mandatory consent quizzes for Carol attendees is all a good thing. If all the time taken to undertake such endeavours culminates in just one person feeling safer, it is time well spent; and I’m of no doubt that the effect will be far greater than that – so well done to the LSE SU/organisers.
I was however disappointed to see the Beaver this week, whether it was conscious or not, have gender bias, in what is a genderless issue. I took part in one of the consent workshops, and the active decision to use genderless stick figures throughout the presentation and moodle quiz by the creators was noticeable and appreciated.
Therefore it disappointed me to see The Beaver blunder into the sensitive topic ham-footed and portray it as an issue that majoritively effects women, with most if not all of anecdotes in the article coming from women (as stated by them), topped off with a female character depicted on the first page of the story. Although, as was stated in the consent workshop, the majority of sexual assaults happen to women, there is a significant amount of incidents that happen to men and it does not go far in helping the cause for all to diminish the importance of sexual assaults on men. I have personally experienced unwanted female touching at times in zoo bar, and am aware of Women’s sports teams group chats which rate male zoo-goers.
This should not take away from any of the stories in this weeks paper, and the last thing I want this letter to do is make this a tit-for-tat/which gender is worse issue. I simply think that it is not helpful for the Beaver to frame such an pertinent issue in such an untactful way. As the more we work together, the sooner and more successfully the issue of sexual assault can be tackled in the LSE community and the wider world.
Thanks for taking the time to read.
