by Elizabeth Lam
Misogynistic.
Entitled.
Sexist.
Humiliating.
If you haven’t heard of the London Street Preachers, that’s pretty much who they are in a nutshell. Two men infamous for parading around the London core and Western Campus with their sexist and degrading signs, hollering at women to publicly humiliating them for not being ‘ladylike’ enough.
They often target females who:
Wear pants
Tie their hair up in a ponytail
Wear skirts at lengths above the knee
Use coarse language
Wear form-fitting clothing
Wear a noticeable amount of makeup
How is it that in the 21st century, women are still fighting for the right to peace and equality? While our greater society tries to take one step ahead, people like the London Street Preachers pull us back two.
Numerous females within the Western community have been victimized by the horrid London Street Preachers and here’s what they have to say:
“As a local, I’ve grown up with the Street Preachers yelling obscenities to me. Whether it’s for wearing a tank top in the summer that is “too revealing,” to a pantsuit to work making me a “whore because women belong in the kitchen and not in the workforce,” they always have something to say. One thing that sticks out to me was when I was waiting for a bus at Richmond and King this past summer. They were posted in their usual get-up when an anonymous group distracted them. One person dumped black paint on their signs, while another painted “love and respect for all” on the sidewalk. It was refreshing and entertaining to witness such a gesture.” - Denice Pepe, 3rd Year MIT
“I was called a whore while crossing Western and Sarnia because I was wearing jeans.”
- Katie Bennett, 3rd Year MIT
“My girlfriend and I were sitting in Starbucks and she said, “Holy fuck,” and they told her the ‘F’ word sounded dirty coming out of her mouth and that she needed to think about a woman’s place in society.” - Katie Bennett, 3rd Year MIT
“They approached me outside of my residence building countless times in first year and screamed obscenities in my face regarding my attire and followed me as I crossed the street to my bus stop. They make us feel unsafe on our own campus, the place we live and work, it is terrifying” - Alysha Bauer, 3rd Year MIT