Otago students vote against nanny state

The ODT reports:

Dressing up in blackface or as a Nazi will not be out of bounds at next year’s Hyde St keg party after University of Otago students voted against costumes being regulated.

In a binding referendum, students overwhelmingly voted against the Otago University Students’ Association (OUSA) regulating what costumes could be worn to the party,  by a majority of 61.67% versus 33.29% who voted for the regulations, after a set of guidelines introduced this year prompted a backlash.

The list of costumes to avoid released by OUSA this year included “blackface darkening”, racial or cultural stereotypes, mocking culturally sensitive events — such as by dressing as a Nazi — mocking disabled people, mocking LGBT people and glorifying sexual violence, for instance by dressing as Chris Brown or Bill Cosby.

Well done Otago students for voting against this nonsense.

If students wish to wear an offensive costume, then that is up to them. They may have to put up consequences, but again that is their decision.

Could you imagine how long the list of banned costumes would get over time. Eventually there would be a shorter list of approved costumes.