Larry D. Long works.bepress.com/ldlong/47 The content of this presentation might be offensive Long, 2008 What are common party themes your chapter organizes? Long, 2008 What are common party themes your chapter organizes? It’s just for fun, right? Long, 2008 Inappropriate Themes:  Pimps and Ho’s  Golf Pros and Tennis Ho’s  South of the Border Party  Cowboys and Indians  Other themes that are sexist or mock or stereotype a culture Long, 2008 “South of the Border” and Cinco de Mayo parties Long, 2008 Tarleton State University Lambda Chi Alpha Martin Luther King, Jr. Party Long, 2008 Auburn University Beta Theta Pi Members dress as Omega Psi Phi members (historically black fraternity) Delta Sigma Phi Members dress in KKK attire. One member is shown in blackface with a noose around his neck. Long, 2008 Ole Miss Alpha Tau Omega A member dressed in blackface and posed picking cotton. Another member posing as a police offer held a toy gun to the head of the person in blackface. Long, 2008 Golf Pros and Tennis Ho’s Long, 2008 Pimps and Ho’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon & Beta Theta Pi Michigan Sigma Nu South Carolina White Trash Bash theme Long, 2008 What do these themes say about people’s perception of:  Race/Ethnicity  Gender Roles  Class Long, 2008 Long, 2008 Themes and designs that mock or stereotype a group of people should not be used Long, 2008 Reflect on the culture within your chapter. Can you think of situations where stereotypes are reinforced? Long, 2008 Mock (verb) 1. to attack or treat with ridicule, contempt, or derision. 2. to ridicule by mimicry of action or speech; mimic derisively. 3. to mimic, imitate, or counterfeit. Hate speech (noun) Speech that attacks a person or group on the basis of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. Long, 2008  Make your house a welcoming environment ◦ Don’t display sexist images on your walls   ◦ Monitor your language and confront your peers Don’t allow your chapter to organize parties with inappropriate themes Understand your own biases and perceptions Long, 2008  Have the courage to confront your peers ◦ Jokes based on race, national origin, gender, etc. ◦ Gender Roles  ◦ “That’s so gay” Serve as an ally for your brothers and sisters Long, 2008 Ohio University’s “We’re a Culture not a Costume” campaign ◦ http://www.ohio.edu/orgs/stars/Home.html ◦ Provides information on the negative effects of stereotyping Restorative Justice ◦ http://studentlife.msu.edu/sccr/conflictresolution-services/restorative-justice ◦ A conflict resolution tool that might help heal the harm caused by incidents of bias Long, 2008 Stop the Hate ◦ http://www.stophate.org/ Speak Up ◦ http://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/downl oads/publication/splcspeak_up_handbook_0.pdf ◦ Resource on bystander intervention Long, 2008  Write down one thing you will begin doing to make your chapter more welcoming and inclusive Long, 2008