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1906254 Responseshttp://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/whats-with-the-theme-parties/What%27s+With+the+Theme+Parties%3F2010-03-01+03%3A45%3A22Sam+Richards to What’s With the Theme Parties?
I read this post and found myself scratching my head. I can’t help but wonder if maybe this student and I have significantly different views about what these theme parties are. Is there a secret theme party sub-culture at Penn State that I don’t know about? If anything, I feel like theme parties are more likely to make fun of white people. One example of this would be the ever-popular “truckers and tramps” theme party.
An example of some other theme parties would be toga parties, “CEOs and corporate hoes”, “Tennis pros and golf hoes”, anything but cups, highlighter parties, Jersey Shore themed parties, etc.
If anything, Italians should be complaining about being stereotyped. Or more particularly, women should be outraged given that we always seemed to be grouped into a category consisting of the word “hoe.”
No where in there is there a themed party that pokes fun at minorities. Again, maybe there are some parties with themes that could be offensive to minorities, but I have never heard of one and I don’t think it’s fair to stereotype and say only white people have themed parties and that these themes make fun of minorities. If anything, this post makes me a little angry that I am essentially being grouped into this category by the student in the video. For someone complaining about stereotyping, it sure seems like she’s stereotyping others.
I’ll give this person the benefit of the doubt and assume she’s had a very bad experience with a rare themed party that was racist in some way. Perhaps there were students there with blackface painted on. Maybe it was a Halloween party and a couple of jerks dressed up in offensive costumes, or tried to wear a black rapper costume, etc. It’s hard for me to imagine what kind of situation she’s been through that would make her believe that themed parties are, in essence, racist and that all white people celebrate their Friday nights by getting hammered and making fun of minorities.
At the same time, I’d like to respectfully ask this student to reconsider her stereotype that all themed parties are racially motivated and that only white students throw themed parties. Hopefully we can all take something away from this post – students who throw offensively themed parties should knock it off, and this student should not stereotype another race when she herself does not want to be stereotyped.
Theme parties are only for white people. I have to be honest, that is one of the most generalized and un-intelligent sounding theories I have ever heard. Everyone parties whether you’re black white green or blue, and theme parties are just another way to do so.
Through my years at Penn State, I have been to many parties. All of these parties are mostly predictable…show up, drink, get drunk, eat, go home. At all of these parties there have been many different types of people. These people include frat boys, sorority girls, white, black, brown, and all other people in between. And it’s NOT a big deal. Drinking is not race-specific. We all like to have a good time, right? So likewise, theme parties are not race-specific, or as this girl thinks, white specific. It is really interesting to me that this girl has that perception because it is so false. And to think that she thinks that most of them are poking fun at black people? I’ve never heard this generalization before and it makes absolutely no sense.
Think of all the possible themes that there could be for a theme party. There could be a Thanksgiving theme, a Christmas theme, a Mardi Gras theme, a Valentine’s Day theme, or anything else of this sort. In fact, most of the theme parties that I have been to since I’ve been at Penn State have been similar to this, and they in no way have anything to do with ANY race. This girls’ blog post makes me wonder if more people feel the same way as she does. I really hope that this is not the case because it really upsets me to think that black people (or any people) would feel that white people are making fun of them by having theme parties. I can’t even think of a theme party that I’ve ever been to that pokes fun at black people. I’ve heard of CMT versus BET, so I could understand how this could be mis-interpreted. But wouldn’t it be fair to say that this could be making fun of white people too? I’d rather just not pull the race card, because that’s not what theme parties are about.
What’s funny is that I don’t even like theme parties. Every time I hear that there is one I get annoyed because it’s too much effort, and a lot of times I won’t go (unless it’s a fun theme). I have a hard time believing that white people are the only ones to host them, and I know for a fact that people of all races attend them. I really wish that people would see the bigger picture. It may seem like there are more “white” theme parties, but that is simply because white people are the majority at Penn State. I really wish that the girl in this blog did not feel the way she does, because it is not true.
I am not sure if I completely understand where this student is coming from. Maybe I had talked to her and heard a little more of her explanation and where she is coming from I would have a better understanding. However, in my opinion I do not think that it is correct to overgeneralize and say that themed parties are only held by Caucasians. I believe that if you were to categorize a group of people that have themed parties you would have to say all college students, not just Caucasians. I think that in general it is a popular thing for college students to have themed parties. As a way to change it up a little bit, add variety, and just have fun. Personally, I really enjoy themed parties because it is a fun way to express our creativity and have fun coming up with different and unusual outfits for these themed parties.
I know many groups that participate and host themed parties including sororities and fraternities as well as different organizations like the different Thon committees. Neither of these types of groups are all Caucasian. Coming from someone that is in a sorority that has people of color in it and attends themed parties at fraternities with people of color in it, I know for a fact that people of color take place in themed parties as well.
I do not believe that themed parties are geared towards making fun of racial stereotypes. I think that themed parties just make fun of stereotypes in general, not just racial ones. And I think it partly what makes themed parties so fun. I went to one themed party this last fall that was a Catalina Wine Mixer theme. At this theme party everyone dressed up at preppy, upper class males and females; in a way we were sort of making fun of them. Other themes mock the stereotypes of "jersey shore" people, which is not really a race but more of a type of culture or lifestyle. And other themes include stereotyping business men.
Not all themed parties have to be about stereotypes at all. I have attended ABC themed parties or different themes that have to do with decades like the eighties, or cities, like vegas, or even channels like Nickelodeon. Those themes do not really have anything to even do with stereotype. They are just a fun way to switch it up from the typical every weekend party. I would not say that themed parties are only hosted and attended by Caucasians. I think that themed parties are just a popular thing in all college environments.
So personally I do not completely agree with this student's opinion. However, maybe she has a better reasoning to her opinion or examples that support her that would better help me understand her reasoning.
I'm sorry to come off as harsh, but I think that this is a really dumb comment. I've seen themed parties thrown by people of all races. For example, I'm in a sorority, and we have paired up ith multi-cultural fraternities/sororities for weeklongs. To explain, a weeklong is a week of celebrating and drinking in the Greek community. Typically, each night has a different theme. The multi-cultural fraternity/sorority was just as gung ho about the themes as the white fraternity and sorority members. In fact, they were sometimes even more into the themes, sporting crazy outfits and taking it to the next level. I know though, that this had nothing to do with their race, but more to do with how that particular group of people were. I think to say that they only dressed up because they were black is pretty ignorant.
When you take drinking out of the mix, look at 4th of July parties, or New Years, or St. Patrick's Day. Everyone dresses a certain way for these parties, certain foods are served, and certain music is played. This, essentially is a theme. And I know for sure that it's not only white people who go to and throw these parties. Ever since we're little theme parties are thrown, and give us more of a reason to celebrate.
In addition, when white people do throw theme parties, I don't think that they're racist. More than anything, these parties are linked to popular culture. For example, a popular theme right now is Jersey Shore. Jersey Shore, as I'm sure you know, is a MTV show that highlights white people who live in Jersey Shore over the summer. ALL of these people are white, and many white, black, brown people participate in this theme. So how is this not racist to white people?
The only theme that I've heard of that could be considered "racist" to black people is CMT (Country Music Television) vs BET (Black Entertainment Television). But as I said, this isn't against a certain race, it's poking fun at popular culture. Most black people do not wear big fur jackets and clocks around their necks. People poke fun at things like this because they're ridiculous, regardless of race. You figure the other half of the theme is music traditionally listened to by white people. So if this is the case, how can these themes be considered racist?
I think it's pretty annoying that this would even be said into the video camera. If a white person said that about people of color they would freak out, without a doubt. So I don't think it's fair to say something/prejudice against a certain group if you would be upset if it was said about you. More than anything, themed parties are a part of college culture. We can drink any night of the week, and that gets boring. Therefore, people create themes to make these parties more exciting. It's not like every party thrown by a white person is a themed party, just like not every party thrown by a black person is a themeless party.
In my personal experience, theme parties are not simply limited to white people. I personally have been to themed parties with people of different races, not just white people. Also, I don’t believe its right to say that these theme parties are “making fun of racial stereotypes, towards black people.” I have never, in my three years of college thus far, been to a theme party where a racial stereotype for black people was portrayed. I’m assuming that the woman is referring to people being “black face” at parties? While I’ve never personally been to a party where someone has done this, I’ve only ever even seen it around Halloween- which is a themed holiday in itself. I don’t believe only white people celebrate this holiday either. Also, the only other things I can think of which would be black stereotypes would be a costume with baggy pants? Even this is not a strictly black stereotype. A lot of my friends have dressed up as K-Fed and Britney Spears for Halloween and K-Fed is white. I guess my main confusion with this question is what does this woman mean by having black stereotypes portrayed at themed parties? Because honestly, I do go out and I have been to many themed parties and I have not come across this whatsoever.
In response to asking why people have theme parties, it’s simply because they’re fun. People enjoy dressing out of the ordinary and giving a party, which is a regular weekly occurrence here at Penn State, some fun twist. Theme parties allow people to dress silly or follow a guideline and wear something crazy that they might not otherwise. Parties like, “would you still be my friend if,” or “wacky tacky” themed parties, while seen as nerdy or un-cool, also gives people another way to start talking to strangers. I know that I, personally, have been able to easily meet more people at themed parties than regular parties because you have that in to talk to them. You can ask them about their outfit or how they came up with the idea and then the conversation continues from there. It’s fun to see how creative people get with their costumes. Instead of just having one holiday per year where people can dress up and be silly, it’s nice to have random parties with your friends when you can step out of your comfort zone and have a little fun.
