KITCHEN THIS!
by Shannon Cruikshank and Colleen Shaver

We took ourselves out of the kitchen and put ourselves into the classroom, right where we CHOOSE to be. On Thursday, January 27th, during an LU women's studies class in the lower lecture theatre, a male entered and stood at the back of the dimmed room as we watched a film. He requested our attention and made the following statement: "I just want to know who let you girls out of the kitchen?" The male had veiled his appearance so that his identity was concealed. After his comment he walked out of the room leaving the appalled class in dismay.

Marc Lepine made related comments as he riddled 14 women with bullets while he roamed the halls of Ecole Polytechnique. This tragedy became known as the Montreal Massacre. Ten years later on the campus of Lakehead University, a woman's right to feel safe in the classroom is still being denied. This male was implying that women do not have a place in the classroom. Some may feel that paralleling the two incidents is an exaggeration. We are prepared to argue that the comments presented by the male in question and the actions of the Montreal Massacre gunman each carried the same intentions. They each demonstrated abhorrent sexism against women. Such hatred in all of its forms is indicative of a seemingly threatened male population going to extremes with one priority in mind - to keep women oppressed. His message cannot be viewed as innocent. While this time he hit us with words, next time such an incident may present itself in another harsher form.

This experience has been an eye-opening event to women who previously imagined they are safe and respected on campus. As a result, many women in the class have CHOSEN to take affirmative action to ensure that all students and staff are equally valued, intimidated by this misogynist and their voices will not remain silent. Silence is a form of compliance. Immediately following the event some students had already engaged in awareness campaigns - speaking up and speaking out is imperative if change is to occur. The actions of the man in question will in no way deter the hopes, goals, and aspirations we CHOOSE for ourselves.

After class all students in attendance remained in the room, some in shock and others moving on to anger. Dr. Lori Chambers briefed the students as to the significance of the event and explained to the class what her plan of action would be. Students all left the room together seeking safety in numbers and courage from each other. No one knew what to expect when walking out to the openness of the Agora. Lori proceeded directly to security, flanked by several supporting students. Security acted promptly under the direction of Chief Donna Miller. The office of Registrar called for a meeting with students and staff the next day. The primary goal of the meeting was damage control.

Administration wouldn't want anyone to believe Lakehead University is an unsafe, unwelcoming place for women to be. Almost immediately after class a collective of outspoken, creative women who constitute FACES (feminist activity on campus for every student) met in the Gender Issues Center and conferred as to what steps of action they would take as a group. Security continued their investigation, and by the 6:00 pm Board of Directors meeting security was on hand to announce they had discovered who the intruder was. He had turned himself in. In the meantime Thunder Bay media was contacted who in turn interviewed students and administration briefly. Student response was passionate and concerned while administrators such as Denise Burley (communications) and (president) Dr. Gilbert down played the situation by insisting it was merely a prank. Burley was quoted in the Chronicle Journal that students were not threatened - even though the man in question had insinuated (while masked and standing in darkness) that as women we should, in his mind, not attend higher learning establishments.

The meeting organized for damage control by administration was attended by students, Lori Chambers, Juanita Lawson (Director of Career and Counselling Centre on campus), and the perpetrator - along with many of his housemates from residence. The male apologized and stated that he did not intend to instill fear in any student - yet many students who attended this meeting feel as though this man still does not grasp the fact that what he did was very blatant discriminatory and sexist act. The consequences that were imposed upon him were to apologize to the class at the meeting, to complete fifty hours of volunteer service around residence and be on behavioural probation for the rest of his days at Lakehead.

Personally, we feel as though the response put forth by administration was very disappointing. Their down playing of the threat imposed on the women will not discourage future occurrences. Dismissing this act as a prank invalidates the very real emotion of fear experienced by the students. What needs to happen before administration will admit that such "pranks" are symptomatic of sexists beliefs? As a public relations tactic, staff of Lakehead University are politely reminded that they may not discuss this incident in any public forum hereafter. We call this gagging tactic manipulation by those in power.

Security, on the other hand, promptly and efficiently responded to the incident. They distributed security bulletins around campus allowing the situation to be known, and advising anyone with information to come forward. Small steps have been made to eradicate discrimination against women on campus. However when walking in the halls, while in the cafeteria and in classrooms sexists remarks, actions and comments are frequent. The act carried out by the male and the copious amounts of sexism and discrimination seen as a part of everyday life on campus is tremendously disheartening. One thought which keeps us enthusiastic about our education is the fact that we are part of the baby steps of progress being made to thwart discrimination.