From the Connecticut Post, apparently discussing this column (my backup version is here):
… The Fairfield Mirror …[, an] independent student publication[,] faces harassment charges before the school’s Student Conduct Board….The controversy erupted over a satirical column in the Sept. 30 edition of The Mirror that poked fun at female students who agree to one-night stands. The “He Said” column described a female’s “walk of shame” leaving a male’s dorm, and used words like “pounding” and “hood rat” to talk guys through the morning after consensual sex….
The student editors [of the newspaper agreed, in response to complaints and a threat of being deprived of school funding,] to make changes to ensure editorial content in the paper has no divisive, offensive language that could result in emotional or physical harm to anyone….
If anyone can point me to a copy of the new Fairfield newspaper policy, I’d love to see it; if it is as quoted, this sounds like an appallingly broad policy for a newspaper to agree to, or for any university to demand. The one reference I could see to “divisive, offensive” in the Mirror archives, here, is an assurance only as to the “Coffee Break” section — still troubling, but more limited in scope. On the other hand, it said nothing about “emotional or physical harm,” so perhaps some other policy is out there.
Note that Fairfield University is a private Jesuit university, and therefore not bound by the First Amendment. Nonetheless, it is apparently trying to apply general “sexual harassment” principles, presumably on the theory that the newspaper column created a “hostile, abusive, or offensive educational environment” for the complainants and for reasonable readers based on the readers’ sex. And this could equally be applied under many university speech codes, including public university speech codes. What’s happening to the Fairfield newspaper is an indicator of what might equally happen at public universities as well, so long as those universities believe (as I’ve heard many people argue) that “sexual harassment”-based speech codes are constitutional.
ShelbyC says:
Well, the nice thing about being a private university is that stuff like that is perfectly OK. There’s a big difference between being a private university and a public institution.
November 16, 2009, 5:18 pmDennis N says:
I wonder if Liberal political rhetoric can be declared as threatening and banned?
How about Conservative rhetoric? Oh wait, that is already illegal.
How is the food in the gulags?
November 16, 2009, 5:30 pmInternet Cafe Solution » Blog Archive » The Volokh Conspiracy » Blog Archive » Publishing a Misogynistic … says:
[...] the rest here: The Volokh Conspiracy » Blog Archive » Publishing a Misogynistic … This entry was posted on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 4:08 pm and is filed under Publishing. You [...]
November 16, 2009, 5:30 pmB.D. says:
Is there an equivalent word for the hatred of men? I mean, we already have “misanthropy,” but that means “hatred of mankind.” What about “androphobia”?
If there is a word for hatred of men, it surely is not used very much. I wonder what that means about how we view men and women and the validity of their respective grievances.
BTW . . . the VC has been strangely quiet about the KSM civilian trial controversy. What gives?
November 16, 2009, 5:50 pmShelbyC says:
misandry
November 16, 2009, 6:05 pmIchthyophagous says:
I found the column to be a somewhat amusing though ham-handed commentary about sex life at Fairfield U. I suggest that any one who wants to post a solemn indignant comment read not just the column, but the comments by students. The writer is communicating real attitudes on campus, as commenter #11 said:
“Way to be original, guy. There wasn’t a single thing there that hasn’t been said a million times before. The only difference is that those other million times were probably funnier.”
Commenter #26 said this:
“Hahahahahahahaahaha! Way to shake up the columns! I thought they were getting a little stale. I salute you for having some balls in a world where we are spoon fed soft media daily. Great job. Just look at how many people your column has reached and the strong reactions you are creating! Sorry you are not being properly thanked for your work.”
November 16, 2009, 6:13 pmB.D. says:
Cool, thanks. Interestingly, the VC spell-check does NOT recognize it as a word. LOL.
So is “misandry” the word for describing how sitcom fathers are routinely portrayed as incompetent, childish boobs?
November 16, 2009, 6:14 pmptt says:
What is a “hood rat”?
November 16, 2009, 6:17 pmAnthony says:
Well, misandry implies something about the motivations of the author, but if we assume the sitcom reflects the opinions of the author, only if the sitcom limits itself to targeting fathers (or men); usually it’s simple misanthropy.
November 16, 2009, 6:50 pmSuperSkeptic says:
1. “Hood Rat”
girl who sleeps with various men in the neighborhood. Usually noticeable via her slacking standards of personal care.
“Sissy Ray.. she a hood rat!”
2. “Hood Rat”
A ghetto ass girl who hangs out with all the ghetto guys and thinks it’s cute to be a slutt.
“Gosh, victor hangs out with all the little hood rats.”
3. “Hood Rat”
A straight slut from the hood.. the kind or girl that has probablly slept with you and four of your best homies… Usually lazy as hell ..they are known to party a lot.. easy to take advantage of.
“That girls a straight hood rat.”
Those are the top three definitions from Urbandictionary.com
November 16, 2009, 6:56 pmGuy says:
If they accept school funding, then doesn’t the school have the right to take it away if they print things they don’t like? My super-brief google research suggests that there’s a circuit split on how Hazelwood applies to publicly-funded universities.
November 16, 2009, 7:13 pmApu Nahasapasapeemipetilon says:
the picture of the author just screams “douche”
November 16, 2009, 8:52 pmHowever, as much as I hate douches, I don’t think this is harassment AT ALL. to wit, at my alma mater (though it is a public school), there is a publication called The Koala that in the past has made national headlines for its alleged violent, misogynistic, etc. content.
these can be read at http://www.thekoala.org
be aware, very NSFW language.
Bama 1L says:
. . . who are fat and funny
November 16, 2009, 9:07 pmHans Bader says:
In UWM Post v. Board of Regents, 774 F.Supp. 1163 (E.D. Wis. 1991), a court overturned a racial and sexual harassment code on First Amendment grounds in a case brought by a student newspaper.
In DeJohn v. Temple University, 537 F.3d 301 (3d Cir. 2008), a federal appeals court overturned a college sexual harassment policy on First Amendment grounds, where the policy was based on EEOC guidelines (which only require that speech be severe OR pervasive to be punishable, unlike the Supreme Court’s 1999 Davis decision, a non-First Amendment case that defined educational conduct or speech as harassment only when it is both severe AND pervasive — unlike the lesser standard and broader definition of harassment for workplace cases, where speech need only be severe OR pervasive for liability).
In Iota Xi Chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity v. George Mason University, 993 F.3d 386 (4th Cir. 1993), a federal appeals court overturned discipline of a fraternity for a racially and sexually offensive skit on First Amendment grounds, notwithstanding the claim that it created a “hostile and distracting learning environment” for women and blacks.
In Dambrot v. Central Michigan University, 55 F.3d 1177 (6th Cir. 1995), a federal appeals court overturned a “hostile-environment” racial harassment code on First Amendment vagueness, overbreadth, and viewpoint-discrimination grounds.
November 17, 2009, 10:45 amSmooth, like a Rhapsody says:
Re BD
Hollywood does not hate men, so “misandry” is inaccurate. Hollywood hates fathers. Not sure what the generic term for that is.
November 17, 2009, 11:30 amreadery says:
It’s a Jesuit university. They have every right to enforce their concepts of decorum and morals as they see it. It’s labeled “sexual harassment” only it seems more politically correct to label it that than to label it “morally offensive”. It would be better to be honest about it, but it’s no big deal either way. If you want an atmosphere more open to titillation, attend some other university. There are plenty.
November 17, 2009, 8:49 pm