The Quad

Issue date: 2/10/04 Section: News

[Click to enlarge]

Surely you have seen the slogan, "Ram This" on West Chester University's apparel, particularly on shorts and pants. Perhaps you saw this saying and completely disregarded it. Maybe you saw it and found it to be amusing. Or you could have seen it and felt somewhat offended by it. The fact of the matter is that some people do feel affronted by the "catchphrase" when it is written across the behind.

After some encouragement from fellow students, Sally Cramer, a sophomore majoring in Graphic Design here at WCU, and Meg Panichelli, a third-year Kinesiology/Women's Studies major, came up with the peti-tion to boycott the SSI Bookstore if the store did not agree to eradicate the pants and shorts that have "Ram This" written across the rear. These students, as well as several other people, find the slogan, when written on the behind, to be offensive, degrading, and contradicting.

Cramer said, "One of the most important points of out argument is the fact that the apparel cntradicts the University's Mission Statement. Supposedly the University 'supports and encourages programs which benefit all people and which seek to eradicate discrimination and injustice.'

"How is the Bookstore complying with the Mission Statement by selling this apparel?"

Another reason people find the slogan insulting is that it is only written across women's shorts and pants. They believe it to be demeaning when written across the rear of anyone, but in particular to women because it is on their shorts and pants, not men's.

"When a saying is across the buttocks of the clothing, it sends the message this is where you should look and this is what's important," which is not true of anyone. It heightens the objectification of women in society as it is, being that most clothing that has words in that place is only found on female clothing."

Meg Panichelli agrees that the phrase across the rear does not endorse an appealing message. She said, "Ram This" promotes sexual violence. Why does our University want to send that message to the students? I personally do not want to support a school that doesn't care what messages are sent about women. We want all forms of violence against women to stop," said Panichelli.

Added Tyler Bradway, a sophomore English major, "I think it's very important that SSI respond to students' concerns and cease selling all clothing apparel with the slogan "Ram This." To me, it's not an issue of freedom of speech, but whether or not our university should be endorsing a statement that has blatantly violent sexual undertones."

Students are ready to completely boycott the SSI Bookstore (which could not be reached for comment) and take their business to Dynamic if the Bookstore does not acquiesce to getting rid of the shorts and pants. If you agree with their arguments and would like to sign the petition, e-mail wcupetition@msn.com

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools