University of Utah May Change Fight Song After Complaints That “Utah Man” Is Sexist And “Fairest” Is Racist…

April 10th, 2014

David Schulberg the 3rd

The University of Utah (U of U) is “seriously” considering changing its 110-year-old fight song over concerns that the title “Utah Man” is sexist and the phrase “our coeds are the fairest” is racist.

The school’s student government voted unanimously to change the song in March, and the proposal will go before the school’s diversity committee and the academic senate before being sent to the board of trustees for a vote.

One of the recommended changes is to change “Utah Man” to “Utah Fan.”

Professor Joanna Yaffe said she sees not only sexism in the song but also racism — explaining that a line which states that the school’s “coeds are the fairest” could be interpreted as a reference to skin color.

“I don’t think I’m being hyper-PC, I’m just thinking about not really being included in the song,” Yaffe, an adjunct professor of psychiatry, said in an interview with The Salt Lake Tribune.

Sam Ortiz, president of the Associated Students of the University of Utah (ASUU), said changing the song is an important step in making students feel comfortable.

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