• Home
  • Campus
    • Academics
    • Greek Life
    • SGA
    • Student Life
  • State/Local
    • Around Town
    • Board of Regents
    • National
    • Pierre
    • Vermillion City Council
    • Vermillion Police Department
  • Sports
    • Cross Country
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Men’s Basketball
    • Soccer
    • Swimming/Diving
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    • Women’s Basketball
  • Verve
    • Feature
    • Diversity
    • Events
    • CAB
    • The Vault
  • Opinion
  • E-Edition
  • COVID-19
The Volante
The Volante
  • Home
  • Campus
    • Academics
    • Greek Life
    • SGA
    • Student Life
  • State/Local
    • Around Town
    • Board of Regents
    • National
    • Pierre
    • Vermillion City Council
    • Vermillion Police Department
  • Sports
    • Cross Country
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Men’s Basketball
    • Soccer
    • Swimming/Diving
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    • Women’s Basketball
  • Verve
    • Feature
    • Diversity
    • Events
    • CAB
    • The Vault
  • Opinion
  • E-Edition
  • COVID-19
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
Home
Verve
Verve Blogs

Columnist says goodbye

December 11th, 2012 Betsey Horton Verve, Verve Blogs comments

Share this story

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest

For those of you who may not know, I’ll be graduating on Saturday. That means this is the last time I will ever write for The Volante. Needless to say, I’ve spent the entire semester planning this column.

I knew early on I wanted to say something important to the women on this campus. I didn’t know what that something was until the incident at the frat party I wrote about last week.

However, there is something I must come clean about first.

There was a portion of my last column that was made up. It may surprise many to learn it was the conversation between the women sitting on the couch.

The truth is there was no conversation. The women sitting on the couch said absolutely nothing. They simply sat there and watched the so-called men in the room insult and degrade them without batting an eye.

I made this change because I was too embarrassed to admit the truth. I wrote the conversation I wished had taken place because I wanted the women to look better.

Was it wrong to do this? Yes, but this is a lesson I’ll have to take for myself. I’m a writer who writes columns, after all, not a journalist who writes articles. In the two years I’ve been writing this column, I’ve never presented myself as otherwise.

There are many women on this campus right now who are actively defending the appalling behavior I witnessed.

The women defending these guys are the same women who always complain because they cannot find a nice guy.

These are the women who will be lied to, cheated on and disrespected as they give the guy another 10 chances to behave the exact same way.

This is not a coincidence.

I know this because I used to be one of them. I used to think misogyny was funny. I used to hang out with guys who casually used the c-word.

During that time in my life, all of my relationships with men were destructive and borderline abusive.

Since I learned to love and respect myself, I have not let a single man I’ve encountered treat me with disrespect. That is why I was offended by what I saw at the party and felt the need to say something about it.

The fact that I was the only one really, really bothers me.

Ladies, why are you defending guys who sing about date rape like it’s a joke? What are you gaining from doing this?

By alternating between silence and defensive rants, you are giving these guys permission to treat you like second-class citizens. Their so-called “traditions” of misogyny and sexism will only continue as long as women willingly participate.

You don’t have to participate anymore. You’re the majority on campus now. You work hard and you deserve better.

You deserve respect, and the only way you’re ever going to get it is to stand up for yourselves and stop letting guys walk all over you.

My fellow women, I implore you to continue the fight which allows you to attend college in the first place. Fight for a new tradition. Fight for respect and equality. Fight for a higher standard in men.

You have the power to change the world. Start acting like it.

Share this story

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest

Betsey Horton

Related Posts

Verve

USD hosts Coyote Jazz Festival for high schools

Apr 25th, 202242
USD hosted the Coyote Jazz Festival, a competition which features high schools from South Dakota, Nebraska...
Verve

Iona Galu feels like 'mother' at Annual Violin and Viola Studio Concert

Apr 25th, 202250
On March 27, the annual Violin and Viola Studio Performance took place in Colton Hall. The event was...
Verve

Chamber Singers spread songs through South Dakota

Apr 25th, 202257
The Chamber Singers is a vocal ensemble at USD, and over spring break, this group traveled around South...

Facebook Comments

Latest Stories

May 10th 12:47 PM
Campus

Dispatches from the CDC: Remembering voices of diversity

Apr 25th 11:31 AM
Sports

Sara Reifenrath: The best accident

Apr 25th 11:30 AM
Sports

Stella Fairbanks back-to-back Summit League Champion

Apr 25th 11:29 AM
Sports

Coyote softball splits home opening weekend against NDSU

Apr 25th 11:28 AM
Sports

The track and field team saw nine first place finishes in four-day span

Apr 25th 11:26 AM
Sports

USD track and field conquers individual events in California

Apr 25th 11:26 AM
Sports

New additions are made to the Coyote basketball teams

Apr 25th 11:25 AM
Sports

Coyote softball sweep Fighting Hawks in Vermillion

Apr 25th 11:24 AM
Sports

Coyotes defeat Omaha, prepare for Summit League Tournament

Apr 25th 11:18 AM
Sports

Men’s track produces 25 top 10 finishes

Weather

Coyote News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zH8Dbag4i0

Advertisement

Read about: Best Detox Shampoos for Hair Drug Test and Synthetic Urine and Fake Pee manual
  • Home
  • Campus
  • State/Local
  • Sports
  • Verve
  • Opinion
  • E-Edition
  • COVID-19
  • Back to top

The Volante

The Volante is the University of South Dakota’s independent student-run newspaper since 1887. Al Neuharth Media Center The Volante 555 N. Dakota Street Vermillion, SD 57069

Advertisement

About

  • About
  • Code of Ethics
  • History
  • Awards
  • Executive Staff
  • Jobs
  • Comment Policy
  • Advertising

Engage

  • Letters to the Editor
  • Contact Us
  • Submit an Overheard
  • Subscribe
  • Submit News Tips

Media Partners

  • Coyote News
  • KAOR 91.1
  • Media & Journalism Department
© The Volante 2015. All rights reserved.