Voyager editor Jesse Farthing and Sports Editor John Stevenson display follicles of success.
(Photos by Blake Jones)
Second-wave feminist protests surfaced at the University of West Florida after changes in journalism curriculum were implemented in 2012. The changes went unnoticed until recently when female students became frustrated with the seemingly impossible prerequisite, facial hair.
The prerequisite was proposed when professors in the Department of Communication Arts realized a common trend among well-known writers â€" prominent facial hair. After great consideration, the decision was made that regardless of gender, journalism students are required to have facial hair.
“I mean, I don’t understand the female’s disagreement with the prereq,†Keith Goldschmidt, lecturer in communication arts, said. “Look at them: Hemingway, Twain and even Shakespeare have significant tufts of facial hair. We’re just trying to offer contemporary education, and facial hair may be beneficial.â€
Obviously, this policy caused controversy among students. Female students found the requirement unjust and discriminatory because of their challenges to grow facial hair.
“The professors are completely biased,†Mary Taylor, journalism student, said. “I applied for editor-in-chief and sports editor jobs at The Voyager. I mean, really? Just look at the beard and mustache who hold the positions. It’s just not fair.â€
Unhappy with their struggle to grow facial hair, UWF’s female journalism students are taking their protests to extreme levels. It started with picketing, but quickly snowballed into the protesters burning their own facial hair.
Their performance is all too parallel with the “Bra Burnings†of the 1960’s. In addition to setting their facial hair efforts aflame, they’ve made signs the read “MustAche.â€
“I hate walking near the comm arts building. They just keep chanting ‘Must ash, must ash, must ash’ at everyone,†John Michaels, biology student, said. “They’re journalists for goodness sakes. Can’t they come up with a better pun!â€
Although the prerequisite was implemented in 2012, no one noticed until the female journalism students became shockingly undesirable looking.
“I hate it,†Molly Smith, journalism student, said. “I’ve tried everything, but they know my chinstrap is fake. The worst is that I’m getting used to the feeling of the adhesive facial hair and forget to take it off before work.â€
Although most of the females journalism students are protesting this discrimination, some will do whatever it takes.
“Whatever, it’s for the love of journalism,†Bernice Jones, journalism student, said. “I’ll do anything. I wasn’t born to be manly, but I was born to be a writer.â€
The unsettling masculinity is overwhelming and has become a distraction to all students in the department.
“I can’t pay attention in class,†Mark Burge, advertising student, said. “I find myself snapping pictures of the girls with handlebar mustaches and then instagramming it throughout my whole class meeting. It’s truly bittersweet. They look ridiculous, but I’ve never had more followers. Look for yourself. It’s great publicity for UWF. I just hashtag ‘lady with stache.’ UWF is trending like you wouldn’t believe.â€
Clearly the protestors want to ban the prerequisite, but the university doesn’t want to drop it. Enrollment in journalism has reached a new high among male students.
Other Florida universities are taking interest in the idea. A Florida State University representative said this increased enrollment in journalism could potentially “save newspapers.â€
Elizabeth Egstad
Staff WriterÂ
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