SU shelves ‘sexist’ poster

The original poster. Photo: Warwick SU

Warwick Students’ Union (SU) removed a poster depicting women in swimwear to advertise summer drinks deals following a complaint that the content was sexist.

The poster, advertising shakes and smoothies at SU coffee shop Curiositea, was removed on Tuesday 4 June after just a few days following a complaint to the outlet’s manager.

Democracy and development officer Cosmo March explained: “Although no formal complaints were made to any sabbatical officers, the manager received a complaint directly suggesting that the content was sexist.

“Regardless of whether or not the content was deemed sexist, she was keen to have the posters replaced from a reputational perspective.”

But Mr March pointed out that the material on the poster “has been used in the past” and was “largely reused”.
The allegedly sexist poster was originally debated in the Warwick Anti-Sexism Society (WASS) discussion group on Facebook.

First-year Italian student Susanna Chapman, who originally highlighted the poster’s potential sexist nature, told the Boar: “I don’t think that scantily clad girls in bikinis are necessary to advertise drinks.

“The drinks in themselves are delicious, and advert enough.

“I don’t think that this was a massively sexist incident – however, I feel that it could have been avoided, especially at the Students’ Union, OUR Union.”

She added: “I don’t like the way that the women are posing, either. It is provocative and, I feel, not appropriate for advertising drinks…Why do we feel the need to carry on objectifying women?”

But the discussion on Facebook did include a large number of students who felt this was an over-reaction from both members of the WASS group and the SU.

Second-year Alex Haldane told the Boar that he felt the poster was not sexist because it was “clearly aimed at females” and influenced by “the whole retro-chic thing in female fashion at the moment”.

He said: “If however the poster was to advertise something clearly aimed at men, then I definitely think it would be sexist, as the only reason it would be there would be to catch male attention in a sexual way.

“I don’t think in this situation [changing the poster] was entirely necessary, especially if the SU had to spend additional money (that could be put to better use) putting right a minor technicality.”

The new poster. Photo: Warwick SU

Mr Haldane also took issue with the WASS group as a whole. He said: “I think some members of the group see something they think is sexist, then automatically over-analyse it to portray it in a sexist way.”

WASS were unavailable for comment on this assertion.

However, sexism is not something Ms Chapman sees as widespread in the SU. She said: “On the whole, I think that the SU takes issues of sexism seriously, and it has a lot of good policies in place.”

Mr March was keen to explain that decisions on advertising content is not taken lightly.

He said: “We produce a vast amount of promotional material. Whilst there is no formal process for seeking officer approval for every item, SU staff will often seek officer views on items, particularly if they feel there would be sensitivities.”