I don’t think it’s right for this woman to say that only white people have themed parties and that at these theme parties, people are making fun of racial stereotypes, especially towards black people. I think this is not a fair statement and in my personal experience, this statement is completely unfounded. I would be very interested to see if this woman has actually ever been to a themed party, because honestly, her notion of what they are, is not completely justifiable.
I completely disagree with this statement. She is saying that white people are the only ones that throw themed parties, when in actuality, I went to a themed party a couple weeks ago hosted by a black guy. These themed parties that I have been to have never been racist against anyone, except for maybe the parties that are the ones where you have to dress up as a "clique" in high school, such as a geek, or a jock or one of the other. However, never have I been to one that has been generated towards a color of any sort. What I have experienced is just that people throw these themed parties to make their party more than just an "average" one, to entice people to come, to experience something more fun. People should not make such assumptions when they don't know the whole deal. The only reason that I could see that she would say this and make such a generalization is because there are more white people at Penn State than there are black people, but that does not mean that white people are the only one's interested in throwing these kinds of parties. Like I said before, I went to one last weekend hosted by a black person.
I really do not think that white people decided to get together and celebrate and party while trying to offend black people. I think people just want to have fun, and themes are a great way to change up the usual party scene we all experience. Nobody is stopped from throwing or attending a themed party, so any colored people can participate. If white people really came up with themed parties to offend black people, why would they throw parties that make fun of other white people? For example, there has always been the popular “white trash” theme, as well as the more recently popular “Jersey Shore” theme, which pokes fun at “Guidos”. Maybe we should just stop trying to find the racism in everything, especially parties, and just enjoy ourselves.
Usually, when looking at an issue, I can easily see both sides of the argument clearly and then see where my opinion falls. However, I personally do not see much of where this argument is even coming from.
The past four years I have spent at Penn State, I have gone to a significant amount of parties, only a small percentage of those being themed. I am trying to look back and recall if any of them were geared towards a certain race, namely black people as stated in the video. The only thing that remotely comes to mind that could be associated with rap culture, which as we know was started by black people, is the “gangsta” theme. However, I have absolutely never heard of anyone dressing up for one of these said socials and making fun of black people. Most of the time it is people wearing a football jersey or a white tank top and sagging their jeans or tilting a flat-brim hat to the side, and then the party proceeds as normal with drinking and maybe a little higher than normal amount of picture taking. Nothing seems racist to me about that.
What is more disconcerting is the fact that there are just as many theme parties not having to do with race AT ALL or quite a few having to do with familiar stereotypes towards white people, which as we have learned in this class – it is important to look at both sides of the issue. For example, there are some common theme parties like golf pros and tennis hoes or CEO hoes and office hoes that are circulated around the idea of a preppy/rich man (for the sake of the US culture, usually white) and a slutty girl. As a white person and a woman, this is not offensive at all – they are simply exaggerating preexisting stereotypes of our society.
Also, after “Jersey Shore” blew up on MTV, we saw countless poofs, blowouts, short dresses and tight male tank tops. Actually, on one night, five of my six roommates had different Jersey Shore parties to go to. Being half Italian and from New Jersey, I know this is not how everyone actually is, and while there is all this protest about the show, it is entertainment, just like these parties. Aside from these examples, I must point out that race never even enters my mind, especially because a majority of the themes have to do with holidays, sports events, or something challenging/creative like “anything but clothes/cup/etc.” and think is far-fetched for someone to say white people are the ones mostly taking part in this activity that pokes fun at black people. What some must also remember is the percentage of white people at Penn State. While I don’t have an actual number, it is by far, much higher than any other race represented here. So obviously when you go out on any night, theme party, or not, there are going to be more white people, in general. I am all for eliminating racism in our society but to do so, I feel like we must look at what is really at issue and I don’t think that by dressing up and going to a party any college student thinks he or she is degrading another race.
I am White and have friend who are Black. When I am invited to a theme party they are usually also invited. I believe the speaker of this post needs to leap out of her box and maybe become friends with more white individuals. I believe there are many blacks that are too entrenched in the black community. While having roots in your racial community is a good thing, too much of it can be a bad thing. One has to learn how to act and work with people of other colors. I really think this was an ignorant post, but however I do not take offense to it. I would be curious to hear of what actual theme parties took offense of black individuals. Personally, the only themed party I have been to which a black person was involved was Tiger’s Hoes and Golf Pros. However, many black people do not consider Tiger to be on their “team” so I am unsure if this even counts.
A themed party in my mind has never even thought about race. I believe society is truly to the next level when it comes to race. Many of our generation currently in college now do not see color. They see the individual person. Especially at Penn State, I believe most students do not think about racism much at all. The poster of that comment may change my opinion on that subject though. I now wonder if the deeply entrenched black sections of the Penn State community still think about race every day. I have many black friends that I do not consider entrenched in the black community, because they are involved in many other things on campus. Be it business organizations, THON, or Greek Life. I believe these students have truly wanted to become part of Penn State. I am unsure about the group of students who do not get involved and simply stay with people they are comfortable with. There are so many opportunities at Penn State to get involved with people you are not comfortable with. I think soc 119 has actually made me more aware of these groups of individuals who still think a lot about the “race table.” I do believe that these students are the minority and that Penn State as a whole is a very open place.
Finally, I would be curious to know what some of my non white friends would think about the individuals post. I believe I will ask them and see what they say. Themed parties are for fun! They are a way to do things different and a conversation builder. The only themed party that I can think of that makes fun of people is Jersey Shore. However, they deserve it.
I have never noticed this. The thought would never have crossed my mind, but maybe that’s because I’m white. But I don’t think I’ve ever been to a party that has made fun of or been centered around black people or their customs. I’ve been to holiday-themed parties (which has more to do with religion, which is a whole other issue), and I’ve been to television show-themed parties (like Family Guy, Jersey Shore, etc), but never anything that had to do with being black or Asian or Indian. And if I did come across one of them and happen to get invited, I probably wouldn’t even attend because let’s face it: I’m white…and I can’t pretend to be black.
I completely disagree with this actually. Every theme party I have heard of has not had a racist undertone. I have never gone to a theme party that would ever be racist towards black people. If there is any party that would even have the slightest bit to do with being racist the one in most recent memory would be “Jersey Shore” themed parties. Since the hit MTV series “Jersey Shore” came out there has been many “Jersey Shore” Theme parties as a response. Girls show up dressed in minimal clothing, huge hair, maybe sporting a fake tan. Guys show up in a beater, huge blown out hair, and a pair of shades. So technically they are making fun of the Italian community, right? I don’t think that people refuse to go to claiming the idea behind it is racist. I’m Italian and I think that these parties are pretty funny, I am not offended by this type of theme party in any way. There are many themed parties that have nothing to do with race such as “CEO’s and secretary hoes”, “Golf Pros and Tennis hoes”. “ABC party”, “Ugly sweater party”, etc. I think that theme parties are definitely stereotypical in some cases like the aforementioned golf pros and tennis hoes party where everyone dresses in golf gear and tennis girl, but I don’t think they attack any particular group.
I think its obsurd to say that themed parties are racist. I do know a large majority of white people go to Penn State, but all of the themed parties that I have been to don't revolve around racism. If anything I think recently themed parties have been making fun of white stereotypes more. The only "themes" I call into question are maybe a gangsta party or maybe a beer olympics where people dress up pretending like they are from all different countries around the world. I think that this is definitely a bold statement to make, and I guess some people might suggest the same thing. Even reading some of the other blog entries I think its safe to say that this is definitely not the case.
In response to the video, I agree that as a Penn State student, the majority of themed parties that I see are hosted by white people. Though this may be true, it also may be representative of the percent of white students on this campus. Since Penn State is predominantly comprised of white individuals, it would make sense that more parties would be thrown by white people and a percent of these would be themed parties. So far this is all logical to me. What doesn’t make sense to me is that, from my four years as a Penn State undergrad, I have seen themed parties thrown by white people making fun of white people. For instance, white trash parties in which attendees black out some teeth, rip their clothes, and lower their vocabulary in order to fit the part. To me, these parties seem ignorant; however, my guess would be that these kids just want to find another excuse to drink.
Though I don’t think that the white students at Penn State tend to discriminate particular races, I do find that themed parties tend to exploit women. This feeling comes from popular party themes such as CEOs and corporate ho’s, pirates and wenches, golf pros and tennis ho’s, bikers and babes, and GI Joes and Army ho’s, just to name a few. If you didn’t notice by the names, these parties expect the men to be the dominant role of the party theme and the women to be provocatively dressed floozies. It seems that this trend would be degrading for women, however I’ve found that a number of my fellow female students actually enjoy being objectified by cooperating with these unequal themes. Maybe it’s because alcohol is involved and their inhibitions are low? Maybe it’s because there is a part of their personality that really wants to be slutty? No matter the motivation to oblige with these degrading parties, it seems like a double standard against women, no matter their race.
If this video blog was regarding the Compton Cookout that we talked about in group this week, I do not excuse these kids in the least for being so ignorant to present that party as though it were in celebration of Black History Month. Perhaps they were just trying to have a unique party theme and they didn’t consider the possible repercussions of their idea, however I don’t think that excuses them for blatantly disrespecting black people. Another aspect of this party that shocked me was the fact that the creators limited this ghetto party to only black people. From the video we watched in class about Tammy I would think hope that it is clear that white people can also be in poverty and struggle.
