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Photo by Jack Boland/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network

The eight boxes include:

– able-bodied/physically and mentally

– access to education

– christian

– cisgender

– heterosexual

– male

– native English speaker

– Canadian citizen at birth

– white

You read it right. This is no hoax, folks. This poster was on the walls of the campus that is shared by Durham College on Simcoe St. It even has the UOIT banner on the bottom with the kicker saying, “Student Engagement and Equity.”

So much for Dr. Martin Luther King’s edict to judge a person not by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.

Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Wigmore couldn’t believe his eyes and was among the many who notified the Toronto Sun about the poster.

“I would have to check off each one since I fit each category,” he said. “Is it trying to say I am in this university because of all of these things? Or am I from Oshawa and I worked hard to get here?”

It’s crazy any student of any background could be asked such a question or be shamed for their skin colour or sexual preference. If the poster replaced any of the areas addressed with say Muslim or homosexual, Arabic speaking or black or brown, there would be people rightfully calling it inciting hate and calling for hate crime charges.

The UOIT has not returned a call for comment, but many students and alumni are upset about the posters.

“How could something like this be permitted?” asks Erika Humm. “It’s very offensive.”

Photo by Jack Boland/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network

Although he agrees with Humm’s position, Wigmore is not going to lay a complaint or worry about it for too long.

However, he does admit if the standard for such things were applied the same way they are for other races, religions and cultures, “these posters would be considered racist for sure.”

Wigmore is not racist and does not know anyone at the university or college who is racist.

In fact, when photographer Jack Boland and I found the poster, it was right behind three students — two of whom were black and the other appearing to have brown skin. All three rejected the notion being presented in the poster.

“It’s not right,” said one young man. “I don’t feel any racism around here.”

The two women he was with agreed — saying the poster is “ridiculous.”

They’re right. So are Matthew and Erika.