THE last student union in the UK to allow women members is to have an all-female executive for the first time.
Glasgow University Union (GUU), which is also one of the oldest and largest and students’ unions in the country, has elected a female president, a female honorary secretary and a female assistant honorary secretary for the first time in its 133-year history.
The trio were elected on International Women’s Day this week, five years after a controversial sexism complaint against the union.
Thursday night’s vote was hailed as “historic” by new president Ailsa Jones, honorary secretary Keri Anderson and assistant honorary secretary Jenna Macfarlane.
The three have all previously served on the GUU’s board of management.
“We are really excited to be the first ever female executive of the GUU,” Macfarlane said. “This historic result is more significant than ever in the wake of the Time’s Up and Me Too movements, especially in a building that used to be known as the ‘men’s union’. As good friends, we are very excited to work together this year and to continue the success of the GUU as the biggest student hub on the campus and one of the best venues in the West End.”
The GUU, was established in 1885 is one of two unions at the university and allowed only men as members until 1980.
The other, the Queen Margaret Union (QMU), was set up in 1890 for women after they began to study at the university following its merger with Queen Margaret College.
An attempt to mix the two unions was made in 1977 following the passing of the Sex Discrimination Act in 1975 but a large majority voted to maintain the status quo when a referendum was held.
The campaign against single-sex unions intensified, however, and, after QMU voted overwhelmingly to accept men and the University Court threatened to axe the GUU’s lease on its building, the union accepted defeat and in 1980 voted overwhelmingly to admit women.
However, the GUU hit the headlines again in 2013 when two women debaters visiting from the Edinburgh and Cambridge universities complained of misogynist objectification and sexist heckling from GUU members.
A university Senate hearing later found there was no case to answer but the GUU introduced new policies on diversity, equality and bullying, and changed its constitution.
It also became the first debating union in Scotland to introduce diversity quotas in an attempt to increase female participation.
Former members of the GUU include author and former first minister Donald Dewar, former Labour Party leader John Smith, former LibDem leader Charles Kennedy; SNP co-founder John MacCormick and Tory
MP Liam Fox.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel