Georgia Tech may change its fight song to be more gender-inclusive

Georgia Tech students will vote on approving a change to the school’s fight song in the interest of gender inclusivity.

The second verse of “Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech” reads, “If I had a daughter, sir, I’d dress her in White and Gold, and put her on the campus to cheer the brave and bold.” 

However, students will be able to vote upon changing the word “cheer” to “join.”

The spring 2021 student government elections ballot contains a referendum for amending the lyrics. 

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In a resolution establishing the referendum, the undergraduate student legislature noted that an identical ballot measure was offered six years ago. At the time, 71.29 percent of respondents voted against swapping “cheer” with “join,” with 82 percent of alumni and 68 percent of students opposing the change.

The resolution also reported that at the time, 70.67 percent of all respondents “did not think there was a pertinent issue of gender equality on our campus.” The vote was relatively evenly distributed, with 73 percent of alumni and 70 percent of the undergraduate and graduate students agreeing with the statement.

The student government noted that the School Chairs of each academic department recently “submitted a formal request to honor Georgia Tech’s women students” by changing the fight song.

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Caleb Torres, Chief of Staff to the Student Body President at Georgia Tech, told Campus Reform that “as of now, the course of action pertaining to the proposed change to the fight song is undecided.”

“We will continue collaborating with the Institute, including the group of School Chairs who proposed the change,” he added. “The referendum is simply helping us collect the opinions of the student body on this important issue.”

Campus Reform reached out to Georgia Tech and the student government for comment; this article will be updated accordingly.

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @BenZeisloft