Early Friday morning, the Spee Club-- one of Harvard's eight all-male final clubs-- announced that its members had voted to welcome all genders in the club's upcoming punch. According to Spee Club president Matthew E. Lee '16, the members were inspired to reflect on their club's longstanding policies after reading Dean Rakesh Khurana's latest email calling for reflection.

 

Despite the announcement's coming just a few days after Harvard University President Drew Faust expressed concerns about excessive alcohol consumption and incidents of sexual assault in the final clubs, the Spee Club claims Dean Khurana's inspirational end-of-summer email was the turning point. "We wanted to transform our community experience, like Dean Khurana always says," said Lee. "Now everyone has a chance to feel excluded!"

 

Some members took Khurana's advice more literally. "I was looking in the mirror and I thought, 'Huh, I look really good,'" said club member Barnaby T. Hollandsworth '17.  "But then I thought, 'Wow, I'd look even better if there was a woman standing next to me!' So we did that."

 

Asked whether the club's new co-ed status will solve the problems of sexual assault and rape culture in the club and, if so, how it will do that, Lee responded, "Sure it will."

 

Spee Club member Gerald Farnsworth '16 echoed the president's sentiments. "As Dean Khurana said, you don't need to 'comp' community. And we're a safe, welcoming community-- although still very exclusive," he said while slamming the club's door shut. 

 

Image Credit: Flickr