Well i would like to know too, but as I've been to a few theme parties most have which were Halloween costume parties or something along the lines of beach themes. I have yet to encounter a "black/ghetto" theme where it looks like blatant racial discrimination. I think that it is quite odd if those do occur and that they offend people. I don't think most people here on campus are racist but some latent racism does tend to happen but i think its all in good fun. SOme sterotypes have been played too much and it does become old that people should grow out of it but mainly fraternities and soroities hold these parties and you can't account everyone that goes to these racial undertone parties as a rasict but the only thing to do about it would be to take action.
Additional Blog #2
Personally, I do not think that all theme parties are made by or just hosted by white people. I also do not think that every time a person should attend a theme party, he or she will have to worry about race dialogue. All theme parties were not made for this particular reason.
However, I will admit that there are so theme parties out there that given just for the purpose of making fun of those of color. These types of parties are also held by mostly white people, but they are not completely to blame. I wonder do we ever go into a party looking for a race joke. Do we go into these parties already assuming that people of color are going to be the butt of everyone’s jokes? We must stop looking at everything in black and white/ either or reasoning. There are some shades of gray here. We can all enjoy ourselves at parties as long as we stop looking forward to being the controversial topic.
part 1: Here’s a solution to themed parties if people are offended by them, DON’T GO TO THEM! I’m pretty sure that whoever is in charge of putting a party together and the theme is to dress ghetto or something that people consider racist doesn’t mean the person is a racist bigot. If a girl thinks that golf pro and tennis hoes is demeaning to women, it’s just dumb. And it’s not just that it’s one group or culture that gets thought of as a theme for a big party. Being white, I’ve been to “white trash bash” parties as well. Penn State is the number one party school in the country, so there’s going to be a myriad of different parties that will be thought of so there not all plain and boring. And if you’re in a fraternity or something along those lines, and your social chair conjures up an idea for everyone to dress “black” or “Spanish”, just don’t go if you are offended.
I don't know where this question came from. I have been attending school here at Penn State for three years now and never have I been to a party which was racist. The closest you could consider a party I have been to was the Beer Olympics where teams of two people dressed to represent their country. Most parties that I have attended have been of the black light, ceo's and office hoes, pirates, and the big time holidays like Halloween and State Patty's Day. I have even attended a rubix cube party where you are required to wear each color of the rubix cube and throughout the night trade clothing with various people. By the time the keg is kicked you must be one solid color. Sounds pretty far from racist unless you look too deep into it and say that there is an underlying message which is against multiracial people in saying you must be "all one color" but that would just be a little O.D. and I'd consider that to be nonsense. I am curious as to what types of parties you have been going to that you feel parties to be racist. I wish you could have filled us in on some of your experiences have been, then I could share with you the time and place of a "good clean fun" party and hopefully alter your way of thinking about the party scene here at PSU aka the number one party school in the United States.
part 2: It’s really not a big deal at all. People who get offended by a show like Jersey Shore (i.e people from North Jersey or “guidos” or Italians in general) just need to either change the channel. It makes a majority of people enjoy it and watch it. There’s no point to petitioning to the network to take it off the air. People need to stop being so damn sensitive about everything. There is a line I know, but I don’t think themed parties come anywhere near crossing it. There are much bigger racial problems in this world, people getting jumped by other people, maybe being a hate crime. This should be the main focus of people, not that parties are being racist because they make white people dress black. Everyone exaggerates stereotypes at some point in their lives, and if you walk down the street you can see people dressing and acting contrary to their general race norms and customs.
Although I have been known to enjoy a theme party or two, who doesn’t like to dress up like you favorite persona and let loose, I have never been to one that was even remotely close to being racist. Normally the theme parties I have attended relate to current events, for example I recently attended an Olympics themed event, or have to do with an upcoming event or holiday, ugly sweater parties are a staple Christmas time themed party. I suppose you could argue as well that State Patty’s Day is a university wide “theme party”, what other explanation is there for thousands of students donning green attire and shamrocks on a nondescript February day, and I know it was not only white people wearing green and having fun last weekend. Other common themes that I can think of or that I have attended have not had any racial undertones, and as others have said most of the times if you actually give some thought to it are more sexist and offensive to women than anything. To answer another question my classmate posed, why even have a theme, is kind of silly. Why not have a theme at a party? It’s fun to decorate and dress up for theme parties and it’s not like a professor is requiring anyone to have dress a particular way for class, if I opt to go to a theme party on the weekend, why not? And I do not think that theme parties are exclusive to white people either. I have seen people of many races at theme parties enjoying themselves nonetheless.
Everyone has different ways of having fun and for some people theme parties are a fun alternative to regular parties in the clothes you wear every other weekend and it’s a great way to meet people, with everyone wearing outrageous things it’s a great jumping off point for conversations. Also, I have never seen anyone been barred entrance from a party because they were not dress as the theme implied. To me, theme parties have never been racist. As other have said if there is a theme that could be construed as racist it may be the high school stereotypes party where someone may opt to dress as a gangster. But once again this is a stereotype party. I think it is commonly understood that stereotypes no not indicate the behaviors or attitudes of an entire race and are simply an over simplified conception that often is based off media perceptions and not actual behaviors of real people. Additionally, as a woman I feel like my classmate who posed this question should be more appalled and concerned that there are parties going on, perhaps every weekend, where women are continually referred to as hoes.
Based upon my experience, I do not agree. I have attended parties where the theme is a hayride, State Patty’s Day, Christmas, Homecoming, perhaps a period of time, like the 80s or sometimes just a “formal” which may be an annual event of a group, club or Greek organization. I have never attended a party of any nature that made fun of racial stereotypes. I will acknowledge that most of the parties that I attend are hosted by whites but for good or bad, the focus of the party is on having fun or celebrating an event—not poking fun at an ethnic or racial group. I hope that the You Tube piece only represents what the speaker heard and the comment was misinterpreted. Although I know that discrimination continues to exist here at Penn State and all over our country, it would be very disappointing to think that people have parties devoted to prejudice.
I have not been to many theme parties in my life, but the few that I have been to were pretty fun and not racist. I guess theme parties are an excuse to dress up differently, instead of the normal going out clothes, and make the night more entertaining. It is just a fun thing to do and nothing that I would think as harmful or hurtful to other people. When I think of theme parties I think of holiday parties like St. Patrick’s Day or Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties, etc. I have been to Toga Parties, Mustache Parties, Jersey Shore Parties, and have heard of many other theme parties like White Trash Parties, Golf Pros and Tennis Hoes, and Business Hoes and Ceos parties. I do not think that any of these parties intentionally try to make fun of or degrade any certain group of people; I think it is just a way for everyone to dress differently and laugh about it.
When I first heard the question being asked, I was just really confused. Off the top of my head I could not think of one party that I went to that was specifically aimed toward making fun of black people. I wish that the girl that asked the question had given an example of a theme party that was geared towards that. Looking at one of the later blogs, however, I saw that some students made a theme party towards dressing ghetto. Yes, I can see why people would be offended by that, but isn’t it even a little funny that extremely white people dress up in the hip-hop style? I don’t think people (at least not all people) that think of parties try and come up with a theme with the intent of offending anyone.
The “ghetto” theme party is the only one I can think of that would even be the tiniest bit offensive and maybe it is just the term being used that offends people. I would definitely disagree with the statement that most theme parties are geared towards making fun of black people, because I do not think that is the case at all. Maybe some parties can be, but most of them are not. If anything, I feel like most parties are aimed at making fun of parts of white culture. The Jersey Shore theme parties can be offensive to Italians I guess, but I don’t take offense to it and I am both Italian and from the jersey shore. Some things people just need to laugh off and not turn into a huge deal. If you take offense to everything, you will always be upset about something. Any theme party that I have heard of or encountered has never been racist, and I hope it stays that way.
I have absolutely no idea what the person posing this question is talking about. I have been in a fraternity for over a year now and have been a part of many themed parties. Not one of these parties had to do with minorities or race at all. There is St. Patty's day, Christmas parties, and Halloween parties, but all three of these celebrate holidays, nothing else. Other themed parties I have been to include highlighter parties, anything but clothes party, and beach themed parties. I don't see how any of these relate to race or racism at all. I have also never heard of any kind of themed party being racist at all.
The whole point of having a themed party is to have fun with it and be creative. A good theme can set that party apart for just your ordinary, regular non-themed party. Clearly, these parties are set up to draw in large crowds of people to the party, not to be racist.
I also don't see why the person in the video claims that themed parties are mostly thrown by white people. I never connected white people and themed parties together, mostly because there is absolutely no connection. A black person is just as able to throw a themed party if they'd like to.
The thing that really pisses me off about this video is the fact that the person in it is trying to stir up unnecessary controversy. Clearly, she doesn't know what she is talking about, because not once did she mention a particular themed party that she felt was racist. Her statement was extremely general and has nothing to back up her point. At best, she saw one racist themed party and generalized that most or all themed parties are racist in their theme.
Although I am not black, I understand that even today they have to put up with racism that white people don't have to deal with. Not all of the racism is blatant or obvious, but it still occurs. These parties are not one of these racist instances thought. A lot of times, I feel like some black people are always saying, "that's racist." Sometimes, they just need to realize that not everything is racist. If they get fired from a job, then they say "that's racist." No, you most likely got fired because you didn't do your job. Most black people are probably not like this. Most are willing to take accountability for their actions and recognize that you can't use racism as an excuse for everything. I feel like sometimes black people look for controversy and racism that isn't there to begin with. The girl in the video is clearly displaying this. This really needs to stop. I am so tired of it.
