Most likely to…offend?

Derwent have been forced to make changes to the categories of their annual Fresher Awards following accusations of homophobia.

The Derwent Fresher Awards, organised by the college’s Bar Reps, are set to take place on the 21st of June. Originally there were 16 separate categories, with several of them raising controversy for perceived offensiveness and insensitivity.

The awards were set to include categories such as ‘Most likely to…Marry a Thai Bride’ and ‘The Truelad.com Award’ for the “biggest lad.”

Particular complaints, however, were aimed at the ‘Most…In the Closet’ category. Within a few hours of being uploaded onto Facebook, the award drew numerous complaints from angered Derwent students.

YUSU LGBT officer Leon Morris told Vision; “I was rather surprised to see the award. Whilst I may understand that the awards are a laugh, this was unacceptable.”

“This under-toned homophobia and potential 'outing' of students is unfair and could only have further effects upon Derwent's reputation in this area. Derwent has no elected LGBT rep so it is very difficult to see why LGBT students wouldn't feel alienated from the college in the first place.

“I've met up with the Welfare Reps and the Bar Reps and have spoken through everything that I was concerned with. I don't believe that the Bar Reps understood the implications that the award would have upon their image as a college. Merely 'joking' about homophobia and pinning Derwent's name to the award is homophobic and puts the college at the risk of gaining that description.”

Derwent Chair Franscesca Knight defended the criticism, telling Vision; "The Fresher Awards are a bit of light-hearted fun, and only a small part of a three week programme of fun and activities designed to involve everyone in Derwent."

However, whilst the decision by the Bar Reps to remove the award pleased most, with Leon Morris praising the “swift reaction from the JCRC Committee”, some students were not so happy.

Ric Morris, Derwent secondyear student, sympathised with the Bar Reps as “only having a laugh”, suggesting they bring in “a ‘Can’t Take Banter’ award instead.”

Derwent Fresher Joel Brocklehurst, meanwhile, simply thought the very public debate which unfurled was entertaining. “Certainly if there was a ‘Most Argumentative College’ award, I’d nominate Derwent – we accommodate many a keyboard warrior here”, he said. He also recommended anyone interested in Facebook fights go on the Awards’ Facebook Page, saying it was “one of the best I’ve ever seen” and joked that he “might even nominate it for the ‘Most Memorable Moment of The Year’ award”. That said, not everyone was as light-hearted about the matter.

In line with Leon Morris, Ben Cross, 1st Year Derwent English Student, insisted that, “regardless of intentions, homophobia is homophobia”.

“To be honest, I’d thought we’d left the gay jokes behind in year nine – clearly not,” he added.

In a message posted to Facebook, the Bar and Welfare Reps said they were “extremely sorry for any offence they may have caused,” and assured that they “never intended any of the chosen categories to be interpreted as homophobic or insensitive. We hope the matter has been rectified.”