‘NO Exclusive & Sexist Societies’ campaign reaches 150 signatures

Cambridge students have launched a campaign petitioning the university to ban so-called ‘gentlemen’s clubs’ and drinking societies

The campaign has received over 150 signatures to end gender-exclusive drinking societiesJOHAN PERSSON

by Joe Robinson

This article is 11 years old

Wednesday May 20 2015, 5:03pm

A student-run campaign is calling upon the university and its colleges to ban gender-exclusive societies, including those oriented around drinking.

The ‘NO Exclusive & Sexist Societies’ organisation has set up a petition on change.org which has over 150 signatures. The campaign focuses on the negative effects of drinking societies and gender-exclusive groups that engage in “archaic and patriarchal pastimes”, including the promotion of misogyny and the propagation of a culture of intimidation and exclusion.

The campaign claims that such societies, which they claim legitimise the domination over and humiliation of women, are the “very antithesis of the inclusivity Cambridge ought to be promoting”.

The letter attached to the petition recommends that those who are involved in such societies be “subject to disciplinary proceedings”. In failing to take action, the letter claims that “the University and Colleges have legitimised societies that discriminate against women”.

The letter mentions the Wyvern Society, which was last year investigated by police pursuant to alleged chanting about rape. The society is set to return later this term in the form of a summer event featuring ‘jelly wrestling’, which has traditionally involved female students wrestling in a pool of jelly.

This event was stopped two years ago after protests by the Women's Group, calling it "misogynistic".

The all-male Wyverns have announced its return and have called on rival drinking societies to challenge their own male champion - with "participants of any gender".

The NO campaign and petition claim that the actions of such societies are contrary to the university and colleges’ continued efforts to promote inclusivity.

@JPRobbo

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