I think I’m going to disagree with this statement. I’ve been to, hosted, and heard of tons of theme parties and none of them are created for the purpose (intentionally or otherwise) of making fun of black people – in fact I think white people would be afraid of hosting a theme party where that’s the theme! I can see where you’re saying they’re aimed at a group of people – CEOs, Pirates, Jersey Shore “contestants” – but I’d say the most racist theme that people are holding is a “white trash party,” for as far as I know that’s the only one that deals explicitly with race. Unless I’m wrong. Which I might be, because that happens. But what I really want to write about is something that was in the USA TODAY on Monday.
On the front page was an article expressing how the US needs to take proactive measures against natural disasters in an attempt to avoid economic and social damage (as has happened to other places). The opening paragraph was roughly: The last major earthquake to hit the USA was a magnitude-9.0 on the Pacific Northwest Coast over 300 years ago – before people and development.
Apparently the USA TODAY doesn’t think Native Americans are people.
So I wrote a letter expressing my disgust for the ignorance of the article and its THREE writers, named several Indian tribes that resided along the pacific northwest coast during the time of the earthquake, and more or less made it seem like the article offends all minority groups residing in the US (also I may have implied that I myself was Native American).
After last week’s class I was surprised to find such blatant unawareness, especially in a news paper! Also it wasn’t as if it was the Pittsburgh Post Gazette or some other shallowly circulating newspaper, but the USA TODAY! I’m sure I wasn’t the only one to write to them on the topic – anyone of Native American ancestry I’m sure immediately noticed the flaw and had a thing or two to say – maybe comparable to my insistence that the paper writes a correction to the article for the following day. I emailed the letter in the evening assuming there was a man whose job it was to look for mistakes like this, taking into consideration the emails sent directly to the “corrections” inbox for fear of being sued for liable or offending anyone, leading to loss of business. My highly romanticized and film-induced perception of the journalism industry was slightly wrong.
The next day I received a stock email, thanking me for the input and urging me to continue reading the “fast, informative” USA TODAY. There was no correction the next day.
I will agree that most theme parties I have attended are mostly hosted and attended by white people. I do not, however, agree that they are racist. At least among my friends, the theme parties have never even remotely related to race. To name some of the recent ones, they have been British themed, Olympics themed, 90s nickelodeon, Disney characters, 80s just to name a few off hand. None of these have anything to do with race. I'm really sorry that it has beem your experience that you have heard of racially offensive themed partied and that is terrible, but just know that I do not believe that the majority of parties are this way. From my experience, most are silly or harmless themes that would not be offensive to anyone.
As has seemed to be the general consensus of my fellow classmates, I do not agree with the statements of this video and feel that what this person is describing as a “theme party” is completely inaccurate. The concept of a theme party is to add a twist to the traditional party environment by initiating some dress code, so to speak, that people are supposed to follow. This theme is often very simple and usually has zero connections to race. While there are some themes that certainly target a certain stereotype of people, it is rarely a stereotype that is based on race and is more likely one based on humorous events in society. As far as white people “usually hosting these,” I am not quite sure why this person feels this way since there are no aspects of a theme party that limit it to being run solely by white people.
An interesting point that I came across while reading other responses was the fact this type of blog post (the question) demonstrates how literally everything in today’s society can be brought to the race level even when there clearly is no connection. I found this statement quite interesting and would certainly have to agree with it. In light of this question and that particular response, it appears to me that many things are far too over-analyzed and are often wrongfully misinterpreted. In this case it is simply a year-round Halloween party that someone feels is “usually racist.” In another example that was discussed earlier in the year it was a critic’s review of Avatar that elaborated on the white messiah foundations apparently evident in the film. In both cases, I feel the critics are extremely incorrect and are simply searching for drama.
What is more interesting with this particular theme party question is the “why”? Every post that I have seen thus far has disagreed with the description provided of a theme party, which can lead one to extract that this most likely is not an accurate description of such a party. So why did this person think otherwise? And why was it so bothersome that she wanted to speak out about it? Perhaps she attended one of these parties or heard of one that she found simply appalling or inappropriate. That would account for why she is upset, but not why she assumes that all parties are racially oriented and all parties are run by white people. So where does this type of information come from? I cannot come up with any logical source or any reasonable way she could have developed this type of stance based on anything other than wrongful assumptions. Whatever the case, it is good that she brought it out into the open so that she hopefully will see that her position on this subject is not correct.
I think that the theme for the theme party plays a pretty huge role in whether or not the party is racist. There are indeed a lot of white people out there that will attend or host a racially themed party like the one held to "mock" black history month. The Compton Cookout party held by a fraternity at University of California San Diego, a party where you had to "dress ghettto" to attend. I guess in the eyes of these obviously mis led students they were respecting and celebrating black history month by dressing up in Fubu jeans, gold chains and nappy weaves. Guys were told to dress and act "Gangsta" and girls were told to dress and act like "ghetto chicks". I'm sorry but what the hell is that?! That to me is no way to respect any race. There were no blacks even in attendance to that party in fact they were quite offended. I wonder why. But these parties are no't always themed around a black or ghetto stereotype, there have been white trash parties, and probably some Latino stereotyped parties as well. there are also the beach themed parties, pajama parties and drag parties that don't try to imitate any race or offend anyone. But I have witnessed a pretty huge annual racial stereotype party right here in State College when thousands of people gather at all of the bars here and "drink like the Irish". I am Irish, but I'm not personally offended by this binge drinking. I could care less. But I know a very Irish guy that I worked with on State Pattys who is offended by this stereotype around which we revolve our binge drinking.
Therefore, not all theme parties go by a black stereotype but I think its safe to say that most of them do. The only reason I can think of for these parties mostly revolving around a black stereotype is because its probably a lot easier to try to resemble that stereotype because lets face it there is a lot of things on television telling people that its perfectly fine to make fun of this stereotype. A lot of the Blacks that you see on the media, things like MTV and VH1 go by the same stereotype that most blacks don't want. Although, I don't believe that anything makes these incredibly offensive parties o.k. I do kind of understand that for some of these people its alright to make fun of the stereotype, the media does(i.e. Chapelle's show, MAD TV, and others) and in that case I think it might be more of making fun of the stereotype rather than making fun of the Black race.
As a senior, I have been to so many themed parties while attending Penn State and visiting other colleges. Some of them have been the most fun parties that I have ever been to. I could name hundreds of themes that I have heard of or been to. But never have I even stopped to think about the actually theme and what it truly means. The deepest I have thought about a theme was to decide what I would wear. So I never really thought of it as an issue. I mean, there is an actually holiday dedicated for dressing up.
I do not think that I totally agree with the statement that most of the college themed parties are hosted by white kids and are themes are make fun of races and/or stereotype a certain racial group. I am in my last year at Penn State, and I can say that in the past three years I have seen that the least percentage of the themed parties have anything to do with race, and I have been to many themed parties. While I understand that some may be racially suggestive, but they do not occur that often, and there is no underlying message to the themed party that is meant to be offensive. It is all just about fun and games.
There are hundreds of other kinds of themed parties that occur at Penn State and at other colleges. Hardly any of them have anything to do with race. There are beach parties, ABC (anything but clothes), stop light, highlighters, just to name a few. These have nothing to do with race. So I think it is just a stereotype of college and Penn State to say that only the white kids host themed parties and the majority of them are racially themed parties that make fun of races. This is definitely not true and is a huge assumption, and an unfair one at that. When my friends and I go to a themed party, whichever kind it is, the last thing on ours minds is the underlying message of the theme and whether or not we should go. And even while we are there, there are so many different races, so there really isn’t a problem with the themed parties.
I am not saying that there could never be an offensive theme, I just have never been exposed to one or have heard about one, but to be fair, there probably have been some. But to assume that the majority of these racially offensive parties are hosted by white people is very unfair to everyone, those that host, and those that attend. Many people of other races other than white people host themed parties too, so the hosts of the parties should not be the main issue here.
Continuing with the feelings of the entire class, I feel that this statement is just plain false. While there are some parties which focus on race and of these, sometimes, the race of focus is black America, I do not think it is fair to claim that a majority of the parties purposefully aim to degrade black America. There are two parts to this video. The first part of this video is that themed parties are meant degrade or insult a specific race or ethnicity. The second part is that of these race themed parties, a majority focus on black America.
Starting with the first issue, I do not agree that themed parties are meant to offend any specific race or ethnicity. If anything, the argument could be made that themed parties are meant to promote the observation of stereotypes so that they may be more prominent and thus addressed by the greater community. This is no different than what many famous and accepted comedians do in their comedic skits, including Dave Chappelle. Also, at least in my experiences, most parties are not focused on race or ethnicity themes, but instead are focused on themes which require girls to wear sexually seductive clothing or no clothing at all. In fact, the argument could be made that most themed parties are aimed at degrading women more so than they are anything else. But even here, it cannot be forgotten that the idea of a party is to celebrate and have fun, and not to insult or make people angry, hence the addition of the theme to add to enjoyment.
As for the second issue, I also do not agree with the notion that most race themed parties focus on black America. In my personal experiences, most of the race themed parties focus on white trash, which as a white person I do not get offended by. The reason relates back to the previous idea that these themed parties are not meant as much to insult as they are to satire. Back to the issue of racism towards black America, I just don’t see where this point posted on the website gains any credibility or momentum? This is not to say that there aren’t any racist parties geared towards black America where nonblack students dress in black face, and that is not to say that this is not racist, but this is only for the extreme minority. Possibly the same minority that comprises neo-Nazis or KKK membership. Again not to be misunderstood, that is not to say that these people are wrong for their beliefs just because I disagree with them or just because they do not represent the majority.
