Ooh la la! Something’s in the air!
Word has it that the French department has cut ties with EFUT, the hugely successful student-run club that is dedicated to supporting la francophonie. Scandalous! Specifically, the French Studies chair has stopped authorizing French department participation in all things EFUT. Their relationship has always been amicable, with faculty encouraging their students to join and partake in their activities. What could have possibly broken this relationship?
Condoms.
If you’ve been anywhere around campus lately, you will know that EFUT has promotional material everywhere. Perhaps the most unique and memorable are their condoms, with relevant dates and club information printed on the packaging.
The trouble usually starts when they're NOT there.
EFUT has been going around to French classes promoting their club. President Antonin Mongeau has informed me that EFUT reps do not explicit hand them out. They instead leave a handful of condoms in the classroom, leaving it up to the students to decide whether or not to put it to good use. Professors of these classes have reported that these condoms are making students uncomfortable, thus prompting the French Chair’s decisions to de-authorize all EFUT activity within their classes, as well as faculty participation in EFUT activities.
Some things to get straight:
- This is the second year EFUT has used condoms as promotional material.
- Despite a couple of grumbles here and there, there has never been a complaint filed by any student before. Therefore, EFUT has been treating it as a non-issue.
- Let’s be honest – the French are not strangers to some lovin’. If you take a look at the course handbook, you will see that we have courses that build on that very theme.
- The French Chair does not understand how condoms are part of EFUT’s mandate.
Some things to think about:
- Is handing out condoms an appropriate method of promotion?
- Do you like them?
- Is the French department’s concern old-fashioned and behind the times?
- Is it really that big a deal?
- Should EFUT be blatantly putting sex together with French at all?
EFUT has not issued a response to this yet. They are encouraging all their members and other students to visit www.frenchclub.ca and respond to a poll there. If you’ve got something to say, email them at and tell them what you think.
Of course, don’t forget to comment below and tell us at blogUT what you think is really going on. To condom or not to condom? That is the question.