Plymouth University Students' Union polls its members on 'Blurred Lines' ban
Plymouth University Students' Union (UPSU) is holding a vote on its website to ask members whether they think the controversial number one hit single, Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke should be banned.
The song, a huge UK hit earlier this year, has been accused by some of glorifying rape culture.
A number of students' unions around the country, including Edinburgh, Derby, University West of Scotland and Leeds, have banned the song from being played in their common areas and UPSU is asking students whether it should follow suit.
In a joint statement, the Women's Officers of the National Union of Students (NUS) across the nations and regions said: "We consider Blurred Lines to be deeply offensive and dangerous. The idea that consent is a ‘blurry’ concept is outrageous. It reinforces the shameful way sexual assault is often represented in the media and wider popular culture.
"We want to see a society that recognises 'no means no', that doesn’t engage in victim blaming and doesn’t think that rape is a “blurry” concept.
"Consent has no blurred lines.”
UPSU's Women's Rep Jessica Horner also believes that Blurred Lines should be banned.
In a blog for UPSU, she said:
"You will have undoubtedly heard a lot in the news about the song, but have you actually questioned why so many people find it highly offensive? The song’s lyrics provide an example of rape culture – by glorifying the idea that the lines between consenting and not consenting are blurred. This is not true! Consent means actively saying and showing that you want to engage in sexual behaviour with someone – ‘I know you want it’ aka implied consent based on how a female dances or dresses is not consent!
"One in seven women students will experience sexual assault during their time in university and 68% of women students have experienced sexual harassment whilst at university or college– these women deserve their Students Union to be a safe space, and do you really want to be singing along to things a rapist says?"
The UPSU poll asks students to consider the following arguments for and against a ban, before voting 'yes' or 'no'.
The argument for the ban:
- NUS supports all Unions in banning the song and making a stand against misogyny, using derogatory language towards women and ‘Lad Culture’ (http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/news/article/womens/Statement-on-Robin-Thic...)
- The song’s lyrics glorify rape culture and imply consent can be a blurry issue – it shouldn’t be, implied consent does not count as consent.
- The line ‘I know you want it’ can be very upsetting and triggering for survivors of sexual assault/violence as it is something rapists actually say. (see Project Unbreakable for examples http://project-unbreakable.org/)
- One in seven women students will experience sexual assault during their time in university and 68% of women students have experienced sexual harassment whilst at university or college– these women deserve their Students Union to be a safe space for them.
The argument against:
- We’re over 18 and at University, so we are old enough and intelligent enough to choose for ourselves whether we listen to the lyrics or not.
- If you censor one song then where will you stop? We have freedom of speech, and that means freedom to listen to what we want to.
- It’s catchy and people like it, it wouldn’t have become so popular if most people didn’t like it so much.
- It doesn’t get played as much anymore so banning it would just give it more attention again.
- There are more important feminist issue that should be being focussed on.
- See more at: http://www.upsu.com
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