‘Degrading’ off-campus sign near St. Francis Xavier University prompts backlash
St. Francis Xavier University and Acadia University have condemned an offensive sign displayed at an off-campus property that targeted students. University officials labeled the message as misogynistic and a perpetuation of rape culture, launching investigations into the incident.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges universities face in addressing gender-based violence and toxic social behaviors within student communities.
A sign that was displayed outside an off-campus house near St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S., is shown in this handout photo provided by St. Francis Xavier Prof. Tara Taylor. Tara Taylor/The Canadian Press
Two Nova Scotia universities are condemning a sign that was displayed at an off-campus property in Antigonish on the weekend, saying it perpetuated rape culture.
Tara Taylor, a professor at St. Francis Xavier University, posted a photo on social media Friday that showed a sheet draped over the window of a home in Antigonish with a spray-painted message that read: “Drop-off zone: Acadia girlfriends.”
The sign appeared outside the property during the university’s annual homecoming celebrations. The property is used for student housing.
“When I saw it … it felt like a slap in the face,” Taylor said in an interview Monday. “I just thought it was incredibly tone-deaf.”
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