Education

Everything is offensive! Cali student gov tries to ban theme parties

Robby Soave Reporter
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The exceedingly ethnically sensitive and easily offended student government of the University of California (UC) approved a resolution that calls for a ban on culture-themed parties and asks the university to force sensitivity training on UC fraternities and sororities.

It was a “quinceanera” theme party hosted by Berkeley’s Delta Chi fraternity that inspired the resolution. In Mexican culture, a quinceanera is a typically festive and lavish birthday party for a Mexican girl who is turning 15. Participants in Delta Chi’s quinceanera wore Mexican costumes, including sombreros and mustaches.

“That’s very important in our community, and for someone to take that and turn it into a party scene and dress up with sombreros and mustaches and reflect those stereotypes of what Mexican culture is is not OK,” said Wendy Pacheco, a member of the Associated Students of UC (ASUC), in a statement to The Daily Californian.

Pacheco sponsored the ASUC resolution. The bill, which is only symbolic, asks the university to take stronger measures against theme parties and put the Greek system through racial sensitivity training.

At least one member of the student government who attended the party said it wasn’t particularly offensive.

“If there were derogatory costumes there, I did not see them, but I understand that everyone’s definition of offensive is different,” said Liza Raffi, a student senator, in a statement.

In fact, Mexican members of Delta Chi were the ones who suggested the theme, Campus Reform reports.

This is not the first time a student organization has told Mexican students that their request for Mexican things is offensive. At Northwestern University last year, a Latino student group chided the campus for celebrating Cinco de Mayo by eating tacos and drinking tequila. Later, Mexican students said tacos and tequila shots were exactly how the holiday should be celebrated. (RELATED: Latino student group says eating tacos is offensive to Mexicans)

Pacheco did not respond to a request for comment.

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