The addition of themes to parties is meant to add to the enjoyment of the atmosphere and, at least in my personal experiences, to entice women to wear as little as possible for aesthetic or personal reasons. While there are some parties which do focus on race, I do not believe that these parties are meant to offend as much as they are intended to promote awareness. Finally, within these race parties, to look for patterns of racism towards a specific group of people is to look for racism where there probably isn’t any, and when someone looks for racism it does not take much of a leap to extrapolate irrelevance into make believe fact.
part 3: Dr. Richards brought up wiggers in once class. It’s okay for one night to try and step in someone else’s shoes, but people that try and act like another culture permanently because they think they’re cool, that’s just stupid. And if non-Caucasians try and point the finger at white people for the heart of these ideas, that is not true at all. Two of my friends are in a mostly Asian fraternity, and they have had themed parties acting like white guidos, wearing tanktops and tight jeans. So if it is a “problem” (which I obviously don’t think it is), it’s everyone. But moral of the story, only let in what information you want to know. If you don’t want to feel discriminated against, go to a different party.
i completely agree with what you are saying. i think that it may have started off as white kids making fun of other kids, but it seems like now everyone is involved in the making fun of one another. i dont really see a cure to this "problem" and i think that we shouldnt take it as a slap in the face or a racial thing. its true, if these parties are really offensive to you the way that some people describe them to be, then dont go, go to a different party, forget about it and leave. the reality of it is that it certainly wont stop, despite whatever efforts to stop it, i find it hard to believe that it ever will.
I’m a little confused by the assertion that theme parties usually target black people. I have been to plenty of theme parties, and I have never been to one that targets black people, and I have only been to one that could even be considered racist or prejudiced, but it targeted Native Americans. Here is a short list of the parties I have attended: CEO and business hoe, beach parties, golf pro and tennis hoe, heroes and villains, movie stars, and cowboys and Indians (Obviously this is the one that could be considered offensive or prejudice). Quite honestly I cannot attest to whether these parties are primarily white, but I still cannot see how they target the black community. I do see that most of the parties I attend are primarily white, but the truth is that most of my friends are white, so I don’t see a wide enough spectrum to really know.
In my opinion, if these parties are offensive to anyone it would seem to be to women in that these parties usually objectify women. At these parties, women are typically expected to dress very sexy and scantily, while men usually try to be funny with their costumes. This is the only aspect of theme parties that I believe systematically and consistently discriminates against anyone, but this is clearly not exclusive to just theme parties, because women usually try to dress up and look sexy at most parties and social events.
Overall, I have always had a lot of fun at theme parties because they make normal parties more exciting and add a creative aspect to the parties as well. I have never even noticed any racial aspect to them with the exception of the cowboys and Indians party. I’m sure there are parties that are offensive, but I think they are the exceptions, not the rule. Most theme parties are usually either holiday related or related to something in the media or popular culture. As others have noted, I believe that these offensive parties must exist since I don’t believe that this person randomly made them up, but I don’t think that she is aware of the other themed parties that really make up the majority of such parties.
So in conclusion, I really don’t think that themed parties are really prejudice as a general rule. As a white person, I apologize for my race if we have really created the impression that these themed parties target minorities, and more specifically black people, but the people who hold and attend such parties are not representative of me or my friends. I hope this response helps to explain what I see in regard to the question posed, and I am sorry that I haven’t seen the problem that is being described. Maybe I am just living in my own little white world, but truly I have never seen any theme parties that target black people.
Before I share my opinion on any of this, I think that a point needs to be established. Theme parties as a whole almost never have a race based theme. One did, and it just made the national news. So saying that there are a plethora of theme parties with race at the center of the theme is just plain wrong. Regarding the party at USCD, the whole thing is totally out of hand. However, I think the part of it that makes it out of hand is that it was thrown in response to Black History month. Honestly, I would have thought about this party a lot differently is the invitation had just called it a Compton Cookout with no descriptors attached. People’s interpretations may have come off a little skewed, but the point I want to arrive at it that there is a difference between making fun of a race and making fun of a culture. I don’t think anyone should really have a problem with people having Jersey Shore parties or things like that. Sure, you may be from there, and it may be mocking you a little, but making fun of a culture is fair game in my eyes because it is something that you choose to be a part of. For example, I may get slightly annoyed when people make fun of the culture that I associate with, but I at least can laugh at myself when people take small eccentricities to an extreme. The problem with how this was thrown was really one big thing. If you had a party that said dress ghetto, and included all the descriptors on the invitation that have been mentioned, I don’t think it really would have been that bad. Obviously the purpose of this party is to make a mockery of whatever its guests represent. However, again the big problem is that you have associated a culture that you are mocking to an entire race. Race unfortunately is not something that you can realistically choose to be a part of or not. The net effect is that people who have nothing to do with this culture that is portrayed are sucked into the stereotype that they have distinctly chosen not to be a part of, for one reason or another. I can see both sides of calling this racist or not calling it racist. I think that it is, but just omitting that black history month statement would almost make me argue the other way. That’s kind of interesting to me, that just the wording makes me change opinions without really taking into account the intentions of the people behind the party. Maybe they are racist, maybe not, but there is definitely a thin line in this case in my opinion, thinner than most might believe.
I do not agree with this girl's statement regarding themed parties above. Having been to numerous theme parties myself I do not think there is a racial undertone or a hidden attempt to humiliate people of color, blacks or whoever else. I think the objective of a theme party is actually kind of the opposite. It is to put everyone in attendance in the same type of situation, so they can bond and become closer. If everyone is dressed up and looks abnormal and wild than it takes away from some of the pressure to fit in or look cool in regular, everyday clothing. There are tons of themes that have nothing to do with race whatsoever, ugly sweater party? 80s party? toga party? None of these address any aspect of race. They are held to get people to loosen up, try something different and less boring. They take place for fun, not for racial discrimination. What I can see as having the potential to be offensive is having a "gangster" or "ghetto" party. These are stereotyping huge portions of communities and can be unfair. Not everyone wears a bandanna with a flat brimmed hat or has a tear drop tattoo coming down their faces which are practically staples in a gangsta party. But again,I honestly in my heart of hearts I do not believe that these parties or any themed parties are held with the intention to offend anyone. In my experience it is just a fun way to hang out with your friends and do something different. The same goes with high school spirit days. Both for homecoming week and the day before home games we would choose special themes to dress up as. They are used as a tool for bonding and to get excited for something. And people from every race took part and enjoyed them. It gave you and your teammates or classmates a special connection. I will admit, the girl who asked this question could very possibly have a greatly different experience or exposure to theme parties. So I am not saying that she is wrong, I am just saying that that is not what I have seen. Both in my very culturally diverse high school in the Washington, D.C. area to the predominately white surroundings of State College, PA I have seen themed parties that are created as way to have fun and act silly with your friends, or to be creative and find a funny costume. But I have not once seen a theme party to hurt or mock people of color. So my advice to you is to grab your costume, grab your cup, lighten up and enjoy!
I do not think that theme parties are thrown mostly by white people, and I definitely do not agree with most of them being at the expense of black people. Penn State is a mostly white campus so chances are white people host more theme parties simply because there are many more white people here than students of color. I’m not sure what you mean when you say that many of these parties are making fun of racial stereotypes towards black people. I’ve heard of many different types of theme parties, but most of the parties that come to my mind are based on professions more than race. Golf pros and Tennis ho’s, CEO’s and office ho’s, traffic light parties, and jersey shore parties are all very popular themes that I hear about quite often. Not only do these not have anything to do with black people, only jersey shore parties are based on a race (Italian).
Everyone likes to dress up, just look at Halloween, and theme parties are just another way for students to have fun dressing up in crazy outfits with their friends. Wearing crazy clothes is one of the easiest ice breakers at a party and I think this causes many students hosting parties to decide on a theme and have people dress up accordingly. Theme parties tend to be more fun for this reason. If everyone is dressed up in different ways it is much easier to start a conversation and therefore easier to make friends.
Also, after the first half hour or so at a theme party no one really cares about what anyone is wearing anymore. Since everyone is dressed in a very similar fashion, people tend to get used to all the outfits and it becomes normal to see a guy in golf attire or a girl dressed as a secretary. It really doesn’t matter what theme the host picks because since everyone will be dressed the same way and have fun seeing others dressed as ridiculous as them. Also choosing a theme for a party allows people to dress up as crazy as they want because there will almost always be someone dressed up crazier. Because everyone is trying to be very clever with what they wear, it makes the party more interesting for the attendants. It’s more fun to see people dressed like the crazy people on the jersey shore or as gold pros then to just see everyone in jeans and a T-shirt. People being dressed in funny ways also encourage more fun conversations between friends because there are a lot of interesting outfits to talk about. I think theme parties are so popular because of the social reasons, easier to make conversation, and that it really doesn’t have anything to do with race.
I have to say that I strongly disagree with the statement that theme parties are racist, and that they are somehow geared towards the racism of black people. Also, only white people host them? I can’t say I agree with that either. I’m Hispanic, and I, myself, have hosted many themed parties, and none of them had anything to do with race. Personally, most theme parties that I have heard of or been to don’t have to do with race at all. Anything but a cup, anything but clothes, ceos and business hoes, ugly Christmas sweaters? I really don’t see how any of these even remotely have to do with racism, in any way. Themed parties are merely just to spice things up. To say that they are only hosted by white people is to be a little misinformed. It is not something fair to say or think. I also think that before making this comment. You have to take into consideration the context of the situation. We go to Penn State. I am like 1 of the 20 Hispanics that go here. Most of the student body here is white. So , of course, most parties that you may attend will be hosted by a white person. I’m not saying that there aren’t themed parties out there that poke fun at certain racial groups. Just that it is rather rare. And when they do, it is not only to make fun of black people. How about the Jersey Shore themed parties? I feel like sometimes we may look into things from a negative perspective, and try to make them more than what they truly are. Yes, many things out there are extremely racist and biased, but not everything in the world is. Sometimes things are just what they are meant to be. In this case, just plain fun. People sometimes try to find something racist in every aspect of life. I just hope people realize that not everything is racist! Theme parties are just an excuse to look silly while drinking, that’s all.
