During St. Francis Xavier University’s homecoming weekend, a sign outside a house in Antigonish, N.S., has sparked controversy, being labeled as promoting rape culture. The sign, which read “Drop-off zone: Acadia girlfriends,” caught the attention of Tara Taylor, a mathematics department chair and professor at St. FX, who found it offensive and inappropriate. Taylor, who witnessed the sign while driving with her child, felt compelled to document it as she believed it was important to address such behavior.
The reason for singling out Acadia students on the sign remains unclear, especially since there were no scheduled varsity games against Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S., that weekend. St. FX has faced criticism in the past for its handling of sexualized violence on campus.
Taylor shared a photo of the sign on Facebook to gauge public reaction, which she described as generally negative. She emphasized that such actions contribute to rape culture and objectify women, rather than being seen as harmless jokes.
The sign was taken down and later put back up before ultimately being removed again. St. FX’s response to the incident, as articulated by Vice-President Elizabeth Yeo, acknowledged the offensiveness of the sign and stated that students violating the university’s code of conduct would face consequences.
Taylor expressed dissatisfaction with the university’s initial statement, believing it did not go far enough in condemning the sign’s message. She highlighted the importance of addressing sexual violence and fostering a culture of respect and accountability on campus, advocating for stronger actions and male leadership involvement in denouncing such behavior.
In a subsequent statement, St. FX President Andrew Hakin described the sign as degrading and concerning, affirming the university’s stance against objectifying women and normalizing sexual violence. The university assured that appropriate measures were taken to remove the sign and indicated that the incident would be subject to disciplinary procedures.
Acadia University also issued a statement condemning the sign and emphasizing the collective responsibility of educational institutions to combat violence against women and rape culture. The university encouraged affected students to seek support from its sexualized violence response office.
