Students at a University of Sydney college published a journal last year that has caused controversy after referring to women as ‘hoes’ and ‘b***hes’, and shaming women for their sexual relationships.
The journal, titled the Wesley College Journal, included awards for women based on their appearance, and a page called The Rackweb with a diagram of all the sexual relationships that were known about, even including an award for ‘Mrs Rackweb’ for sleeping with the most people.
Aparna Balakumar, the editor of University of Sydney Union publication Pulp, spoke to many female residents about the effect this journal had had on them, with one woman saying it had ‘ruined her life at the University’.
In a statement released to The Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday May 11, the Master of Wesley College, Lisa Sutherland, responded to the controversy by disassociating the college from the students’ behaviour, saying the college itself had ‘absolutely no involvement’ in the publication of the journal.
As a result of the backlash against the journal, Lisa Sutherland has stated:
“The Student’s Club has apologised for the content of the 2014 journal and has agreed that the journal will no longer be published. There will instead be a Wesley College Students Club Yearbook that will not contain any material outside the academic, cultural and sporting pursuits of the students.”
