LSE director encourages gay students to seek counselling after homophobic leaflets

After the rugby club at the prestigious London School of Economics was disbanded following the distribution of flyers containing homophobic and misogynistic language, the school’s director has encouraged women and gays to use counselling services, if they feel they were affected.

The leaflets were given out by the London School of Economics (LSE) men’s rugby team last week at a freshers fair, but caused a storm of controversy on social media, with many accusing the rugby team of being sexist and homophobic. Earlier this week it was announced that the rugby club had been disbanded.

LSE Director, Professor Craig Calhoun, sent an email to all students, which encouraged those affected by the offensive language, namely gay people and women, to use Students’ Union and school counselling services.

The email read: “I should like to use this message to apologise on behalf of the School, especially to our female and/or gay first-year students, who had to face this abuse during their first few days at LSE. The School and the Students’ Union both have counselling and support services and I encourage you to make use of them. But the School also has organisations prepared to campaign for change and I encourage you to make use of them as well.”

In a section about social activities, the leaflet specified: “We do not tolerate Poly activities that involve faeces, genetalia and outright homosexual debauchery.”

As well as making offensive remarks about other nearby universities, the leaflets described members of female sports teams as “beast-like women who play sport just so they can come out with us on Wednesdays”.

In other sections, women were described as “sloppy birds”, “slags” and “mingers”.

An apology was issued by the rugby club on Monday.

• Dec 01 2023

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