Madeline Grant, Oxford University Student, Boasted About 'Great Rack' To Win Librarian Job

Oxford Student Uses 'Great Rack' To Land Librarian Job

An Oxford University student has provoked outrage after she used her "great rack" to attempt to win votes to become a librarian.

Madeline Grant, 19, reportedly used the slogan "I don't hack, I just have a great rack", in her bid to become Union Librarian at the university. But her proposed manifesto has prompted accusations of sexism, with one Oxford student union member calling her actions "deeply offensive".

“This year’s three successive female presidents are testimony to the fact that the Union has moved far beyond outdated sexual stereotypes and it is deeply saddening to see women objectifying themselves in manifestos.”

The Oxford Union have now insisted the slogan was not part of her published manifesto although a spokesperson admitted it may have appeared in a physical draft copy.

"A number of elements of Madeline's proposed manifesto were deemed inappropriate, and were removed from the final version," the Oxford Union spokesperson said.

The student's eventual manifesto, which has been published and distributed to union members now reads: "I don't hack, I'm just here for the craic."

But this is not the first time Grant, who is studying English Literature and Language and works at clothes store Hollister, has made headlines. In 2010, her mother Sally Jones wrote an article for the Daily Mail complaining her, ahem, "painfully shy" daughter, who also calls herself Madeline Jones, was turned away from London Fashion Week for being "too fat".

But despite the controversial proposed manifesto, Grant defended her actions telling the Cherwell: "I hope no-one is offended by my manifesto - it was only meant to be a light-hearted satire on an organisation which is often seen very seriously."

The National Union of Students Women's Officer Estelle Hart said:

"Whilst these comments are obviously ill-advised they are symptomatic of a culture that tells women that their only worth stems from their looks.

"Instead of focusing on the ill-judged comments of one student and using it as an excuse to publish salacious photographs the media would be better placed in examining the impact a culture of objectification has on young women who face constant harassment of their campuses.”

CORRECTION: We have changed the reference to Grant's original manifesto from "manifesto" to "proposed manifesto" as it was not published.

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