Since the passing of the ASUU resolution to encourage discussion around making the Utah Fight Song more inclusive, students have taken sides — mostly through social media. Two Facebook pages popped up this last week. One, titled “A Utah INCLUSIVE FAN Am I,” asks students to “consider an alternative to ‘Utah Man am I’ in the Utah Fight Song.” The page, as well as the resolution and the prompting by Sam Ortiz, encourages discussion around the issue, not immediate change. The second page, “A Utah MAN Am I,” sprang up in reaction, garnering over 2,000 likes from students and declares, “The U has been discussing the possible change of our fight song and we need to let them know we AREN’T ok with a change!!!” The difference between the two is that those wanting change are asking for a discussion, while others are immediately shutting down the idea. It says a lot about a university — and a population — when thousands of students are more than ready to fight against conversations concerning social justice issues.
@UtahPigBus was quoted by The Daily Utah Chronicle saying, “How ridiculous, Utah’s fight song is being changed [because] feminist students object to it …” The call for discussion has lead to a debate between tradition and progress, with students, alumni, and even professors making a mockery of attempts for change, sending hate mail to the student body president, and making illogical statements about political correctness, feminism, sexism and racism. One individual on The Salt Lake Tribune’s website commented, “Sexism is in the eye of the beholder. So is racism. Leave the song, logo and mascot alone. It will not have any effect on actual racism and sexism. I am so sick of this PC nonsense.”
Obviously, they have no idea what sexism or racism is. The definitions of sexism and racism according to Carleton University include, “the conventional practices or structures of institutions that have the effect of excluding or discriminating against individuals or groups” for their actual/perceived race or sex. The exclusion of anyone who is not a man in this song is obvious. While in regards to progress for women everywhere this may seem small, but it has become obvious through this conflict, that students, alumni and U professors have serious lack of concern for individuals outside of themselves. Individuals want change. Women and genderqueer individuals, among others are left out, as most don’t identify as a man.
As Sam Ortiz says to The Salt Lake Tribune, “The idea that man means both female and male is a little antiquated,” not to mention that male and female aren’t the only sexes or genders that exist. Is it too much to ask that the word “man” is changed to “fan” and that other slight changes are made? The U is meant to be an inclusive place. While this change would not force inclusivity upon the campus, this call for discussion has made it clear that there are larger issues at play here. Students at the U have a lacking education on social justice, bigotry and inclusion, and that needs to change.
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