Special to the Ryersonian

Photo taken from Facebook.com

An unidentified man in a white body suit poses in a photo posted on a Facebook group about white culture. The photo has since been removed.

Some white students at Ryerson are uniting on Facebook to announce their status as white minorities in response to increased diversity on campus.

An online group called “I’m a White Minority @ Ryerson” has attracted 64 users since it was created in early November by Quinton Coish, 23, a fifth-year information technology management student.

“I just thought it was funny and it’s kind of true,” Coish said when asked why he created the group. “Depending on the program you’re in, you’re a (white) minority, which is different than it was 50 years ago.”

The group’s online profile, hosted on Facebook, a popular networking site for university students, describes itself as, “Ryerson's first Ethnic/Cultural Group for white people!” It contains postings welcoming redneck jokes, asking where their RSU student group money is, and was updated last Sunday to state, “No, this is not a group for those who are racist.”

On a campus that celebrates and values diversity as a significant feature that defines the Ryerson University experience, an online group like this raises more than just eyebrows.

Is it funny to joke about it?

“It’s a sign that they think things have progressed enough that they can joke about whiteness,” said Cheryl Teelucksingh, a sociology professor at Ryerson who specializes in race, ethnicity and diversity. “What is missing here is a lack of awareness of white privilege and how it operates.”

When the Ryersonian showed print outs of the group’s online profile to President Sheldon Levy, he said he didn’t know anything about it, but that, “it certainly doesn’t sound at all like something that belongs here.”

For Jen Pringle, being part of the group has more to do with the irony of being in a minority group whose members are generally considered to be a majority.

“When I hear about it creating conflict, does that mean we’ll be pinned as being racist and trying to be white supremacists? It’s absolutely not about that,” said Pringle, a fourth-year student in arts and contemporary studies who is focusing on equity and diversity studies. “Honestly, it’s about poking fun at being white.”

Ryerson sociology professor Fiona Whittington-Walsh doesn’t buy it.

“I think it’s disturbing that they’re arguing reverse racism,” said Whittington-Walsh, who has concentrated on media, race and ethnicity. “It’s saying that if it’s funny or a joke, it somehow legitimizes the hate behind it.”

Both Coish and Pringle argue there is no hidden meaning behind the group.

“We’re in no way trying to perpetuate any sort of idea of white dominance or that diversity shouldn’t be allowed,” Pringle said.

“I just think back to first year. When you come in, if you’re Christian or into Buddhism you have a group you can probably join. If you’re Asian or Indian you have a group that’s set up to welcome you,” Coish said. “But if you’re a Caucasian student, what do you do?”

Coish is currently the treasurer for the adventure society on campus and acknowledges there are a handful of non-cultural interest groups he could join. He said he also and understands he’s welcome to join cultural clubs on campus.

But he doesn’t think there are cultural groups that exist for people like him, and thinks this online group is a way to humorously comment on what he thinks is an absence of white culture, and to connect those of similar minds.

 “I just feel like everyone has stuff in common with each other except white people, and we are basically the outcasts,” said group member Josh Horowitz, a third year business student at Ryerson. “I joined the group because I thought it was funny and because it is totally true.”

In an effort to protect its group members, Coish made the group private last week, meaning only members of the group can access its bulletin board, forum and photo gallery. Coish added that the group does not discriminate about who can join.

The photo gallery includes one with Caucasians wearing helmets sitting in the back seat of a car with a caption that reads, “Minorities need to be protected.” There’s also one with students holding shot glasses of liquor with the caption, “Cheers to being a white minority @ Ryerson.” Another photo showed six spoons being held over a man’s head, with the caption, “Minorities need to be fed (preferably with a spoon),” which Coish says is a random picture from a party and the caption, “really has no meaning to it.”

Coish took down a more controversial photo of a friend who was photographed at a party wearing all white. Coish said the photo was taken months ago and that the man’s clothing wasn’t intentional and had no connection to the group.

Comments made by group members on the wall (bulletin) express, “Finally white power at Ryerson”; “I've been upset that I can't be part of any group/club at Ryerson…Good thing this came along,”; “This whole thing feels kind of wrong but I like it, if there can be Asian associations why can’t there be a white club?”

There is also a White Culture Club on Facebook that has 18 members in total who all attend Ryerson. It has been inactive since August but makes similar claims that white students have become minorities on campus and that the group is not racist.

Facebook does review reports of offensive group pictures and comments, but was unable to be reached for comment on the groups content in time for press.

“There is a latent ideology that is problematic,” Teelucksingh said of the groups’ profiles, adding that while these groups do ignore minorities’ need for space, “they don’t seem to be expressing any specific hate; it’s more, ‘what about me?’”

“It’s not trying to make a statement,” Coish said, adding that he doesn’t plan on approaching the RSU to register a white minority group.

“This is as far as this one goes.”