When I first stumbled across “ #ladculture “ trending on Twitter yesterday my initial reaction was one of total scepticism. However, intrigued about what sexist or decidedly stupid action had gripped the nation this time, I clicked to view the tweets and was pleasantly surprised. NUS and the Everyday Sexism project had joined forces to create a campaign in which their followers were to tweet their experiences of “lad culture” – making people aware that the label of lad has gone past a joke.
The movement came after the NUS’ recent report (“That’s what she said”), which focused on female students’ experiences of ‘lad culture’ in higher education. The findings of the report showed that sexual harassment, violence and verbal abuse were all closely related to ‘laddish’ behaviour and the “slag and drag” themed nights we have all become so accustomed to unsurprisingly encourage the objectification of women in British universities.
The overriding theme of the tweets received in the campaign was that the term ‘lad’ has a habit of rendering an otherwise serious subject as comic and acceptable. As far as I can see, this is nothing but true. The NUS states that ‘lad culture’ is something witnessed more on the social side of university life and in particular amongst sports teams. It’s as though being a ‘lad’ has become some kind of warped initiation to enter the pack. In fact, ‘lads’ seem to be in their natural habitat when the lights go down and the alcohol comes out, taking it as their right to leer over and grab any girl they please. Don’t get me wrong, there are some girls who do the same; but for those on the receiving end, it’s demeaning and actually quite an unnerving experience, especially if – like me – you have a proficiency in losing your friends every time you go to the bar or toilet.
One woman’s experience, as recorded on the Facebook page, “Spotted: Sexism on campus”, states: “I was on a night out in York to celebrate the end of term. As I was in a club dancing with my friends a guy walked by and ‘accidentally’ grabbed my hand. I yanked it back. Later the same night I was walking up the stairs to go outside to cool down with one of my friends I was there with. He was coming up the stairs behind us and shouted ‘oi’ and when I turned around proclaimed that ‘you’re coming home with me tonight’ as if I didn’t have a choice in the matter.”
On top of this other anonymous sources claim to have had their boyfriends secretly snapchat pictures of them during sexual activity to their friends, invite lad mates to come into the room while they were having sex, and displaying female underwear on a houseplant as a sign of conquest – all, of course, for precious ‘lad points’.
To some, the term ‘culture’ may seem a bit strong in itself, but when you think about it, what would be the point in having such great ‘banter’ if you had nobody to share it with? The ‘lad’ is not a standalone figure but rather, part of a group. So, whilst university is not the sole place that ‘lad culture’ is found, it is a breeding ground for it. On top of this, the growth of social media is not only neutralising ‘laddish’ behaviour as part of the norm but also allowing it a greater filtration into society as a whole; after all, when there’s pictures of ‘cheekyLads’ casually groping girls’ boobs receiving over 21,000 likes, how can it be wrong?
Considering the cult followings received by pages such as ‘Lad Bible’ and ‘Uni Lad’, trawling through their comment section is a sobering experience. Not only because of the nature of said ‘jokes’ but also because of the fact that both the report and these sites are largely maintained by students. University is typically seen as a liberal place where students attend not only for education but also to develop and grow as people. If some of the brightest people of the next generation are so easily taken in by this ‘culture’, what does that say about the future of equality? And I’m not just talking between men and women…
‘Lad culture’ is a hybrid, often synonymous with racism and homophobia and excessive drinking. How any of these sins can be excused by a witty caption or an ironic hashtag is beyond me. But then, what do I know? According to them, I should be busying myself making hot cross buns.
What a bloke in the picture. #toplad
Bit confused ay.. there’s a right ole lass in the pic and she’s still got a top on. Dunno what Spanish Lad is doing.
What an absolutely stupid article. Classic feminist rubbish.
On the button again Poppy
Easy Tiger.
“Lads” are lowlives. I hope they join civilisation sometime, but I won’t hold my breath.
To say lad culture is about racism and homophobia is ridiculous. Of course guys of a certain age group like to drink, up to 4 beers an hour. Of course people can take it to far. Please don’t demonise a certain age group of males as racists and homophobes.
Maybe a more interesting article would be the far more rapid rise of ‘laddette’ culture and its impact. Surprisingly, this is largely ignored by the campaign.
I agree that homophobia is a huge part of lad culture. Most ‘lads’ say stuff like “no homo” or use “gay” as a derogatory term, e.g. “Why are you wearing that? It’s gay” or will call each other gay as ‘banter’, as if it’s a bad thing. A lot of lad speak is casually homophobic.
A quick FaceBook stalk of Poppy and profile pic no. 3 proves she is surrounded by #TopLads to make these statements..
The ironic thing is all girls complain abOut these “lads” all the time but they are the ones who get girls. You can’t complain about lads and then sleep with them
Most of the above comments, in a nutshell:
http://www.shortpacked.com/2012/comic/book-14/03-totally-babies/equaltime/
Careful now.
