 2023 logo | |
 Cover from 2023 | |
| Type | Weeklynewspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Tabloid |
| Owner(s) | University of Sydney Students' Representative Council |
| Editor | Purny Ahmed, Emilie Garcia-Dolnik, Mehnaaz Hossain, Annabel Li, Ellie Robertson, Imogen Sabey, Charlotte Saker, Lotte Weber, Will Winter[1] |
| Founded | 1929 (1929) |
| Political alignment | Left-wing |
| Language | English |
| City | Camperdown, New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Circulation | 2,000[2] |
| Website | honisoit |
Honi Soit is thestudent newspaper of theUniversity of Sydney. First published in 1929, the newspaper is produced by an elected editorial team and a select group of reporters sourced from the university's populace.[3] Its name is an abbreviation of theAnglo-Norman phrase "Honi soit qui mal y pense", meaning "shamed be (the person) who thinks evil of it".[4]
Published as part of the activities of the University of SydneyStudents' Representative Council (SRC),Honi Soit is atabloid-sized publication incorporating a mixture of campus-specific and broader political articles.
Issues are published weekly during university semesters, typically containing a topicalfeature article; letters to the editors; campus news; political analysis; investigative journalism; culture and reviews; and comedy and satire.
Special editions are published yearly, includingElection Honi, devoted towards covering the annual Students' Representative Council elections;Women's Honi dedicated to women's issues and edited autonomously by the SRC's Women's Collective (WoCo);ACAR Honi, dedicated to platforming culturally diverse voices and edited by the Autonomous Collective Against Racism (ACAR); andQueer Honi, dedicated to coveringLGBT issues and edited by the Queer Action Collective (QuAC).
The final edition each year is typically presented as a spoof or parody of an existing newspaper. These editions were traditionally sold on the streets of Sydney to raise money for charity as part of the university's Commemoration Day festivities, though this practice has been discontinued since the 1970s.
Honi Soit is the first and only weekly student newspaper inAustralia.
Honi has a strong history of irreverence, often printing humorous and satiric stories alongside traditional journalistic pieces. This has in turn inspired breakaway satiric publicationsOz magazine andThe Chaser.
The paper's comedy articles have appeared in the mainstream press. In 2012, an article in the comedy section (then calledThe Soin, parodyingThe Sun) was featured byPeter Fitzsimmons inThe Sydney Morning Herald.[5] In 2013, theHerald reprinted a popular tongue-in-cheek list of Sydney's worstbus routes, which had originally appeared inHoni.[6]
It has become tradition for the final pages of the paper to be presented as a satirical newspaper, most frequently going by the name ofThe Garter Press, a play on theOrder of the Garter from whichHoni Soit derives its name.
The office of editor is highly sought after, and was originally filled by single honorary appointment for outstanding merit in the field of writing. Since the 1980s editors have been annually elected by fellow students as a "ticket" of up to 10 candidates during SRC elections, with two or more groups campaigning for the role. Guest editors will normally be nominated for the annual autonomous editions by the relevant interest groups on campus.[citation needed]
For a time until 1966, editors of the paper were given a yearly scholarship of £100 (roughly equivalent to $2,700 in 2014)[7] by media tycoonRupert Murdoch,[8] and the SRC began to pay editors a small allowance instead from this point on.[9][10] Today, editors of Honi Soit receive a fortnightly stipend of $509.
Notable past editors includeLex Banning,Bob Ellis, Victoria Zerbst,Verity Firth, Sam Langford,Laurie Oakes,Kip Williams,Craig Reucassel, Hannah Ryan, andKeith Windschuttle.[11][12]
Honi Soit was created in 1929 to counterbalance ongoing criticism of Sydney University's students in the Australian media, which came to a head when students were alleged to have dressed a soldier's statue on theCenotaph in women's underwear during a graduation festival.[13][14][10]The Sydney Morning Herald referred to the incident as a "vulgar desecration", and students were described as "educated louts" for their actions.[15]
A 1929 edition ofHoni sought to address the ongoing outrage with the stinging retort:[10]
Honi Soit's first edition outlined the paper's editorial position and objectives:[16]
Featured in the first edition was a letter to the editor asking whether men should pay women students' tram fares, to which the paper responded that it had "asked several Women Undergrads about it and one has promised to give us her views on the subject. We should also like to hear some Senior Men's views on the same point."[17] Also discussed in the edition were the ethics of advertisement, with the paper being published for free and advertising only "reputable firms whom we can strongly recommend to your custom."[18]
The new paper sought to paint the undergraduate varsity in a more favourable light, giving voice to the student's successes and their progressive opinions, a role which it has continued to pursue to the present.
With the onset ofthe Great Depression, the rise of thelabour movement and the growth of thecounterculture,Honi's left-wing and often radical voice helped the publication grow from its roots as a small university publication, with the paper and its alumni eventually playing a pivotal role in the culture of both Australia andBritain.
