‘Sloppy birds and beast-like women’: Cringe at LSE’s rugby ‘banter’ brochure

An embarrassing rugby Freshers’ flyer has caused a storm at LSE – who now say they have confiscated all material. 

Cringe comments on the flyer included outdated jokes about “how to pull a sloppy bird” and “homosexual debauchery”.

LSE officials are said to be “investigating the matter as a top priority”.

Comments on the brochure included:

• “Unlike some polytechnic universities located across the Strand, we at LSE do not enjoy drinking urine or participating in the various forms of homosexual humiliation.”

• “Beast-like women who play sport so they can come out with us Wednesdays, and don’t let them tell you otherwise” in relation to “Hockey, Netball and Rugby Birds”.

• In relation to the MVP Fresher: “he is the fresher who manages to embody everything the club holds dear, debauchery, hedonism and misogyny.”

It also referred to some team members as part of the “Gun Club”, an elite group that visit the gym to “sculpt the perfect physique” and “stare at the crumpet on the treadmill”.

The flyer was bravely exposed by feminist Facebook group, Cuntry Living, where a user helpfully highlighted the language which some readers may find excruciating to read.

One user wrote: “I’ve never been so quick to write an indignant email in my life. Take from that what you will.”

Another slammed the writers of the flyer using the group’s approved “gender-neutral” insult: “What fuckbadgers, the lot of them.”

According to the SU, a number of students complained about the rugby flyers distributed at the freshers’ fair.

And union apparatchiks made the condescending move to confiscate the brochures.

The exact number of complaints made is not clear but Nona Buckley-Irvine, SU General Sec said: “Numerous complaints have been made.

“When we were made aware of the brochures we confiscated them from the club for the rest of freshers fair.”

She added: “We absolutely condemn any acts of misogyny, sexism or homophobia and seek to protect our students, which is why we made the immediate decision to confiscate them and launch a formal disciplinary investigation.

“We are currently conducting our disciplinary investigation into the conduct of the LSE Rugby club and hope to make the outcomes known as soon as we can.”

The SU Women’s Forum is now holding a meeting for self-defining women to discuss “recent events at the Freshers’ Fair”.

The Rugby club have released a statement apologising for the flyer.

They said: “LSE Men’s Rugby does not tolerate misogyny, racism, homophobia or prejudice of any description and the Club remains committed to the LSE’s equal opportunities policy.

“Clearly, on this occasion we not only failed ourselves, but the university which we are so proud to represent.

“As a club, we will be taking steps to ensure that something like this cannot happen again.

“We have a lot to learn about the pernicious effects of ‘banter’ and we are organising a workshop for all our members.”