The University of Calgary wants its intramural players to tame down their team names and is asking a student committee to determine the tastefulness of those names from now on.
Gone are the days of the "Beats By Ray" flag football squad (a reference to the former National Football League star who was filmed knocking out his fiancee in an elevator last year), or volleyball's "Just The Tip" and "Muffin Stuffers," reports the National Post. Teams can still pick their own names, but any deemed potentially offside will be sent to a student panel for final ruling.
Students’ Union faculty of arts representative Lexi Narowski first brought forward the issue last fall, claiming many of the names are sexist or offensive, and often reference drugs and alcohol.
“I felt like the intramural team names perpetuated rape culture and sexist behaviour. I wanted to make sure that all the intramural teams were creating an inclusive environment for all students,” Narowski told The Gauntlet in October.
“By having names like that, they weren’t.”
The university's administration were swayed by Narowski's argument and they banned any and all offensive monikers, according to Metro Calgary.
“Changing the name should not diminish your ability to enjoy competition. But it will make it easier for others to enjoy it in the spirit of inclusiveness,” Don McSwiney, a spokesman for the kinesiology faculty, told the National Post.
Not everyone agrees, however.
The Facebook group "Allow ALL Team Names in University of Calgary Intramural Sports" is calling on the university to reconsider the decision, saying the review violates students' rights to free speech.
"If you believe that speech censorship on campus is not ok please spread word of what has transpired with this ruling. This is more than just intramural sports. This is a Student Union that claims to represent us trying to dictacte what we can and cannot say or do. We will not be voiceless," reads one post.
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