A Note to Our Readers

By:

Mar 2, 2013

Numerous readers of the Free Press have offered comments on the satirical opinions’ series, “Fifty Shades of Rey” by Rey Mashayekhi, with particular ire directed at Mashayekhi’s valedictory column: “The Trappings of Cultural Sophistication (Or, Why I’ve Sworn Off Hipster Girls)”. The online response offers an opportunity to reiterate our policies regarding the Opinions Section of our publication. The aim of any opinions section is to evoke discussion among a community. Further, the Free Press has a long-standing, explicit policy: articles found in this section represent the views solely, of their individual author, whether she or he is a student, alum, or a member of the university staff, faculty, or administration.

Some have demanded that the article be scrubbed from our website. We respectfully disagree; removing the article to appease only a portion of our readers would be tantamount to self-censorship. To do so, would run counter to the progressive values that we all claim, and should strive to maintain, at The New School.

Over the years, the Free Press has published a long list of news articles concerning the vital issues of gender inequality and women’s rights in our community and elsewhere. We have also invested much energy into confronting gender-related issues on our own campus. Those who have followed our newspaper over the years know our track record: our reporters have worked for greater transparency in the University’s reporting of sexual assault and in our editorials we have called for greater accountability by students, faculty, and administrators alike.

It is no small irony that the author of the column so many found unworthy of print was also a lead reporter and writer in our ground-breaking series on the dangerous shortcomings in the university’s reporting of sexual assault in campus housing.

In recent years, we have published news articles on issues ranging from the Feminist Collective’s assistance in revamping The New School’s sexual assault policy, to a feature detailing the university’s failure to report a sexual assault to the Department of Education, to an article detailing a federally-backed lawsuit against the university for mishandling a sexual assault complaint on campus.

As the university newspaper, we not only live by your trust: we value each and every student voice. As such, as is our standing policy since our founding, we invite readers to write a Letter to the Editor, or contribute an Opinions piece on this or any other issue concern.

Finally, in our desire to serve the community good and deepen the understanding of the issues raised by our readers, we hope to hold a public forum in the near future. It will be venue, we hope, a robust and honest discussion of the representations of sexism and misogyny in the media and how we — journalists and readers alike — should handle them.

18 responses

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Myles

May 8, 2013

Oh yes because young women are so easily persuaded into having sex with the author? I find your comment insulting to women, in the fact that you would find them to be so easily exploitable and manipulated.
Myles

May 8, 2013

Granted I didn’t think that his article was humorous, I also found nothing malicious against women. He was merely relating a personal story. First of all how was he harassing this other student? He may be a sexually frustrated male, but why hold that against him, he didn’t even name names. As for sexual entitlement, i would chalk that up to a low-self esteem. And I just can’t believe that you would go so far as to talk about consent and objectification of women. I see more gender-inequality in an issue of Cosmo, then I did in this article. If this was an article about swearing off hipster guys, none of this would be up for debate. What keeps the distinction between men and women alive is the fact that we are still holding an “us vs them” mentality. People are people. Maybe he messed up, but casting him out and saying he holds an ill-will towards the female sex is a bit extreme don’t you think?
Sydney

Apr 4, 2013

Read more about why this response is problematic here: http://www.newschoolsocialjustice.com/?p=511
Krystal Languell

Mar 7, 2013

That article was not satire. And “we’ve supported women in the past” does not justify providing a venue for their attack in the present. Google “satire.” Oh, here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satire

“shortcomings held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improving.”

If the article is satire, then the NSFP believes young women should have sex with the article’s author. I recommend revisiting your understanding of the term, should you plan to continue laying claim to journalistic integrity.
~*mugggsss*~

Mar 7, 2013

Having a “good record” doesn’t erase or make better the fact that editors, writers, and staff actively published this article. You fucked up. Just because Rey has written social justice pieces about things considered “women’s issues” before doesn’t mean he’s not a misogynist in his private life. Someone who had a personal grasp on what rape culture is wouldn’t have written this piece–we all know there are smarter ways to be “funny” (or whatever) about dating that don’t perpetuate rape culture. This letter is just as shitty and myopic as the article itself. Fuck this “sorry not sorry” bullshit, yet again, Free Press. Looking forward to this forum that will must surely be whack and unproductive.
J

Mar 7, 2013

THANK YOU! This is what I have been saying all along. Point A) it is an op ed Point B) NSFP is all about gender transparency, always has been always will be Point C) if censorship is progressive to you then you’re not progressive
Ann

Mar 7, 2013

As a university publication (especially one that prides itself on being progressive) you have a responsibility to remove writing that endorses rape culture. “Removing the article to appease only a portion of our readers would be tantamount to self-censorship.” Well, vain journalistic pride is going to have to take a backseat to the wellbeing of The New School’s student population this time, 72% of which is female. You should remove the article.
MIa Bruner

Mar 7, 2013

Hi NEW SCHOOL FREE PRESS, this “Note to Our Readers” is pretty appalling. You’re protecting “Fifty Shades of Rey” and denying responsibility for Rey’s column on the basis that the Free Press (including Rey) has worked against sexual assault and thus can’t be capable of publishing anything sexist. First of all, the Feminist Collective did much of the work you are claiming. Second, that’s an outrageously juvenile sentiment: systems of oppression are quiet, complex, and a large part of them works by way of ignorance. I believe in people enough to feel that most people don’t know when they use violent language; when they reinforce racism, sexism, homophobia/trans*phobia, classism, or any other kind of social oppression. While I have this faith in the people around me, I have no patience for what this note does; I have no patience for denying accountability, ignoring the power that you have, and silencing the people that you write for.

