As you all know, college kids hang move-in banners from their front windows EVERY year in attempts to get a rise out of parents. Most of the time, the parents laugh it off, and some even bong a beer with that wretched hive of scum and villainy you call college students. However, this year the all-so infamous move-in banners are really offending people on the internet.
Someone on the internet is offended? You don't say! But it's 2015: everything is offensive to somebody. I could say my favorite color is purple, and Tina from Tumblr would find a way to turn that into an argument. "What about all the other colors, Michelle? How do you think red feels about that statement?" Really, Tina?
We're college kids – we're stupid, and we don't have filters. A couple of my friends (who are females, which makes this an even bigger joke) made a banner that was deemed oh-so inappropriate by those God-awful keyboard warriors. If you've ever been on social media, you've probably heard about the latest obsession with girls calling their boyfriends "daddy." That's exactly what they were trying to get at in making this banner, and it's comical.
Keep in mind, this house is directly across from a freshmen dorm, where fathers were moving their daughters in all day. There were at least a dozen parents that came over to take pictures of the banner, saying it was "a classic," and "hilarious." One man even said it reminded him of his days as a WVU student. The police officer that made them take it down even thought it was funny.
So, let me get this straight. Parents think this is funny, but fourteen-year-olds on the internet think it's contributing to rape culture? Come on, people.
Banners (the header for this article) hung at Old Dominion University got students in Sigma Nu fraternity suspended. SUSPENDED. Who knew hanging a piece of cloth off of a home on private property could get you suspended from school? It's not like the banners were hanging from the fraternity house on school property, which then I could see why it would be an issue. These move-in banners have been hung at colleges for years, and now it's suddenly a problem.
An Ohio State University senior is also receiving backlash from banners displayed in front of his house reading, "Daughter Daycare 2.0," and the second reading, "Dads, we'll take it from here."
“Our motives were not to insult or look down on anyone, not to be sexist,” said house resident Justin Miller, an OSU senior. “Our motive is just to have fun. It is college.”
His roommate, senior Alex Sheets said, “People have been saying we are misogynists, we are sexist, we are degrading towards women. My dad, he is a good Christian man, I am a good Christian man, but we just do this for fun. We are not trying to cause any havoc or stir up any trouble, we are just trying to have some fun.” via: (http://wtnh.com/)
People are claiming these banners are promoting rape culture and sexual assault, but here are some examples of signs that would have actually been symbolic of sexual assault.
• Freshman daughter drop-off. PS. We’re rapists!
• Yes means yes, maybe means yes, no probably means yes.
• Free Roofies Here!
• Daughter DayCaress and other unwanted sexual groping.
Okay, those are offensive and indicative of sexual assault and non-consensual sex. "Moms drink free," is not. I'm a feminist, and I don't condone misogynist behavior, but I think this is harmless heckling and all in good fun. There's a difference. Learn it.
