15°c Partly cloudy
6°c Clear
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Anti-homophobia posters ripped down at university
St. Boniface University student Renée LeNeveu is 'shocked' by poster vandalism. (BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
IT seemed like a good and simple idea -- promote anti-homophobia within the Université de Saint-Boniface.
But within a day of social work students putting up 20 posters around the campus, every sign had been taken down, some ripped up and chucked in the garbage.
"There's no visibility for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) in our school," said student Renée LeNeveu. "I'm quite shocked by this cowardly, homophobic act, and am frankly ashamed to be attending a school where, as this event has clearly demonstrated, homophobia is a serious issue."
Campus security has allowed the students to examine footage from video cameras, she said. "We're in the process of identifying those who may have done it.
"We have security footage of the person that tore down our display and are working towards identifying them. I am also looking into our existing school policies pertaining to such incidents, and next week, I will try to do some follow-up with the powers that be," LeNeveu said.
USB officials could not immediately be contacted.
"We contacted a member of our administration about the incident, and they responded by asking if we wanted to hold a public forum about the incident," LeNeveu said.
LeNeveu said the idea for the poster campaign came up in class recently, inspired by her field placement at the Rainbow Resource Centre.
Students were discussing the social determinants of health and realized there were no overt signs of USB as a welcoming environment for non-heterosexuals, she explained. LeNeveu had been a member of a Gay Straight Alliance while a student at Lord Selkirk Regional Secondary School.
The social work students realized USB has no groups involved in sexual-orientation issues.
"It's rare -- other schools have lesbian/gay groups," said LeNeveu, who's seen an "ally" sign on only one professor's door on campus.
The students ordered the posters online. All were in French, and they laminated a couple of them, including a poster showing two hockey players about to share a kiss. The lamination made that one salvageable, she said.
The students asked permission within each department before posting the signs on bulletin boards, she said.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 7, 2012 A11
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
More Local
(1 of 14 articles for today)
U of M researchers awarded $9.5M in grants, U of W $2.2M
12:14 PM 0Researchers at the University of Manitoba will receive $9.5 million in new funding for grants and scholarships from the Natural ...
Poll
Most Popular Local
- Emergency crews pull man from submerged vehicle
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- The end of the credit card?
- Rainfall warning issued for southern Manitoba
- Mourners line up to pay respects to Elijah Harper
- Couple faces new charges of sexual assault
- Gentle, humble native leader who made history lies in state
- Police identify slaying victims
- A new mom's booze-fuelled hell
- WAG's 100 Masters exhibit drawing more than art aficionados
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Sex charges for ex-club boss
- Police identify slaying victims
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- 'Responsible Winnipeg' ads appear on sign run by mayor-owned Goldeyes' baseball park
- Woman killed in head-on crash in southwestern Manitoba
- Emergency crews pull man from submerged vehicle
- Headingley grass fire destroys dealership's cars
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Parents, community relieved and elated as missing boy found safe
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Man missing since 2009 found safe
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Power restored to Linden Woods after goose collides with lines
- Emergency crews pull man from submerged vehicle
- Accomplished Paralympian wins seat in B.C. legislature
- Elijah Harper: The humble man who said no
- WAG's 100 Masters exhibit drawing more than art aficionados
- Goose gets cooked in Linden Woods
- Province courts European workers
- True meaning of Mother's Day
- Police identify slaying victims
- Gentle, humble native leader who made history lies in state
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper dies
- Fishing for fashion
- Woman killed in head-on crash in southwestern Manitoba
- Sex charges for ex-club boss
- Newly minted MD a beacon for kids in youth program
- Power restored to Linden Woods after goose collides with lines
- An uncommon phenomenon
- North End proud
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Black market in moose thrives
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Boost same-sex curricula: union
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.