Robin Thicke Concert Protested by Boston University Students for 'Non-Consensual' Lyrics and 'Explicit' Performance
Boston University students are protesting a Robin Thicke concert scheduled to be held on campus on March 4. So far over 1,800 students have signed a petition calling for the concert to be cancelled, which authorities say is unlikely to happen.
"It is a dishonor to our feminist history to symbolically idolize Robin Thicke by allowing him to perform his misogynist music at our university," the petition by the Humanists of Boston University read. They also noted that the song "Blurred Lines" "celebrates having sex with women against their will."
"Having Thicke perform is a political statement that is out of touch with the realities of sexual violence and Boston University's own history. Thus, we suggest that Robin Thicke's performance be cancelled. Lyrics such as 'I know you want it' explicitly use non-consensual language. And while watching the extremely explicit video, the insinuations grow from subtle to explicit to obnoxious," the group said.
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Even though Thicke is quite possibly at the height of his career thanks to the single "Blurred Lines," there are those who would rather not be associated with the performer or song. Critics argue that the song promotes rape culture and exploits women. His performance with Miley Cyrus took the public by storm and caused a great deal of controversy.
The students at Boston University's Humanist Group want to disassociate from the performer and feel that his presence is a discredit to female students as well as Boston University as a whole.
"We are saying that in American society there exists a cultural system in which women are sexually oppressed via rape and assault … We're not saying he created rape culture," Humanist President Patrick Johnson told Fox News. "This is just one example of something we see as wrong, so we decided to speak up about it."
"Agganis Arena is one of 16 major venues across the U.S. and Canada for this particular tour. We have long-term relationships with the largest and most reputable promoters and agents in the country, who have safely and professionally produced dozens of shows at Agganis over the years showcasing a variety of artists and entertainers that appeal to diverse audiences. We work hard to avoid censorship, bias, or personal preferences and we respect differing views, but individuals may, or may not, choose to go to the concert," Boston University said in an official statement.
