Motion to defund Fashion Soc on grounds of anti-STEM discrimination fails to pass at student council – Trinity News

A motion to defund the Fashion Society (Fashion Soc) has failed to pass at the final student council meeting of the academic year by a thin margin of seven votes.

The motion claimed there was an “anti-STEM student mentality” common within the executive committee, which sought to “prioritise typical Arts Block style such as faux fur jackets and obscenely wide jeans”.

Other examples include platform Doc Marten boots, maxi skirts, and “excessive layering” of clothes.

This amounted to “anti-STEM and business student attitudes which heavily affected the running of the society”, particularly regarding the society’s weekly Campus Couture Instagram post.

The motion points to “a lack of well fitting jeans, plain T-shirts, non-vintage sportswear, and lululemon leggings on Fashion Soc’s Instagram” as evidence.

The motion recognised “the upset caused by overt discrimination against other on-campus locations, namely the Business and Hamilton buildings”.

“Fashion Soc receives funding from the Central Socitietes Committee, a capitated body of the Trinity College Dublin Students Union (TCDSU), however fails to uphold the constitution of the union”, the motion continued.

“Chapter 1.4 of the TCDSU constitution declares the union’s objectives “shall be pursued without discrimination based on nationality, age, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, political group”.

“Fashion Soc has consistently discriminated against a wide coalition of students, such as STEM, business and medicine students. It is not their fault they must focus their time on actually going to classes, forcing them away from searching the charity shops of Dublin for the latest trends.”

The motion concluded with: “Funding therefore must be withdrawn if TCDSU truly wants to put their money where their mouth is in terms of student welfare”.

The motion was proposed by a class representative from the STEM faculty, who was wearing skinny jeans and a flannel shirt they’ve owned since secondary school.

Organisers of the motion have announced direct action protests to be held in the coming days and weeks, with a “charity fundraiser” organised for this Friday in which “students can donate €2 to wear leggings or tracksuits on campus without judgement”.

All proceeds will go towards “the funds necessary to book Fashion Soc OCMs a taxi to Pearse Street to take Campus Couture photos of STEM students”.

The Campus Couture Instagram posts have consistently come under criticism this year for the vast majority of photos being taken directly outside the Arts Block.

Comments have also read “where are the lads?”, presumably in relation to the lack of male representation in the posts.

Fashion Soc have not been contacted for comment.