I have to say that I strongly disagree with the statement that theme parties are racist, and that they are somehow geared towards the racism of black people. Also, only white people host them? I can’t say I agree with that either. I’m Hispanic, and I, myself, have hosted many themed parties, and none of them had anything to do with race. Personally, most theme parties that I have heard of or been to don’t have to do with race at all. Anything but a cup, anything but clothes, ceos and business hoes, ugly Christmas sweaters? I really don’t see how any of these even remotely have to do with racism, in any way. Themed parties are merely just to spice things up.
To say that they are only hosted by white people is to be a little misinformed. It is not something fair to say or think. I also think that before making this comment. You have to take into consideration the context of the situation. We go to Penn State. I am like 1 of the 20 Hispanics that go here. Most of the student body here is white. So, of course, most parties that you may attend will be hosted by a white person.
I’m not saying that there aren’t themed parties out there that poke fun at certain racial groups. Just that it is rather rare. And when they do, it is not only to make fun of black people. How about the Jersey Shore themed parties?
I feel like sometimes we may look into things from a negative perspective, and try to make them more than what they truly are. Yes, many things out there are extremely racist and biased, but not everything in the world is. Sometimes things are just what they are meant to be. In this case, just plain fun. People sometimes try to find something racist in every aspect of life. I just hope people realize that not everything is racist! Theme parties are just an excuse to look silly while drinking, that’s all. I have to agree with saying that this question/video is a joke. I don’t understand how anyone could come to that conclusion. Then again, opinions have to do with personal experiences.
I have to say that I strongly disagree with the statement that theme parties are racist, and that they are somehow geared towards the racism of black people. Also, only white people host them? I can’t say I agree with that either. I’m Hispanic, and I, myself, have hosted many themed parties, and none of them had anything to do with race. Personally, most theme parties that I have heard of or been to don’t have to do with race at all. Anything but a cup, anything but clothes, ceos and business hoes, ugly Christmas sweaters? I really don’t see how any of these even remotely have to do with racism, in any way. Themed parties are merely just to spice things up.
To say that they are only hosted by white people is to be a little misinformed. It is not something fair to say or think. I also think that before making this comment. You have to take into consideration the context of the situation. We go to Penn State. I am like 1 of the 20 Hispanics that go here. Most of the student body here is white. So, of course, most parties that you may attend will be hosted by a white person.
I’m not saying that there aren’t themed parties out there that poke fun at certain racial groups. Just that it is rather rare. And when they do, it is not only to make fun of black people. How about the Jersey Shore themed parties?
I feel like sometimes we may look into things from a negative perspective, and try to make them more than what they truly are. Yes, many things out there are extremely racist and biased, but not everything in the world is. Sometimes things are just what they are meant to be. In this case, just plain fun. People sometimes try to find something racist in every aspect of life. I just hope people realize that not everything is racist! Theme parties are just an excuse to look silly while drinking, that’s all. I have to agree with saying that this question/video is a joke. I don’t understand how anyone could come to that conclusion. Then again, opinions have to do with personal experiences.
Maybe I am not going to all of these themed parties that she was talking about. Themed parties have been ABC, Jersey Shore, beach party, or anything like that. I honestly cannot think of one time I went, was invited to, or even heard of anyone going to a party that seemed in any way racist at all nor do I think I will ever encounter one. People don't make up parties to be racists, they don't even have racist themes. It does not make sense where this question came from because I am pretty sure they are just neutral themes that have nothing to do with anything.
Theme parties have defiantly gotten a little bit out of control. I think if prepared for correctly they can occur without really offending people. However, typically people don’t take into consideration that they could possibly be offending someone. After discussing the “Compton Cook out” in my discussion group I defiantly realize that there are lines that can defiantly be crossed.
For example, I think most people would consider it a little odd if a large # of white people have a party and all try to dress and act like black people do. First of all, the first thing I see wrong with this situation is that not all lack people act alike. And just because someone is from the ghetto does not mean they dress the same way as everyone else in the ghetto does. I believe that the one line in the invitation said to “come see what it is like to live in the ghetto”. This is completely absurd as far as I am concerned. Just because you put on a white tee and throw in some bad weave does not mean for a second that you could understand what it is like to live in the ghetto. I feel the fact that people would want to have a part to act “ghetto” in the first place ridiculous. Not all people that live in the ghetto are black. The majority of the people that live there would get out if they could.
I also feel there is a difference to have a “jersey shore” party and a “Compton Cookout”. I know people act like they are proud to be from the ghetto but I guess that if they were given the opportunity to leave, most people would choose to do so. On the other hand, the people on the show Jersey Shore want the attention. They choose willingly to put themselves in the positions they do.
Also, the idea of white trash parties. I mean not everyone who we would consider white trash has asked to be put in the situation that they live in. I feel that these parties can be fun and harmless if conducted properly. For instance, start with the guest list. If a group of black kids decided that they were going to have a white trash party, many people would consider that offensive. If a group of black kids would decide to have a party to dress and at like white frat boys many people would, rightfully, be upset. The fact that these white kids had only invited one black person to the Compton cookout tells me that they knew what they were doing was defiantly wrong and went way too far.
I have to disagree with the person making the video because, being in a frat, I have obviously been and hosted many theme parties. Saying that "most theme parties are hosted by white people" is kind of discriminatory in my opinion. We do not discriminate against anyone coming to theme parties and do not intend them to hurt anyone. If it is a "ghetto theme", then there may be a line that has to be drawn. For example, it wouldn't be appropriate to say grease up your hair or wear a nappy wig, etc., because that is obviously discriminating against black people. Being "ghetto", though, does not automatically mean being black because anyone could classify as "ghetto." Themes like Jersey Shore are also not very discriminatory because they were pretty open on the show about being guido and embracing that lifestyle, so who would be offended by this? I think issues like this are a small problem in the world of race relations. There is nothing offensive about white people dressing up in baggy clothing and fitted hats, because many white people already do this. It is not discrimination against black people, to me its just a style.
I really wish this girl said more about the themes to which she is referring. The only theme that I know of that she could be talking about is the “gangster” theme, and that’s not even a racial theme. Gangsters can include people of any race such as the Italian or Irish Mafias or the Crips and Bloods. On top of all this, I think I may have heard about one “gangster” themed party. Most of the themed parties just go along with the trends like the “guido/guidette” parties which stem from “Jersey Shore” or seasonal holidays like an “ugly sweater” Christmas party. There are even more themes such as a “sticker” party, “highlighter” party, or “would you be my friend if I wore this” party, that are done with the intentions to be goofy and add humor to the event.
As far as white people being the only people to have themed parties, that doesn’t even seem to have a connection to me. If black people want to have themed parties then they should do that. I don’t know what race has to do with it. In fact I know a bunch of black girls at Penn State who recently went to a “lingerie” party hosted by black guys, so there’s an example of a themed party put together by black people. Also, the fact that Penn State is largely populated by white people (only 13% of the enrollment is composed of students of color according to Penn State’s admissions website: http://admissions.psu.edu/facts/studentbody/) means that white people are typically hosting parties. If these parties happen to be themed, it’s done with the intentions to have fun, not to “make fun” of black people. Usually the theme is just to be silly and dress differently than we typically do, not to dress like black people.
In all honestly, the people who have the right to be upset about some themed parties are women in general. Themes such as “CEOs and Office Hoes” are degrading to females, and I know of lots of themed parties such as this one that are hosted regularly. The goal of many themed parties is often to get girls to wear as little as possible and has nothing to do with race.
Overall, I see no correlation between white people and themed parties. I think a theme is a common thing to do whenever anyone hosts a party. And the idea that white people’s themed parties are done to make fun of black people is outlandish. As I said, there aren’t many themed parties that even have a theme related to black people, so I don’t really know how someone could get the idea that these parties are intended to target black people.
I have not personally attended any theme parties that I would consider racist, derogatory, or stereotypical in any way. I cannot recall hearing of any parties that could be racist towards black people. I guess if someone is offended by the theme of a party because they feel that it is focused on degrading their race then perhaps they could try to look at it as a celebration of their race. From my experiences, when friends of family have thrown parties in my honor I have always been very grateful and excited. If white people are throwing a “black” themed party, I think that they should try to see it as a celebration of their race.
I have been to many themed parties during my time at Penn State. However, the only theme party that I have been to that was directly related to an ethnic group was a Jersey Shore theme. Almost every party that is thrown at Penn State has some kind of theme, but I have never been present at a party that was directly insulting or insensitive to Blacks or another minority. They have all been either toga, abc, beach, etc. They just have a theme so people can wear stupid or slutty clothing depending on the theme. I think you could even make the argument that the golf pros and tennis hoes parties are insulting to the wealthy, country club set. The party that I could see being really offensive to an ethnic group would be the Jersey Shore party. Kids are actually putting on tanning lotion and makeup to make their skin darker than it is. The girls are dressing in extremely provacative way and the guys are gelling their hair and wearing Ed Hardy tee shirts. I do agree that many of the theme parties are thrown by white kids, but that is because they are the majority of the kids at Penn State.
In my experience, the reason that groups decide to host themed parties is to facilitate conversation and to easily meet new people while they are out. I have always enjoyed themed parties and think they are particularly beneficial for any individuals who are a bit shy. When you and everyone around you are dressed like buffoons it becomes easier to laugh with, and at, each other’s wardrobe and theme choices thereby making a conversation much easier to start among strangers.
