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WA'i‘iittitX) CHRONICUZ IWednesday, Mum I9, 20H -3 \JMW em U W student troubled by sexist songs sung at national engineering conference BUM lMIKSON "" deemed "sexist, violent and degrading mate (.‘hmni’de Sta/f rial." “Sometimes there is this group mentality Warning: Thln story contains language and l think there is a subsection in the engi memdenmayflndofl‘enslve. . _ ‘ neen'ng culture that believe this is still a very u, *4. important part of the tradition of engineer [ ucas Hudson has spent much ofhis life ' f '51; ing." said Mary Wells, a professor of inateri preparing to join the professional - . J“ als etigineertiig at ”W and associate dean til engineering fraternity. ’ W outreach at the school The 22»year~old will graduate from the . She is also chair of the Ontario Network University of Waterloo later this year with a ‘ J for Women in langineering and said the story speciality in mechatronics and robotics. and it published by lltidson signals it is iioi just he’s already had several co~op placements ‘ J . ‘1 women who take exteption to exclusion or with the federal government in Ottawa ’~ ' fi :1 seXism Within the profession. A trip to the animal Canadian Federation - "l was proud of him, We now have men of Engineering Students congress in January ‘ that are advocating an end to this," Wt'lls at Sherbrooke University in Quebec, howevâ€" ‘ said "We need iitit otily women but men er, opened Hudson's eyes to some ofthe sex- , ~ and women both demanding .i thangt- iii ism that stubbornly clings to the profession. 1, '. the engineering culture While the official CHIS meetings were "l was a little shocked, to be honest. that inclusive and respectful. it was the degrad- they still sing these songs " mg and sexist stings sung by conference par- \h e said HM and or her tiiiiyei sities tit'ipants on the hits rides tti after hour across (.aiiada are taking serious steps to events that troubled Hudson More than 1'30 ensure their engineering programs are wel (lettlighiltelsaitit;ii(tl;-r'irtlit~ triiif't;ren;l;rb I, . n Lucas Hudson, who is wrapping up his miwing degree a the ”mm 9f Waterloo this titinuilig) lto “(HDJIr-“f apt‘l women \l1t‘ \tlllfl yr “ ’ 0“ so 8‘ m d term, recently wrote an article in the Iron Warrior newspaper detailing his disappoontment d on “ p8,, ” l u 1‘ ”WWW“ ‘ “ attitude of disrespect towards women. and Mm the sexist and degrading songs his fellow engineers were Singing at the annual dents at ”W are women. slightly above the Hudson highlighted the incident in an arti Canadian Federation of Engineering Students congress meeting m January. ”swflnnm national average ofabout I9 percent cle for the University of Waterloo engineer With more than 8,700 undergraduate siii ing newspaper. the Iron Warrior, titled dents. the engineering program at ”W is the Engineering(ZultureShock got tti her room to get dressed ftir the positive He believes the attitude of sexism largest in the country anti among the top 50 'lhis was my first experience With the evening banquet a group of men started exhibited in the songs is one reason why in the world. Pearl Sullivan, the current dean songs and that part ofotir culture that l was thanting "Tits out for the boys l'its out ftir women may not enroll in engineering [he of engineering, is the first woman to hold unaware of,~ lltitlsoii said In an interview the boys, say what?” national average for women in engineering the postion at ”W and the fourth woman iii last week ”I guess it was surprising I was Hudson said the experience was shock programs is less than 20 percent (anada to head an engineering fat ulty tangy offguard ' trig to him because he had never heard Lisa Belbeck. (,l-Fb president aritl also an The school reaches out to girls as young e experience reminded Hudson of his those types of songs while studying at ”W or engineering student at ”W, said her assot ia as tirade l to promote engineering as a tiays playing football and lat rosst- when on his co up work placements He doesn't tion tloes not tondone these songs or taret‘r path, and ”W also runs a series of teammates would sing boisterous songs In plate the blame solely on engineers. though actions “We do not support them but there's workshops anti fonims to encourage girls in the locker rooms or on the bus titles tti and “I don't think it's an engineering problem. only so much you ran do to tell people to high sthool to consider engineering from games He said the behavrour is likely a litit a societal problem that manifests itself not do it,' she said "Women still tend to he a little under remnant oftht- days when engineering was a to engineering,” said Hudson ' lhese songs lllt‘ songs do not make her feel threat confident in their ability to be stit‘t‘r‘ssful iii profession dominated by men and attitudes are a problem because It sup eiied or excluded. htit she can understand engineering," said Wells 'lt sort of goes “l think the surprising part was seeing ports an atmosphere of dist riminatirin and whyother women may feel that way them a little nudge that they tan do well “ that diffen'nt side of people During the day harassment " While the songs are troubling, she said the value of haying a diverse far llll\ everyone was very mature and profession Hudson. the assistant editor of the lion they do not play a mayor role in preventing taiiriot be understatml. at l ortling tow-[ls al " said Hudson. who didn't know if am of Warrior newspaper and the former t‘tllltit women from enrolling in engineering Bel “ the more diverse sour group is thr his 11W 1 lassiiiates partit ipatcd iii the in tfllf'f. published the artit lt‘ about the link said the problem stems from a latk iif more ( Native the solutions will he ' \ll' singing ” llit' shift was yen striking ' t-xpr-rii'iit e in late felirtian how .iiist- he erit outagement and edutatitin for young noted 'lt s really a writ. l' profession ind ”in inappropriate lit-haunt” wasn‘t liiii wanted to share the experience With others girls who may be Interested in engineering engineers) trrait- prod”: ts to help human: Ill'tl to pist tht-‘biis rules. either A female ll was "festering' in his head, he said, and In lanuary. Mt Master University sits ty, and when sou ”link half of hiiiriaiiits is student attending the tonferente sent Hiid he had to get it out on paper [he feedfiat k pended an engineering student group over a women it makes sense to haw 'lt"!!! son :1!th dmzribing how when she he‘s received from the article has been very songbook (tintaining what the university involved in the design pmt Ms ‘ g 1%?" YOUR 709 AWARD WHOM“ SPA . ' . i . "rs . I, ' 4%‘9 . a . O ,_ ( i l N A S in no I‘ll ll: '1‘: 51° .08 2000 l OINACFA.COH ‘ '. Olhalmualr