First and foremost, we want to state our support and respect for the young women who decided to share their stories and experiences with our campus in the name of furthering an important cause. In doing so, we have no doubt that the fight against sexual violence will be even harder fought.

With that said, we want to publicly acknowledge and challenge the level of publicity given to these women and the exclusionary use of words in this article.

This article focused on white privileged college women who are members of the Greek system — a group given much attention and special treatment on the Syracuse University campus — has cultivated a selective platform for the discussion of sexual safety on campus.

At Syracuse there are several organizations that advocate against sexual violence and conduct programming each semester that works toward creating a safer campus environment for all students. Therefore, this is the reason we are openly questioning why these particular women have been given a platform to speak out unlike any other organization with similar goals.

While reading this article, one might get the impression that there are no other groups on campus fighting for this cause, which not only falsely advertises the “Girl Code” group as trailblazers but in some ways negates the hard work that many other on-campus organizations have done in the name of sexual safety. Finally, although the group’s catchphrase “#cockblockcrew” is clever and may be used for shock value, it insinuates that sexual violence is only perpetrated by males and that women are only ever victims, which is far from the truth. Sexual violence is a power exchange that harmfully impacts anyone that may come in its path.

Gendering in the name of shock value rather than critically looking at the gender implications of sexual violence does not help, but hurts the cause.

While we greatly appreciate the efforts of the Girl Code movement and celebrate them for openly discussing their personal stories, we urge them to consider the use of language and rhetoric and the implications this may have on certain communities. We urge them to work in tandem with other groups on campus; to attend “The Vagina Monologues,” which raises money for organizations like Vera House, to light a candle at the SU Rising vigil for all people affected by sexual assault, to march in “Take Back the Night” to give victims their voices back, or to volunteer at the Advocacy Center. We urge all students to stand against sexual violence.

But to also consider the people excluded from the conversation and those not given a platform and what their fight against sexual violence looks like.

Clare Keaney ’15 & Erin Carhart ’14 

Published on February 11, 2014 at 2:23 am