Syracuse University’s Carrier Dome has stopped using a “kiss cam” during games in response to a student’s editorial expressing concerns that it contributes to sexual assault.
Syracuse did not operate the cam during Saturday’s football game against Central Michigan University, and it’s not clear when and if it will ever operate again:
“We are taking the time to assess the concerns expressed in the letter to the editor,” Sue Edson, executive senior associate athletics director for communications, said in an email to Syracuse.com.
The author of that letter to the editor, Steve Port, claimed that he had seen several women at the September 12 game forced into kissing when the cam landed on them, even though they had shaken their heads no:
“It makes me sick that in a day and age where sexual assault (particularly on college campuses) is so rampant that school officials would allow such a display to happen,” he wrote.
“The instances I witnessed at the game encourage and condone sexual assault and a sense of male entitlement, at best,” he continued. “And they are an actual instance of assault, at worst.”
#share#Although some of the comments on his letter did agree that it was time for the kiss cam to go, many of them questioned his account of what happened altogether:
POGUF14 hours ago
Mr. Port needs to get a life. I was there and what Mr. Port describes did not happen. Unfortunately spineless SU has catered to a drama queen.
rowdynino3 days ago
Steve – were you even at the game? None of what you detailed actually happened. There was a pair that didn’t kiss, which is perfectly acceptable and there was absolutely no forced kisses whatsoever. Sounds like a simple case of you being inebriated and thinking you saw something that you didn’t.
UltimateAura3 days ago
Lmfaoooo what a joke. I was at the game and none of this happened. This guy is just trying to grab attention. If something like this had happened and it was in the student section, we would have gotten emailed by Kent already on this sort of behavior. Syracuse.com needs to check their sources before uploading, even if it’s written by outside writers
Honestly, all of these commenters are missing the point: Regardless of whether or not Port’s stories were true, the fact that kiss cams cause rapes should be obvious – and it’s about doggone time somebody finally stood up to this atrocity.
I do, however, have one issue with Port’s letter: Why in the heck did he not address how horribly heteronormative they are as well?