Oxford's oldest student newspaper

Independent since 1920

Balliol bans ‘Blurred lines’

Balliol JCR has voted to ban Robin Thicke’s sexually explicit ‘Blurred Lines’ from being played at JCR events.

The song, which features the lyrics “I’ll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two” and “not many women can refuse this pimpin’’, has attracted considerable controversy. The music video which has a top rated Youtube comment of “this porn has good music”, features two topless girls and provoked strong feeling within Balliol JCR.

JCR President Alex Bartram explained the motivation behind the step to ban the song. He said: “We want people to feel safe in the JCR, and for the JCR to feel like a safe environment. I support the motion that was passed absolutely and I want people to speak freely.”

Balliol is the first Oxford college to ban the song and may well set a precedent for other colleges; St. Anne’s are planning to debate the issue soon and other colleges likely to follow suit.

Sarah Pine, the OUSU Vice-President for Women, praised the JCR’s decision. She argued: “Balliol’s undergrads have chosen to prioritise the wellbeing of their students by not playing [the song]. This is a mature and respectful decision that respects survivors of sexual violence in their community.

“If other common rooms are considering rejecting the song, I’d like to applaud their commitment to the welfare of the one in four women that experience sexual assault during their time at university.”

She made her disapproval of the song’s message plain, saying, “The rape apology of the lyrics construct consent as something that could be bypassed” but added that it was for other colleges to “decide whether or not that’s something they want to include in their college life.”

Some were ambivalent towards the news. When asked for their opinion on the matter a St John’s first year said: “I just don’t care”. This attitude is perhaps unsurprising as the song’s sexism is in no way unique in popular music where sexually explicit lyrics are commonplace.

Since its release in March Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’ has been banned by many student associations. The student unions of Edinburgh, Leeds, Birmingham and some London universities have banned ‘Blurred Lines’ from being played at student union events.

 

Check out our other content

Most Popular Articles