Outrage over cider society’s event ‘Doing an Oscar Pistorious: Taking the Stand’

Crass Real Ale and Cider society’s stand-up comedy night has come under fire for its offensive title.

With the result of Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius’ trial taking over the internet, it’s no surprise to see the uproar of thousands gracing the web with their opinions.

And it’s definitely no surprise to see the huge number of dark jokes that have arisen from the the shooting of Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013.

Dan Shaw, member of the Real Ale and Cider society at Northumbria University was no stranger to such humour, creating an event called ‘Doing an Oscar Pistorius: Taking the Stand’.

The event in November is a night for society members to enjoy stand-up comedians and, as Shaw said, a chance to “get legless”.

Gary Spedding, a student at Northumbria University, made his anger at the event known as he took to the platforms of both Twitter and Facebook:

“I’m actually outraged to the point where I just shouted obscenities at my mobile phone screen.

“Because what Oscar Pistorius did is definitely something to make a theme night of… murdering a woman is definitely an okay thing now.”

When asked about his online post Gary said:

“I felt that the Society’s attempt at humour was sickening and disturbed. Reeva Steenkamp was a victim of male violence, she was brutally killed by Oscar Pistorius – who has been given a pathetic sentence that could see him in jail for a mere 10 months – and to make light of this reality is indicative that the author of the Facebook event doesn’t see worth in a woman’s life.

“There has been very little focus on the total lack of justice for women who are subjected to violence, sexual assault, rape or murder. It really is beyond my comprehension as to how any right thinking individual, group or society – especially a student society – could possibly think it to be appropriate to make light of the Pistorius trial and the killing of Reeva Steenkamp.

“The idea that a society would ‘do an Oscar Pistorius’, regardless of the context which was meant, is also deeply troubling. It’s almost as if he is being given respect for taking the stand as the society event made it all out to be a bit of ‘banter’, which is really concerning.

“The students involved should really take a long hard look at themselves.”

Gary isn’t the only person who’s less than impressed with the event name. The Northumbria Feminist Society have expressed their outrage, not only with the title being “a dig at Pistorious’ disability” but also that the Real Ale society is making light of violence against women.

Lizi Gray, FemSoc Society President said: “While it was only meant as harmless ‘banter’ I don’t see what’s so funny, a woman is dead and the man who killed her gets away with serving 10 months of a 5 year sentence.

“Misogyny is misogyny, whether it’s with real ale or trebles.”

The Real Ale and Cider society have since changed the name of the event to ‘Stand up for your pint’ and all Oscar Pistorius jokes have been removed.