Tuesday, May 5, 2015

#UpForWhatever? More like #UpForIntegrity

By Shana Makos, Fraternal Values Society Coordinator

Call me a stick in the mud, but I’ve never been a huge fan of Bud Light’s #UpForWhatever campaign. It’s confusing. “The perfect beer for whatever happens.” What does that even mean?

The perfect beer for your grandmother’s funeral?
The perfect beer for watching a house burn to the ground?
The perfect beer for removing “no” from your vocabulary for the night?

Credit: Reddit
Oh, wait… that last one was actually a thing. It was one of the many slogans Bud Light had printed on bottles for their #UpForWhatever campaign.

Genius, wasn’t it?! Yeah… genius for providing the space for us to lament about how absolutely, utterly, insanely wrong that statement is. We’re not the first ones to take stabs at Bud Light’s poorly thought-out marketing. Individual consumers and media outlets alike have made it very clear that the slogan promotes rape culture. 

What we are the first to do, however, is use this as an opportunity to remind everyone that it is always okay to say “no” when you’re not actually #UpForWhatever, no matter the situation. Your individual consent extends to far more than instances of sexual assault (the primary perspective media outlines have taken on this snafu).

Hazing.
Drinking.
Ditching class.
Disrespectful behavior.

These are all instances in which you can (and should) say “no” when you know it’s not the right thing to do and don’t feel comfortable.

Bud Light’s faux pas reminds that that we need to educate each other about our right to say “no” in uncomfortable situations. There are always opportunities for you to speak up about injustices and not fall victim to the bystander effect. Do so with confidence and know that your national organizations will stand up for you when you’ve done the right thing.

Don’t just be #UpForWhatever. Be #UpForIntegrity.


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Hazing prevention hotline and resources:
1-888-NOT-HAZE
www.hazingprevention.org