I think it is very easy to feel personally affronted by people’s actions even when they were not intended for you. Sometimes it is important to take a step back and realize that while some things are racist and degrading to others, some things are done in innocence. I have never been to a theme party where I wanted to upset someone or do something that could be considered racist. Maybe I have accidently without knowing it, but it is kind of like accidently hurting someone’s feelings… if you do not do it on purpose is it really as painful?
I do not think that themed parties are purposefully racist or degrading in anyway. For any party it is really up to the attendee to dress however they like and be creative with their outfit. For a pimps and hoes party I had friends dress up as pimps so they would not have wear slutty outfits and even for a “South of the Border” theme I had a friend dress up as a piñata.
I think if you are feeling upset by certain people’s choices and decisions then you should just take a step and really consider if they are doing it to hurt someone or just in the name of fun. If it is people you are close to, ask them. It is so much easier to just talk things out with people than get more and more upset about something that they probably would never even think would upset you.
I stand by what I said before that really the main reason people have themed parties is to help make conversation and meeting people easier for their guests. It is the same as seating people who do not know each other together at dinners so that everyone can mingle and meet each other. While some themes might not be exactly politically correct, I do not think that people choose themes to target any group in a racist or demeaning manner. I am glad you asked this question though because it gives me pause if my actions have ever hurt someone’s feelings and I will probably be more cautious about my future actions in regards to how others may view them.
I don't really agree with that. I have been to plenty of themed parties in my day and not many of them if any would I consider to be racist. Stereotypes are seen at some. There are BET versus CMT, which is just dressing like people on each channel. However, I see nothing wrong with this. Maybe the problem is that there is a channel called "black entertainment." If it is just hip-hop then it should be called HMT or something along those lines. And dressing up like people on CMT is not wrong either.
Those people dress how they dress because they want to be perceived a certain way and dressing up like them is fine in my mind. Another type of party where you dress as a stereotype is the Jersey Shore party, which is where people dress up like the guidos that they see on the show. There isn't anything wrong with this in my mind either. I love that show. I watch it all the time. The people on the shows are perceived as dumb, macho, Italian types. They love being considered guidos. They all say that during the show. They think they are awesome and I'm sure that they wouldn't have a problem if you wanted to dress up like them. It would be incorrect though, if you ran across a guido and assumed they were stupid from what you watched from the show. Also to address the fact that it is mostly white people who throw the parties- most people who go to penn state happen to be white.
If most people who wnet to penn state were black, asian, indian, native american, hispanic, or any other type of racial group- it would be them who were throwing the parties. Most of the themed parties I have been to have been decades, toga, anything but clothes, anything but cups or anything else that people can think of. If you are goign to say that themed parties are racist- you would really just not be right, in my mind at least. Anyways, maybe that is just me and the people that I associate with that have never been to any racist parties. I don't know though, not to generalize, but most of the people that I have encountered at Penn State are not racist in the least and would not try and throw a racist party. I think that if they did people would feel pretty uncomfortable with it and not even show up.
I was not aware of any themed parties that exist that are racist against black people or African Americans. The themed parties I can think of off the top of my head include: 80s, CEOs and corporate hoes, Jersey Shore, ugly sweaters and I suppose Halloween could be included in that. As far as I know none of those have any undertones of discrimination against blacks. But who knows, maybe I’m naïve and ignorant to the real underlying issues. I think to give the argument more support it’d be good to give specific examples of themed parties that are racist.
I really can't see where the girl in this post is coming from, I mean I've definitely been to more theme parties making fun of white people than any other racial group. Jersey Shore parties for example could be seen as making fun of Italians. Out of all the parties I've heard of there is only one that I could understand black people being offended by and that is "gangsta" parties or something along those lines. However, I've actually attended a party like that with black friends and they didn't seem to take any offense. I think it's also necessary to see that white people aren't dressing like that in order to make fun or offend black people its usually just copying famous rappers and other artists that we like too, and so most white people just think its cool to dress like that for a night. As a white person I can't say that I understand the daily struggles of black people, but I am aware of racism that still exists in this country and can say that this issue is not a racist issue. The main reason for any kind of party such as this is to do something different and have fun while drinking. I can speak for the majority of white people at penn state and say that were just tryin to have fun and get drunk, not offend anyone. I also disagree with the statement that these party's are only thrown by white people. I've been to themed parties thrown by people of other races and the parties have never been exclusive only to whites. I think that it may seem that way since the majority of people here are white but I'm sure on other campuses it would be the other way around. Its also necessary to see that the majority of themed parties such as ugly sweater, anything but clothes. etc have absolutely nothing to do with any kind of race, white black or brown, so its hard for me to see how this can be a race issue. I'm not trying to say that there has never been a racist themed party hosted by white people, but you have to realize that although racism exists the vast majority of people are not racist. I really think that themed parties are really just a way to have fun and an easy way to meet people. As for the question of 'why must there be a theme?' I think that its just a way to spice things up and do something different. Its also usually really funny to see people dressed in ridiculous costumes no matter what the theme. When it comes to any kind of party, its all in fun.
I read this post and found myself scratching my head. I can’t help but wonder if maybe this student and I have significantly different views about what these theme parties are. Is there a secret theme party sub-culture at Penn State that I don’t know about? If anything, I feel like theme parties are more likely to make fun of white people. One example of this would be the ever-popular “truckers and tramps” theme party.
An example of some other theme parties would be toga parties, “CEOs and corporate hoes”, “Tennis pros and golf hoes”, anything but cups, highlighter parties, Jersey Shore themed parties, etc.
If anything, Italians should be complaining about being stereotyped. Or more particularly, women should be outraged given that we always seemed to be grouped into a category consisting of the word “hoe.”
No where in there is there a themed party that pokes fun at minorities. Again, maybe there are some parties with themes that could be offensive to minorities, but I have never heard of one and I don’t think it’s fair to stereotype and say only white people have themed parties and that these themes make fun of minorities. If anything, this post makes me a little angry that I am essentially being grouped into this category by the student in the video. For someone complaining about stereotyping, it sure seems like she’s stereotyping others.
I’ll give this person the benefit of the doubt and assume she’s had a very bad experience with a rare themed party that was racist in some way. Perhaps there were students there with blackface painted on. Maybe it was a Halloween party and a couple of jerks dressed up in offensive costumes, or tried to wear a black rapper costume, etc. It’s hard for me to imagine what kind of situation she’s been through that would make her believe that themed parties are, in essence, racist and that all white people celebrate their Friday nights by getting hammered and making fun of minorities.
At the same time, I’d like to respectfully ask this student to reconsider her stereotype that all themed parties are racially motivated and that only white students throw themed parties. Hopefully we can all take something away from this post – students who throw offensively themed parties should knock it off, and this student should not stereotype another race when she herself does not want to be stereotyped.
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Theme parties are only for white people. I have to be honest, that is one of the most generalized and un-intelligent sounding theories I have ever heard. Everyone parties whether you’re black white green or blue, and theme parties are just another way to do so.
Through my years at Penn State, I have been to many parties. All of these parties are mostly predictable…show up, drink, get drunk, eat, go home. At all of these parties there have been many different types of people. These people include frat boys, sorority girls, white, black, brown, and all other people in between. And it’s NOT a big deal. Drinking is not race-specific. We all like to have a good time, right? So likewise, theme parties are not race-specific, or as this girl thinks, white specific. It is really interesting to me that this girl has that perception because it is so false. And to think that she thinks that most of them are poking fun at black people? I’ve never heard this generalization before and it makes absolutely no sense.
Think of all the possible themes that there could be for a theme party. There could be a Thanksgiving theme, a Christmas theme, a Mardi Gras theme, a Valentine’s Day theme, or anything else of this sort. In fact, most of the theme parties that I have been to since I’ve been at Penn State have been similar to this, and they in no way have anything to do with ANY race. This girls’ blog post makes me wonder if more people feel the same way as she does. I really hope that this is not the case because it really upsets me to think that black people (or any people) would feel that white people are making fun of them by having theme parties. I can’t even think of a theme party that I’ve ever been to that pokes fun at black people. I’ve heard of CMT versus BET, so I could understand how this could be mis-interpreted. But wouldn’t it be fair to say that this could be making fun of white people too? I’d rather just not pull the race card, because that’s not what theme parties are about.
What’s funny is that I don’t even like theme parties. Every time I hear that there is one I get annoyed because it’s too much effort, and a lot of times I won’t go (unless it’s a fun theme). I have a hard time believing that white people are the only ones to host them, and I know for a fact that people of all races attend them. I really wish that people would see the bigger picture. It may seem like there are more “white” theme parties, but that is simply because white people are the majority at Penn State. I really wish that the girl in this blog did not feel the way she does, because it is not true.
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I am not sure if I completely understand where this student is coming from. Maybe I had talked to her and heard a little more of her explanation and where she is coming from I would have a better understanding. However, in my opinion I do not think that it is correct to overgeneralize and say that themed parties are only held by Caucasians. I believe that if you were to categorize a group of people that have themed parties you would have to say all college students, not just Caucasians. I think that in general it is a popular thing for college students to have themed parties. As a way to change it up a little bit, add variety, and just have fun. Personally, I really enjoy themed parties because it is a fun way to express our creativity and have fun coming up with different and unusual outfits for these themed parties.
I know many groups that participate and host themed parties including sororities and fraternities as well as different organizations like the different Thon committees. Neither of these types of groups are all Caucasian. Coming from someone that is in a sorority that has people of color in it and attends themed parties at fraternities with people of color in it, I know for a fact that people of color take place in themed parties as well.