@Peter Sparrow
‘Ladette’ culture? Sorry? What? I assume since you are reading this, you are attending York University and have at least a modicum of common sense, and yet, your comment seems so much more at home on the likes of the Daily Mail…
Now I had to look up ‘ladette’ and this is what I found: ‘a young woman who drinks a lot of alcohol, uses rude language, and behaves in a noisy way.’
The mind boggles. By all means, say that ‘lad’ culture is awful, but at least lad isn’t a completely gendered term. By saying a more interesting article would be the rise of ladette culture you’re essentially saying, ‘yeah, boys can be pricks and it’s unremarkable, but girls ought to remember their place, at home, in silence, with her non-alcoholic beverage, or else face deserving scrutiny.’
Fuck off please. Your sexism isn’t welcome here.
I agree with the homophobic associations that have been with made lad culture. My house mates tend to think that because they are meathead rugby boys, that they can call anyone gay and judge people completely on their sexuality. I’ve been on the receiving end and it’s just absolutely backward. Just because I wear certain clothes and have certain tastes, I feel vilified and self conscious. I can’t even moisturise now for fear of some kind of lad backlash. Ridicilous!
Absolutely whiffy banter, typical feminist pongy chat.
Males and females are both act equally as bad as each other.
males and females both*
I agree that lad culture has gone way too far. It has changed friends of mine in to ‘lad-point’ chasers, people who say deep insults with a smile or sexist/racist/homophobic remarks as ‘banter’, and it’s quite scary that they don’t seem to understand the magnitude of their words. Lad culture isn’t a strictly male thing either, I know plenty of girls who vye for lad points and to be accepted into that culture.
Yes – I was reading a piece in The Times 2 by a Cambridge undergrad recently that suggested that universities harboured peculiarly sexist individuals, whereas normal society was quite different. While I don’t agree with such a position, it does manifest itself in novel ways, and does stick in the throat a little more, as it seems paradoxical. I’m sure many university ‘lads’ think they are practitioners of a sort of high irony, being as young and in-the-know as they are, but that’s really beside the point. It’s more likely to do with the fact that university is a hyper-sexualized and drink-fuelled environment (at least relative to outside it) in the first place which exacerbates it; and one which is almost entirely populated by young people who, not having lived the misogyny in our society for all that long, and become comfortable with it, wear it on their sleeves – in a most uncouth manner. The ‘ladette’ culture is an odd thing, but is ultimately parasitical. Some women, not content to simply put up with being treated like objects, want to imitate their oppressors.
The rise in lad culture has certainly adopted an interesting turn in the female mimicking of it. We should not see this as ‘ladette’ culture but simply ‘lad culture’, then there is a removal of gender stereotypes. Many guys AND girls adopt this stereotype ironically (Unayyy unayy, for the boys etc) whilst also accepting that a culture of heavy binge drinking and sexual promiscuity tends to be more fun.
So if anything lad culture can be only regarded as further form of being human, whether you think it cheap and degrading or absolute ‘banter’ is your personal opinion of an individuals behaviour. Some girls have used it to their advantage- possibly to become just as annoyingly cringy- but to seize an equality of sorts.
So yes, whilst the #toplad isn’t necessarily an attitude to emulate I think its short-sighted to limit it as misogynistic. Sexual objectification can work both ways- not that its right- but I think females adopting a lad culture is levelling the gender stereotypes.
I was getting changed in the gym once, and the rugby boys were playing wet towels while naked.Two of them (I believe from the firsts team) also giggle really weirdly.
#toplads
Like most articles on ‘lad culture’ this article is intensely annoying, firstly there is no such thing as ‘lad culture’ just people who act in like idiots. And secondly this ‘culture’ is overtly vilified and blamed for everything.
Contrary to popular belief, truelad/ unilad etc aren’t actually such a horrific website. Any ‘lad stories’ posted that involve cheating on partners or mistreating women are subject to a torrent of abuse. Also most of the ‘lad stories’ related acts of sex… and as the saying goes it takes two.
Excessive drinking is part of uni culture not lad culture… unless all women at york have suddenly become teetotallers and no-one told me.
Homophobia and racism have their root in schools not uni, anyone I know who thinks it’s acceptable to be casually racist or call people faggots does so because that was the home or school environment they grew up in… people don;t just come to uni and suddenly go ‘oh shit i better join the KKK and start abusing gays’.
yeah a lot of people in the world are twats… but can we please stop blaming ‘lad culture’. It excuses individuals by making them a collective and it pisses off decent men like me who feel like having a laugh and drink with their mates is suddenly equivalent to joining the EDL
Who the heck ends up in a relationship with a guy who wants his mates to see you having sex together?!?
Surely it’s impossible not to realise a guy is that much of a douchebag before you have a relationship with him??
Guilty as charged
IvE SeEn aLl dA GiRlz FrOm VisIoN Wiv Da Rugby DUdES AnD DeY lUV iT, KisSIn dEm AlL dA tYM. #SLustsssssslol