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One of York’s 2015 orientation highlights, the You Had Me at Consent event, was poorly attended as students fled the heat and rain at first chance.
Speaker and activist Mike Domitrz spoke about the importance of consent to a lackluster audience yesterday, surrounded by empty chairs.
In light of a heat warning for southern Ontario, students and administration alike left York’s tennis stadium, citing prior commitments. Others stayed the duration of the event, according to York.
“Attendance was definitely affected by the heat,” says Joanne Rider, York media relations.
Students left up the aisles while Janet Morrison, vice-provost students, introduced Domitrz.
Some of Domitrz’s talking points included subjects such as, asking for consent to have sex, and sexual safety at parties and bars. However, few students were there to hear them.
Domitrz opted for an interactive presentation, calling up volunteers from the audience to illustrate his points
In an interview with Excalibur, Domitrz criticized the Canadian Federation of Students’ No Means No campaign, which has been widely endorsed by the York Federation of Students.
“No Means No puts the responsibility on the person it’s being done to. [The responsibility] should be on the person doing the touching,” says Domitrz.
“That’s why you say Do You Ask. That’s the right campaign,” he adds.
When it comes to student unions, Domitrz wants the question reframed onto the person making sexual advances. “It’s not the other person’s job to stop them,” says Domitrz.
The YFS was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.
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Alex Kvaskov, Assistant News Editor
Images courtesy of Michael Zusev, Photo Editor
Video courtesy of Alomar Kocur, Video Editor
