MINT for Honi Candidate Taken off Ticket

WORDS BY EDEN FAITHFUL

MINT for Honi candidate Georgette Bechara has been removed from her ticket after responding affirmatively to a Facebook post claiming that a Usyd student protestor Will Edwards was “too feminine to fight”, and was “suffering from short man syndrome”. The post, which was referencing Edwards’ impassioned speech against an anti-marriage equality group, was posted on Friday evening, and has received attention across social media today.

MINT’s rival ticket, HEAT for Honi, has clearly seen the electoral advantage of the situation, posting screenshots on their social media page and calling the comments “indescribably offensive, and extremely confronting.”
 
“The suggestion that “love and prayers” are the cure to homosexuality (as if it is some kind of illness) is abhorrent and plays a significant part in the continued mental trauma experienced by LGBTI+ people all over the world,” the statement says.
 
Pulp has reached out to Edwards, who said that as much as he would have liked to give comment, “I'm an SRC candidate and there are cross-campaigning regulations”.
 
Pulp has also reached out to a number of MINT candidates and has been notified to expect a statement from the MINT for Honi team shortly.

UPDATE: The ticket have released their official statement. It reads as follows:

"We apologise to LGBTI+ students for any hurt caused by comments published by Georgette Bechara. These comments were made in a personal capacity and whilst we respect that they come from religious beliefs, we do not believe the relevant conversation embodied a place which was safe for genuine debate. Accordingly, it was inconsistent with our ambition to create a paper which is accessible, nuanced and reflective. She will no longer participate in this election as member of MINT. She will remain on the ballot paper but if MINT edits the paper in 2018, she will be replaced pending SRC motion."