The official newspaper of Leeds University
Reclaiming the night
www.thegryphon.co.uk Twitter: @TheGryphonLeeds Instagram: @thegr yphon Issue 5 17/03/21
University scraps Trans Equality Policy “rollback” the University has withdrawn their revised draft which left the trans community feel(Page 5)
Lesbians face increasing levels of loneliness Ioana Gr dinaru explores the experience of the demographic most likely to face loneliness and poor mental health under the
After Sarah Everard was murdered, people across the country took to the streets and social media to grieve the wider issue of violence against women and marginalised genders. Zahra Iqbal and Maariyah Fulat report on Reclaim the Night Leeds’ virtual vigil. violence. held their loved ones close as the nation remembered not just
(Page 8)
FKA Twigs and the culture of victim-blaming In light of FKA Twigs’ recent interview, Jack McKane discusses the toxic way
Sarah Everard, but the thousands of women who have been
livestream alongside a plethora of speakers and campaigners
society deals with revelations of abusive
sexually assaulted, attacked and murdered.
such as Roz Weaver from SARSVL, George Sykes from LUU
behaviour. (Page 13)
Sarah Everard was last seen on 3 March as she was walking
Abuse Awareness, Miranda Arieh from Womens Lives Matter,
home from a friend’s house at 9pm near Clapham Common
Cllr Al Garthwaite, Siza a student poet, Amy Randles and
in London. Since then, Wayne Couzens (48) has been charged with her murder and kidnap. Her disappearance coincided with a report published by The Guardian that found 97% of
Sarah is also for all the other people and women across the
women aged between 18 and 24 had been sexually harassed.
UK.”
Following the case, and the statistics published by The
Cllr Al Garthwaite, also attending, commented “As we said
Guardian, social media erupted and was full of calls for protests, vigils and women sharing their own stories of assault and harassment.
yes means yes, no means no.” Elsewhere in the country, crowds of people gathered to grieve
Due to this overwhelming response, Reclaim the Night
the loss of Everard and to raise awareness of the wider context
organised a series of vigils up and down the country so people
of abuse faced by women and marginalised genders. Attendees
could pay their respects. Launched in Leeds in 1977 in part to
of the London vigil organised by Sisters Uncut described the
respond to the Yorkshire Ripper murders, the importance of the movement has resonated since, particularly in the last week. However, due to coronavirus restrictions and West Yorkshire
women to the ground for merely paying their respects. The message across the vigils in Leeds and beyond has been
Police guidelines, the Reclaim the Night Leeds physical vigil social media.
Owen Mawer celebrates the footballer’s pitch. (Page 21)
should not have to be careful of what they wear, take longer routes or be hyper-vigilant of their surroundings.
candles being left on the steps to honour the death of Sarah
Lauren James responds to racism in sport
As the pandemic lurches on, the ongoing issue of violence against women and marginalised genders must not be ignored.
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