A sign displayed outside a residence off-campus in Antigonish, N.S., during St. Francis Xavier University’s homecoming weekend has sparked outrage as it is seen as promoting rape culture. The sign, which read “Drop-off zone: Acadia girlfriends,” drew criticism from two universities and a professor at St. FX.
Tara Taylor, a mathematics department chair and professor at St. FX, encountered the sign while driving with her child on Friday evening. She felt compelled to capture the sign in a photo to highlight the issue and not remain silent about it.
The reason behind targeting Acadia students with the sign remains unclear, especially since there were no sporting events involving Acadia University scheduled at St. FX on Saturday.
St. FX has faced previous scrutiny over its handling of sexualized violence on campus, raising concerns about the university’s approach to such issues.
Taylor refrained from photographing another offensive sign at the same location but posted the captured image on Facebook to gauge public reaction. She emphasized her view that the sign objectified and disrespected women, reflecting a broader problem of rape culture.
Despite the sign being taken down temporarily on Saturday morning, it reappeared later in the evening. As of Sunday morning, it is uncertain whether the sign has been rehung.
St. FX responded to the incident through a statement from its vice-president of student life, Elizabeth Yeo, expressing a commitment to investigating the matter seriously. The university emphasized that students violating the code of conduct will face consequences, stressing a zero-tolerance policy for behavior that demeans or disrespects others.
Taylor expressed dissatisfaction with the university’s statement, feeling it did not adequately condemn the sign’s offense. Having taught at St. FX for over two decades, she highlighted the prevalence of students confiding in her about sexual assault experiences and urged for stronger actions to address the issue.
In response to the incident, Acadia University issued a statement condemning the sign as promoting sexual violence against its students. The university emphasized the collective responsibility of higher education institutions to combat violence against women and rape culture.
Acadia encouraged affected students to seek support from its sexualized violence response office, underlining the importance of addressing such issues within the broader societal context.