Glasgow university sexist heckling

Bloody hell, things haven't moved on since the 1980s!! I had been feeling quite hopeful for my daughters but this is a blow.

Cambridge University have come out in support of these women. Which is good.

You'd hope Darwinism would stop those idiots from reproducing. Thanks for the link Kim , I would like to hear more of this woman's voice. Maybe mumsnet could have her on.

This is so horrible. How disappointing that no one stepped in and did anything. Is it normal to heckle during debates, ever? I don't understand how shouting of any kind is tolerated during these events.

?While the judging panel did not notice any waiver, hesitancy or indeed weakness in Rebecca or Marlena's speeches as a result of the heckling, both speakers told me how upset they were while giving their speeches and Rebecca stated that she was on the verge of tears on a number of occasions,? he said.

What strong women.

That's appalling. I odn't know what annoys/scares me most about those men's attitudes.
'I ?shushed? them - and one then called me a ?frigid b----?.'
'The pair claim they had tried to complain to the competition organisers but were told it was ?to be expected" that women speakers would be booed and that they had ?brought it on themselves? by choosing to stand in the final.'

Really? We're 2013 and this sort of thing is still happening, women are still told that it's their own fault?

This episode disgusts me. These are potentially future leaders we're talking about. Quite terrifying. It seems to me levels of mysoginy are well on the rise. I'm hoping it only seems this way because more women are shouting about it.

There are still two Unions. The GUU does have a reputation for being "traditionally" boorish in some quarters. They should be very ashamed.

I agree, Glasgow University should not tolerate this and the students involved should be up infront of the University Court for bringing the institution into disrepute.

I was there in the early 90s and a member of the GUU for 2 years. It's appalling that this is still going on.

This depressed me so much when I read this article. I wondered if the boorish behaviour had been caused by alcohol (not that that should excuse the hecklers) or whether the men considered it to be standard comments, designed to upset and put the debaters off their stride.

I hope that now it is has been reported nationally, the hecklers will seriously consider how awful their immature behaviour was. I also hope that the university acts upon and punishes this type of ill mannered behaviour and intervenes earlier, to prevent this situation arising again.

The debating society/event would probably only be attended by the members of the society (and obviously guests from other universities) so I'd imagine the vast majority of GUU members would have been completely unaware of the behaviour in the debating chamber.

Helponeanother - Have to say that Glasgow is a great university - and the GUU can be easily avoided by joining the QM instead.

It's sad that these absolute twats are giving the university a bad name bringing it into disrepute. There were types like the old bullingdon crew of cameron/johnson et al. But I'd say their influence was very well diluted by the sheer number of normal and lovely students and the "rah" sexist crowd were no more vocal or influential generally than one might find at other "old" universities like Durham/Oxford/Cambridge/Edinburgh or St Andrews.

The QM had better music, better video games in the cafe and drink was cheaper too!

By year 3/4 I was rarely using unions though - social life had expanded. SO the GUU choice in yrs 3 and 4 was based on me being lazy and living nearer, and liking the library/study rooms more.

But what I'd like to see is proper discipline of the culprits and a University sanction (not sure whether that will be possible though, since the Unions aren't necessarily until the control of the University itself - they may be, but I'm not sure of the relationship).

Not surprising. You know, at least when it is outwardly, obviously happening you can object to it. Academia in general is probably just as sexist but it is less obvious and harder to object to without sounding paranoid, bitter and as if you are making excuses.

Tbh, I'd've expected that from the GUU when I was a student (back in the days when you had to choose your union affiliation). None of us would ever have dreamed of joining the GU. Afaik the QM doesn't have a debating society (it didn't when I was a student).

Oh, and why weren't the hecklers asked to leave and publicly decried/shamed? Its surely the only way to deal with those morons?

Words fail me.
Obviously anyone who complains has "no sense of humour" because of course, they were "only joking" I'm sure.

It's hate-fuelled sexual bullying.
Humiliation in any form is nasty enough, humiliation purely due to being a woman is utterly unacceptable.

I read this this morning. It is saddening and a pretty damning indictement of where we are. I have no doubt that the young men involved thought themselves very amusing. It is not however amusing, not one bit, and such behaviour carries on into the workplace. These young people will go on to take up leading roles in our society in politics and the professions. I very much hope that they are taken to task for this.

All very depressing and we are all very cross about it, of course. What I want to know is.........where are the non-sexist men in all this? Where is their voice? Why aren't they howling in protest? When I was a student (rather a long time ago now!), I remember lots of ardent, political protest from both sexes on these kinds of issues. Where have these men gone??

Yes me too

I just bet it all "blows over" and nothing happens and cambridge continue debating and somehow girls are less keen to get involved.

I can't imagine they are at all keen to get involved in glasgow

maybe I am a pessimist

YY but I hope Cambridge aren't alone - I hope other university debating societies take the same stance.

It's a pretty ruddy big deal if Cambridge won't debate with them any more

I imagine anway

I hope Cambridge stick to what they have said