Student Council bans Blurred Lines

Songs with “lyrics that reinforce rape culture” to be replaced with instrumental or parody versions in Union buildings

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Robin Thicke’s smash hit Blurred Lines, and other songs with “lyrics that reinforce rape culture”, are to be banned from playing at any of UBU’s buildings or events.

In a controversial bid to “End Rape Culture at the University of Bristol”, Student Council approved moves to boycott offending songs and replace them with instrumental or “appropriate” parody versions.

Thicke’s single, which has been widely accused of making light of the boundaries between between consensual sex and rape, has already faced bans at Edinburgh, Kingston, Leeds, and various other unis across the country.

Also to be banned on Union premises is ‘Blow’ by Tyler the Creator, which features lyrics like “And you call this shit rape but I think that rape’s fun”.

Although UBU will be free to add songs it considers offensive to a list of banned music, each decision will be subject to a vote at the next Student Council, which comprises of UBU officers, student reps and heads of societies. Students are not allowed to vote.

Songs may remain effectively banned until the Annual Members’ Meeting, where all students will be permitted to vote to approve individual decisions.

Council voted through all points of the motion but one, which would have seen the banning “known rape apologists like George Galloway” from speaking at the Union.

Not all students were as thrilled with the motion’s success as others, with Jez Cave tweeting, “State of debate in Bristol is unbelievable, seem to have found the new-age moralists – and they occupy the student council”.

While student Harry Clax commented, “Not feeling represented by UBU – not allowed to personally vote on the issue of censorship.”

However, others were rather nonplussed. One student, who declined to give her name, told The Tab, “Does anyone really give a shit either way?”