An important line of demarcation forHoni came in the 1960s with editorsRichard Walsh and Peter Grose's premature resignation to foundOz magazine, a humorous publication in Australia and (later) Britain which came into conflict with legal authorities in both countries.[8] However,Oz did play a strong role in defining the comedic and radical sensibilities of future generations ofHoni.
Honi became intricately associated with theSydney Push during the 1960s, turning its focus from arts to politics for the first time, and a number of radical editors followed Walsh's tenure.[9][19]
In 1967Honi was implicated in the development of the Anti-Vietnam movement in Australia, being blamed for road blockades that led to the infamous"run the bastards over" affair during a visit by American PresidentLyndon B. Johnson.[20] The paper was described as "filthy and scurrilous" in the Legislative Council of NSW for their stance against the war, and former editor Richard Walsh was denied entry to the United States in 1966 for his outspokenness on the issue.[10] Despite this, the tide of public opinion eventually turned inHoni's favour as the Vietnam War progressed, largely vindicating their editorial position (seeOpposition to the Vietnam War, Public opinion).
Being a left-wing student publication also putHoni at the forefront of the counterculture in Australia, with editorial content often directed towards defending the rights of women, people of colour,[21] LGBT people, and adherents of communism, at times when such views were still widely controversial.[10][13][22][23][24][25]
The radicalism ofHoni during the 1960s was not without its consequences. By 1967 the paper found itself without willing advertisers to fund its publication, and faced calls for its disestablishment from members of the University Senate. However the SRC declared the paper had become far too important to let it perish, and provided temporary funding on the condition that the publication be restructured back towards a more traditional newspaper, instating conservative editorKeith Windschuttle to placate critics.[10]
Honi Soit retains its position in the Australian media landscape as a hub ofcounter-cultural journalism and left-wing activism,[12] though its long list of preeminent alumni and position as a leading student publication have somewhat softened its public image, being described by Peter Fitzsimmons inThe Sydney Morning Herald as a "venerable newspaper" in 2013.[26] Current incarnations are comparable to the American publicationVice for their blend of arts, news and cultural reporting.
The 2013 'Vagina Soit' cover was used by gender equality and gender-based violence advisor Alison Shepherd-Smith inKenya to raise awareness offemale genital mutilation, showing a class of women what a variety of vaginas look like.[27]
Since its inceptionHoni has been an important training ground for many Australian journalists, politicians, satirist, writers, and entertainers. Former contributors include art criticRobert Hughes, poetLes Murray, film-makerBruce Beresford,OZ magazine co-founderRichard Walsh, media personalityClive James, feministGermaine Greer, journalistsBob Ellis,David Solomon andLaurie Oakes, Prime MinisterMalcolm Turnbull, High Court JudgeMichael Kirby, authorMadeleine St John, historianKeith Windschuttle, theatre directorKip Williams, intellectualDonald Horne, broadcasterAdam Spencer, philosopherGeorge Molnar,[28] various members of comedy troupeThe Chaser, and journalistAvani Dias.[12]
Former Prime MinisterTony Abbott has namedHoni Soit as the impetus for his initial entry into politics, having been inspired to begin writing to the paper by a "quirky" edition which "demonstrated how to build a nuclear bomb".[29]
As a counter-cultural publication,Honi has a long history of generating controversy dating back to its founding issue. The constant controversy surrounding the paper was lampooned in a 1967 edition which contained a cutout "special libel coupon" that would make it easier for readers to "sueHoni Soit for all it's got (two battered typewriters)".[30]
In 2009Honi published a feature article, 'The Mystery of St Michael's', later uncovered as ahoax. It claimed a fire in 1992 at St Michael's College, a subsequently-derelict residential college adjacent to the university's Architecture building, had killed 16 students. It was implied that a cover-up by theCatholic Church had stifled widespread awareness of the tragedy.[31] The editors subsequently announced that the story was fictional.[32]
In August 2013, the newspaper made international headlines after printing a cover featuring photographs of 18 vulvae. The newspaper was pulled from stands within hours after it was decided the censoring of the images was not sufficient. This was due to the fact that black bars placed over certain parts of the vulvae were not completely opaque.[33]
A statement released by the women editors stated "We are tired of society giving us a myriad of things to feel about our own bodies. We are tired of having to attach anxiety to our vaginas. We are tired of vaginas being either artificially sexualised (porn) or stigmatised (censorship and airbrushing). We are tired of being pressured to be sexual, and then being shamed for being sexual."[34]
The paper became a point of contention in the lead up to the 2013 Australian federal election, as a standing record of the allegedly violent and anti-social conduct of Prime Ministerial candidateTony Abbott during his time at University.[35][36] Abbott became the 28thPrime Minister of Australia.
