Eindhoven corps suspended in response to #metoo parody

Looking for a theme for this year’s carnaval celebrations, one of the fraternities of the student association Eindhovens Studenten Corps (ESC) decided on a #metoo parody: ‘De wil van de vrouw doet er #nietoo’ (‘a woman’s consent is irrelevant’). This pun cost ESC dear, however: Eindhoven University has cancelled all funding for the association.

In the invite for their party, Aleph wrote that they thought it was ‘wonderful’ that three out of four women nowadays occasionally feel assaulted. “The fact that since 1958, we’ve been able to feel up women without asking first is a luxury that other men have not been able to enjoy.”

Kevin Spacey

This should be considered the club’s attempt to ‘put an end’ to the #metoo movement. “Because at Aleph, we are aware, just like the rest, that women have no say over what happens to their bodies during carnaval. That’s why we present, with forced love, ‘de wil van de vrouw doet er #nietoo!’” The invitation is decorated with fictitious blurbs by, among others, Kevin Spacey and Marc Dutroux: “Very spacious basement”.

After talking with corps representatives on Tuesday, Eindhoven University decided to put all funding for the association on hold, with immediate effect. A university spokesperson is unable to say how long this suspension will last: “It depends on which measures the association will be implementing. They’re taking this matter very seriously too.”

No longer welcome

Indeed, ESC has released a statement in which it claims to be ‘extremely upset’ about this affair and ’emphatically asserts that a theme like this has nothing to do with the standards and values upheld by Eindhovens Studenten Corps’.

The corps has asked its own ‘judicial board’ to look into and rule on the matter. Until that time, the Aleph members will not be allowed to participate in any of the association’s activities.

The Dutch student corporations have come under fire these past few weeks. RSC/RSV in Rotterdam and UVSV in Utrecht were dealt with similar suspensions after a broadcast by the television programme Rambam.