You see the gentlemen holding up a sign that reads "WE LOVE YALE SLUTS" right in front of the Yale Women's Center? That little stunt was a pledge prank for the school's Zeta Psi fraternity, and the Women's Center is now taking legal action against the frat for sexual harassment. The question of whether or not this was indeed harassment has been raised, since it was "just a joke" and the men never came in contact with any women. But I say: hell yes it's harassment! As someone who openly refers to herself as a "slut" and throws the term around rather lovingly, I have to say that it's not as benign when used by everyone. (It's kinda like how white people can't say "nigger.") And these Yale students should be smart enough to figure out that posing in front of the fucking Women's Center with such a sign would at the very least ruffle feathers. There's no two ways about it: They were intentionally being dicks.
Not only that, it was only after they were threatened with the possibility of a lawsuit that the men in Zeta Psi managed to cough up a lame excuse for an apology. And the photo wasn't an isolated incident. From the Yale Daily News:
Former Women's Center Public Relations Coordinator Jessica Svendsen '09 said she found a group of men chanting "Dick! Dick! Dick!" in front of the Elm Street entrance to the Center, which is located in Durfee Hall, shortly before midnight last Tuesday. Frightened, she decided to take a detour through the Center's Old Campus entrance, she said.
You know, I love a bit of ironic humor, and I know that us women, with all of our demands and menstrual-y mood swings can be tough characters to figure out, but for any men out there wondering, you can be safe in the assumption that you shouldn't ever call us sluts. (Unless we tell you to in bed.) Ultimately, this is just a case of smart kids acting stupidly. But someone needs to school them, whether through a lawsuit, public outcry, or something a little more than a slap on the wrist.
Zeta Psi Pledges "Love Yale Sluts," Women's Center Pledges to Sue [IvyGate]
Misogyny claim leveled at frat [Yale Daily News]
Zeta Psi apologizes for its members' 'lack of judgment' [Yale Daily News]
Women's Center calls Zeta Psi's behavior 'inexcusable' [Yale Daily News]