Complaint about ‘Girls Night Out’ theme for Hamilton Police recruitment event sparks change

The Hamilton Police Service’s female recruitment night will have a different theme next year.

Inspector Treena MacSween stresses that organizers welcome the feedback, and will be making changes after the YWCA Hamilton objected to its hot pink “Girls Night Out” poster.

The YWCA has voiced dissatisfaction with the poster’s stereotypical colour choice, adding in a Twitter post that “we have to stop calling women ‘girls.”

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The recruitment event is scheduled for Monday, April 30 at Ancaster Old Town Hall.

MacSween adds this type of initiative has been successful, as Hamilton’s contingent of female officers has jumped from 21 to 24 per cent since 2014.

She also stresses that organizers “didn’t mean to offend anyone,” adding that “Girls Night Out” is designed to be a “comfortable” atmosphere where females can ask questions about things like maternity leave, child care and elder care that tend to fall on their shoulders.