Students Get Say on ‘Blurred Lines’ Ban

Having received an anonymous proposal via Have Your Say, Exeter may be the next university to ban ‘Blurred Lines’ after the Students’ Guild announced it will allow students to vote on the matter.

Due to take place in October, the vote will be preceded by both Yes and No campaigns, but all plans for the vote will be abolished if there is not enough interest evident on both sides.

The request to ban the song was taken to the Democracy and Government Committee, who approved a student vote. The proposed ban has been suggested due to the lyrics, which could be interpreted as encouraging and normalising rape.

Chris Rootkin, Welfare VP, reiterated the song has distressed many students, saying: “the (Students’) Guild will always take every student’s requests and opinions very seriously. We should have a decision by Friday as to what the next steps going forward will be.”

Thicke has denied that the song is misogynistic, even stating when being interviewed on the Today programme: “If you listen to the lyrics, it says that man is not your maker. It’s actually a feminist movement within itself.”

The song has sparked many parodies, including a role-reversal video from Auckland University in which the lyrics are changed to “you can’t just grab me, that’s a sex crime.”

Thicke, meanwhile, still remains adamant that the song was created with “nothing but the utmost respect for women.”

Has Robin Thicke crossed the line? Exeter students, it looks like you’ve got the chance to have your opinions heard.

Due to a request by the Student’s Guild, the first sentence of this article was amended on the 28th September 2013.

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