Kent State University's chapter of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity wanted to take a stand against sexual assault by hanging a massive sign on their house. Unfortunately, as the banner was larger than 40 square feet, the City of Kent ordered the fraternity to remove it or face legal consequences.
The original sign, put up during anti-hazing and sexual assault awareness week at Kent State University, displayed the message “Consent Matters #kNOwmore Sexual Assault.”
While many people offered to help pay the potential fees, recognizing that the message of the sign was more important than an ordinance, the Delta Tau Delta fraternity unveiled a professionally-made sign yesterday, measuring an ordinance-friendly 39 square feet.
Delta Tau Delta member Mike Trauman tweeted “We will continue to stand up for what we believe in, raise awareness, and play our part in making the world a better and safer place.”
The City of Kent, Ohio has told us our previous banner was a violation of city code and must be taken down immediately because it was larger than 40 square feet... So we are proud to present our new 39 square foot banner in its place! pic.twitter.com/EyWiKTY9QY
— ΔΤΔ (@kentstatedelts) October 4, 2018
In 2014, a study revealed that men in fraternities were 300 times more likely to rape a woman on campus. This horrific realization was a call to arms for Greek life institutions to make massive changes in their communities and culture.
It may seem like a passive-aggressive middle finger to a lame ordinance for the city to pursue enforcing (probably because it is), but the dedication the Kent State Delts have shown in raising awareness to the importance of consent is truly and sincerely inspiring.