This note claims a right to free speech on the basis of “progressive” politics, telling us that you “value the voices” of all NSFP readers. Are you aware of the fact that you are ignoring about 70 comments and bunches of letters, using the phrase “he or she”, and protecting a cis hetero. man from accusations of sexism?

Continuing on in this fashion (that is, apparently totally unaware of yourself and this newspaper’s actions) you invite us to send letters. Have you forgotten that the NSFP hasn’t responded to any of the letters that were already sent?

I don’t understand how this is a “Note” to me, as a reader of your Newspaper and an equal member of your community. I have no sense of your “desire to serve [OUR] community good” because I feel absolutely ignored, disregarded, and disrespected by the NSFP.

Because you haven’t responded to my letter I’m posting it here:

As a survivor of multiple accounts of sexual abuse, I am disappointed, hurt, and angry that The New School Free Press feels comfortable publishing Fifty Shades of Rey. It makes me feel unsafe and unconsidered by our newspaper and our school. Fifty Shades of Rey articulates rape culture. It articulates a logic of assumption and entitlement: a logic that is ignorant and laughable; self-centered and openly sexist; violent and juvenile. Why would your publication — that includes faculty members – want to give space to a writer whose perspectives are so obviously (so obviously) sexist, exclusive, and threatening? Does this newspaper care about its readership?

“The Trappings of Cultural Sophistication (Or why I’ve Sworn Off Hipster Girls)” argues that if a person has ‘cultural sophistication’ (meaning they are invested in anything but Rey’s self-proclaimed “mind blowing sex”) they deserve punishment: they will be marked by the author as a ‘hipster girl’, a term loaded, complex, and in the case of this article, demeaning. Rey’s logic is that people who have autonomous interests are not worthy of his time because they are too busy with their personal lives to have sex with him. According to Rey, interests are cock blocks. I don’t think I need to explain how fucked up that logic is.

The Trappings of Cultural Sophistication (Or why I’ve Sworn Off Hipster Girls)” also suggests that kissing someone is consenting to sleep with them. Rey writes, “With my kiss, … [I] signaled my intent to take things further”. He expresses an unquestioned entitlement to someone’s body without any form of clear consent – this is a sentiment that is so common and so dangerous. A large amount of sexual abuse and rape happens when someone assumes that another person wants to sleep with them; especially when “drink” is involved. We talk a lot about how to protect people from rape. We don’t often talk about how to avoid raping people or how to avoid using our sexuality to intimidate and overpower people. “The Trappings of Cultural Sophistication (Or why I’ve Sworn Off Hipster Girls)” makes it clear that we need to.

What is equally disturbing is that The New School Free Press allowed Rey to publicly publish his narrative of having sex with someone who did not consent to being represented in this way. It is no one’s right, particularly not Rey’s right, to feel entitled to publicly write anyone into a narrative of sex. While this is a piece of writing, Rey is talking about someone’s body; he is asking us to imagine his “mind blowing sex” with this person. I would be deeply hurt, humiliated, angered, if my body was used as a rhetorical device without my consent…even if my identity was kept “anonymous”. Everyone deserves the autonomy to express their interests, to ask to reschedule a date, and to define when and how they want to be interpreted sexually.

In publishing this column, your publication is openly punishing people for not sleeping with Rey; you are reinforcing rape culture, sexism, and everything that is violent and dangerous and terrifying about misogyny. I feel confident that Rey’s writing does not represent the New School community and does not express a productive or positive voice. It does not deserve the space it is taking. Please discontinue this column. Why would The New School Free Press want to represent itself with such ignorant and destructive sentiments?
Kiana Davenport

Mar 7, 2013

And I thought the New School was all about community and Diversity… We have all been lied to. This is disgusting. I am actually ashamed to say that I attend a school that would allow such nonsense to go in. I will have no part in it. I think the paper should be boycotted altogether. Sometimes drastic measures need to be taken to get stuff accomplished. I have never been to a school where I felt more unaccepted and unwanted in my life!
Zee

Mar 7, 2013

also, off-topic, but don’t call yourself “progressive” and say you value all individuals and then use “she or he” to refer to all people. anyone who’s halfway actually progressive knows that not everyone identifies as “she or he” and you’re just excluding people through your language.
Zee

Mar 7, 2013

why is Rey’s “sarcasm” something the Free Press is more interested in promoting and defending than me saying their publications are making me feel unwanted and excluded on campus?
Zee

Mar 7, 2013

how does “we value each and every student voice” work with the fact that the Free Press is ignoring the 70+ comments on Rey’s last piece, and the fact that I and others sent in personal emails which were never responded to? if I resend my complaint and title it “Letter to the Editor”, will you pay attention? or will you continue to silence me and others who are telling you that Rey’s column is actually personally harmful and helps create an atmosphere of sexism and rape culture?
fucking congrats to the Free Press for taking the bold stand of defending one cis hetero dude’s right to whine over the community of readers who have, in fact, already used our voices to ask that this damaging column stop. why does his voice outweigh all of ours?
Juli

Mar 7, 2013

I call bullshit.
Jeremy

Mar 3, 2013

A better way to share “public” opinions is to work with a board of editors for opinions — will it share with the population that the School follows? will there be a counterpoint?

Understanding that Rey has worked with the NSFP in the past, his role in posting opinions that obviously offend a public, with over 70 comments responding to his post, is somewhat more than an Editorial staff can cover for him. It would have been far more mature for Rey to respond, acknowledge, and become more aware for future posts.

I do not wish to write a Letter to the Editor for the sole purpose of it “being published” in response to a post that should have been overlooked in the first place. I also do not wish to represent the multiple for I can only represent myself, but from seeing the commentary on the post, it would be best to say the following: the staff and the reporter should work to acknowledge the public it is catering to, and beyond that, a forum should only be held unless new rules need to be addressed the staff in order to be revised, approved, and shared with the consent of the readers.