In 1958Honi caused a media outrage over a story calling for the end of theANZAC Day holiday. The paper argued that the national holiday was no longer treated as a veneration to the casualties of war, but rather as a national celebration and an excuse for inebriation, backing up the claims with photographs of drunken revellers at memorial events.[37] Despite widespread calls from the media for the editor to be sacked, the SRC resisted.[38] The affair was the basis for the playThe One Day of the Year byAlan Seymour.[39]
A report by the Department of Veterans' Affairs in 2012 found the prevailing public sentiment to agree with the allegations made byHoni, with participants stating the "excessive use of alcohol and 'yobbo' behavior... detract from the original spirit of the day and negatively impact on the veteran commemorations".[40]
In August 2018,Honi gained media attention when it emerged that they had published an article by former University of Sydney lecturer Jay Tharappel, which praised the regime inNorth Korea.[41] Tharappel's article claimed that North Korea was an "egalitarian" society, which was benefiting from the "past sacrifice" of its citizens and remained "necessarily authoritarian" due to its antagonism with the United States.[42]
The article drew further criticism from Jewish organisations, after it became known Tharappel had engaged in alleged antisemitic behaviour, including making tendentious comments on Facebook aboutthe Holocaust. The 2018 editors refused to retract the article.[41]
In 1945, the Christian Societies of the university drew media attention after they called for the paper's editors to be sacked for publishing information about birth control, and for misquoting the Bible.[43] These complaints were supported by the then Rector of St John's College who suggested its distributors be arrested, though police did not pursue the matter.[44]
In 1950, printersConsolidated Press refused to produce an edition ofHoni due to an article relating to an employee of theCommonwealth Police (now theAustralian Security Intelligence Organisation and theAustralian Federal Police), for fear it constituted a breach of national security.[45]
In 1952, fights broke out at Sydney University, including in theHoni Soit office, after the newspaper published reports of drunkenness and savagehazing rituals at the university's ecclesiastical colleges. The brawls were caused by members of the colleges attempting to remove the paper from circulation, going so far as to chase a truck delivering copies out of the university grounds. Police were eventually called in to control the situation.[46][47]
In 1970,Honi published confidential intelligence files that showed theAustralian Security Intelligence Organisation had blocked the appointment of one of its former editors,Hall Greenland, from a job in the public service.[48] Greenland went on to become aWalkley Award-winning journalist.
Honi Soit was frequently in conflict with the police from the 1950s through to the 1970s for publication of what was considered indecent material, generally depicting nudity or erotica in various forms, often published to specifically antagonise the authorities.[22] Having won over public opinion by the mid 1970s,Honi continued its practice of occasionally featuring nudity up until the 1990s with little interference.[10]
In 1995, the editors (including The Chaser'sCharles Firth) used their colour pages to create an advertisement for Union Board candidate Nick Purtell. The editors were fined $360 (the cost of an advertisement) and asked to apologise for the misuse of advertising space. The editors printed an apology in size 4 font, then ran a full page ad in support of their actions. Mr Purtell did not manage to get elected.[10] This incident was recalled by Charles Firth in the ABC documentaryUni.[49][50]
In 1995,Honi Soit reprinted a controversial article fromRabelais Student Media, itsLa Trobe University counterpart, entitled "The Art of Shoplifting"—one of seven student newspapers to do so in the wake ofRabelais editors being prosecuted by state censors.
In their last edition for 2005, the editors produced "Hx", an imitation of the free "Mx" tabloid. They used their colour pages to present a biting satire of quality commercial media, with rarely seen images of dead and wounded Iraqis juxtaposed against vacuous magazine style copy, such as "Fashion From the Front Line". The inclusion of images of dead and mutilated civilian casualties shocked many readers.[10] This same year the paper was accused of having turned from its radical roots by comedianJonathan Biggins after it published a critical recap of hisWharf Revue.[51]
De-classifiedU.S. National Security Agency documents were published byHoni in 2013, which showed the paper had been suspected by intelligence agencies of operating under Soviet influence.[52]
In 2016, the editors produced a satire spoof of broadsheet newspaperThe Australian for their last edition for the year. The issue, complete with replica masthead, featured a front-page splash aboutRupert Murdoch dying and satirical parody opinion pieces from journalists at the paper.[53][54][55] The prank was acknowledged byThe Australian's CEO Nicholas Gray.[56]
On Tuesday 16 May 2023, hundreds of copies ofQueer Honi, the annual autonomous edition ofHoni Soit produced by the Queer Action Collective, were stolen from stands. Hundreds more were taken the following day.Honi Soit estimated that nearly a thousand copies were stolen, almost half of the paper's print run.Honi noted that "With the paper's masthead being "Fagi Soit" and featuring a cover image of a trans woman's torso tattooed with slurs, the theft is, in Honi's view, a targeted attack against queer expression".[57]
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