I do not believe that themed parties are geared towards making fun of racial stereotypes. I think that themed parties just make fun of stereotypes in general, not just racial ones. And I think it partly what makes themed parties so fun. I went to one themed party this last fall that was a Catalina Wine Mixer theme. At this theme party everyone dressed up at preppy, upper class males and females; in a way we were sort of making fun of them. Other themes mock the stereotypes of "jersey shore" people, which is not really a race but more of a type of culture or lifestyle. And other themes include stereotyping business men.
Not all themed parties have to be about stereotypes at all. I have attended ABC themed parties or different themes that have to do with decades like the eighties, or cities, like vegas, or even channels like Nickelodeon. Those themes do not really have anything to even do with stereotype. They are just a fun way to switch it up from the typical every weekend party. I would not say that themed parties are only hosted and attended by Caucasians. I think that themed parties are just a popular thing in all college environments.
So personally I do not completely agree with this student's opinion. However, maybe she has a better reasoning to her opinion or examples that support her that would better help me understand her reasoning.
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I'm sorry to come off as harsh, but I think that this is a really dumb comment. I've seen themed parties thrown by people of all races. For example, I'm in a sorority, and we have paired up ith multi-cultural fraternities/sororities for weeklongs. To explain, a weeklong is a week of celebrating and drinking in the Greek community. Typically, each night has a different theme. The multi-cultural fraternity/sorority was just as gung ho about the themes as the white fraternity and sorority members. In fact, they were sometimes even more into the themes, sporting crazy outfits and taking it to the next level. I know though, that this had nothing to do with their race, but more to do with how that particular group of people were. I think to say that they only dressed up because they were black is pretty ignorant.
When you take drinking out of the mix, look at 4th of July parties, or New Years, or St. Patrick's Day. Everyone dresses a certain way for these parties, certain foods are served, and certain music is played. This, essentially is a theme. And I know for sure that it's not only white people who go to and throw these parties. Ever since we're little theme parties are thrown, and give us more of a reason to celebrate.
In addition, when white people do throw theme parties, I don't think that they're racist. More than anything, these parties are linked to popular culture. For example, a popular theme right now is Jersey Shore. Jersey Shore, as I'm sure you know, is a MTV show that highlights white people who live in Jersey Shore over the summer. ALL of these people are white, and many white, black, brown people participate in this theme. So how is this not racist to white people?
The only theme that I've heard of that could be considered "racist" to black people is CMT (Country Music Television) vs BET (Black Entertainment Television). But as I said, this isn't against a certain race, it's poking fun at popular culture. Most black people do not wear big fur jackets and clocks around their necks. People poke fun at things like this because they're ridiculous, regardless of race. You figure the other half of the theme is music traditionally listened to by white people. So if this is the case, how can these themes be considered racist?
I think it's pretty annoying that this would even be said into the video camera. If a white person said that about people of color they would freak out, without a doubt. So I don't think it's fair to say something/prejudice against a certain group if you would be upset if it was said about you. More than anything, themed parties are a part of college culture. We can drink any night of the week, and that gets boring. Therefore, people create themes to make these parties more exciting. It's not like every party thrown by a white person is a themed party, just like not every party thrown by a black person is a themeless party.
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In my personal experience, theme parties are not simply limited to white people. I personally have been to themed parties with people of different races, not just white people. Also, I don’t believe its right to say that these theme parties are “making fun of racial stereotypes, towards black people.” I have never, in my three years of college thus far, been to a theme party where a racial stereotype for black people was portrayed. I’m assuming that the woman is referring to people being “black face” at parties? While I’ve never personally been to a party where someone has done this, I’ve only ever even seen it around Halloween- which is a themed holiday in itself. I don’t believe only white people celebrate this holiday either. Also, the only other things I can think of which would be black stereotypes would be a costume with baggy pants? Even this is not a strictly black stereotype. A lot of my friends have dressed up as K-Fed and Britney Spears for Halloween and K-Fed is white. I guess my main confusion with this question is what does this woman mean by having black stereotypes portrayed at themed parties? Because honestly, I do go out and I have been to many themed parties and I have not come across this whatsoever.
In response to asking why people have theme parties, it’s simply because they’re fun. People enjoy dressing out of the ordinary and giving a party, which is a regular weekly occurrence here at Penn State, some fun twist. Theme parties allow people to dress silly or follow a guideline and wear something crazy that they might not otherwise. Parties like, “would you still be my friend if,” or “wacky tacky” themed parties, while seen as nerdy or un-cool, also gives people another way to start talking to strangers. I know that I, personally, have been able to easily meet more people at themed parties than regular parties because you have that in to talk to them. You can ask them about their outfit or how they came up with the idea and then the conversation continues from there. It’s fun to see how creative people get with their costumes. Instead of just having one holiday per year where people can dress up and be silly, it’s nice to have random parties with your friends when you can step out of your comfort zone and have a little fun.
I don’t think it’s right for this woman to say that only white people have themed parties and that at these theme parties, people are making fun of racial stereotypes, especially towards black people. I think this is not a fair statement and in my personal experience, this statement is completely unfounded. I would be very interested to see if this woman has actually ever been to a themed party, because honestly, her notion of what they are, is not completely justifiable.
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I completely disagree with this statement. She is saying that white people are the only ones that throw themed parties, when in actuality, I went to a themed party a couple weeks ago hosted by a black guy. These themed parties that I have been to have never been racist against anyone, except for maybe the parties that are the ones where you have to dress up as a "clique" in high school, such as a geek, or a jock or one of the other. However, never have I been to one that has been generated towards a color of any sort. What I have experienced is just that people throw these themed parties to make their party more than just an "average" one, to entice people to come, to experience something more fun. People should not make such assumptions when they don't know the whole deal. The only reason that I could see that she would say this and make such a generalization is because there are more white people at Penn State than there are black people, but that does not mean that white people are the only one's interested in throwing these kinds of parties. Like I said before, I went to one last weekend hosted by a black person.
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I really do not think that white people decided to get together and celebrate and party while trying to offend black people. I think people just want to have fun, and themes are a great way to change up the usual party scene we all experience. Nobody is stopped from throwing or attending a themed party, so any colored people can participate. If white people really came up with themed parties to offend black people, why would they throw parties that make fun of other white people? For example, there has always been the popular “white trash” theme, as well as the more recently popular “Jersey Shore” theme, which pokes fun at “Guidos”. Maybe we should just stop trying to find the racism in everything, especially parties, and just enjoy ourselves.
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Usually, when looking at an issue, I can easily see both sides of the argument clearly and then see where my opinion falls. However, I personally do not see much of where this argument is even coming from.
The past four years I have spent at Penn State, I have gone to a significant amount of parties, only a small percentage of those being themed. I am trying to look back and recall if any of them were geared towards a certain race, namely black people as stated in the video. The only thing that remotely comes to mind that could be associated with rap culture, which as we know was started by black people, is the “gangsta” theme. However, I have absolutely never heard of anyone dressing up for one of these said socials and making fun of black people. Most of the time it is people wearing a football jersey or a white tank top and sagging their jeans or tilting a flat-brim hat to the side, and then the party proceeds as normal with drinking and maybe a little higher than normal amount of picture taking. Nothing seems racist to me about that.
What is more disconcerting is the fact that there are just as many theme parties not having to do with race AT ALL or quite a few having to do with familiar stereotypes towards white people, which as we have learned in this class – it is important to look at both sides of the issue. For example, there are some common theme parties like golf pros and tennis hoes or CEO hoes and office hoes that are circulated around the idea of a preppy/rich man (for the sake of the US culture, usually white) and a slutty girl. As a white person and a woman, this is not offensive at all – they are simply exaggerating preexisting stereotypes of our society.
Also, after “Jersey Shore” blew up on MTV, we saw countless poofs, blowouts, short dresses and tight male tank tops. Actually, on one night, five of my six roommates had different Jersey Shore parties to go to. Being half Italian and from New Jersey, I know this is not how everyone actually is, and while there is all this protest about the show, it is entertainment, just like these parties. Aside from these examples, I must point out that race never even enters my mind, especially because a majority of the themes have to do with holidays, sports events, or something challenging/creative like “anything but clothes/cup/etc.” and think is far-fetched for someone to say white people are the ones mostly taking part in this activity that pokes fun at black people. What some must also remember is the percentage of white people at Penn State. While I don’t have an actual number, it is by far, much higher than any other race represented here. So obviously when you go out on any night, theme party, or not, there are going to be more white people, in general. I am all for eliminating racism in our society but to do so, I feel like we must look at what is really at issue and I don’t think that by dressing up and going to a party any college student thinks he or she is degrading another race.
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I am White and have friend who are Black. When I am invited to a theme party they are usually also invited. I believe the speaker of this post needs to leap out of her box and maybe become friends with more white individuals. I believe there are many blacks that are too entrenched in the black community. While having roots in your racial community is a good thing, too much of it can be a bad thing. One has to learn how to act and work with people of other colors. I really think this was an ignorant post, but however I do not take offense to it. I would be curious to hear of what actual theme parties took offense of black individuals. Personally, the only themed party I have been to which a black person was involved was Tiger’s Hoes and Golf Pros. However, many black people do not consider Tiger to be on their “team” so I am unsure if this even counts.
A themed party in my mind has never even thought about race. I believe society is truly to the next level when it comes to race. Many of our generation currently in college now do not see color. They see the individual person. Especially at Penn State, I believe most students do not think about racism much at all. The poster of that comment may change my opinion on that subject though. I now wonder if the deeply entrenched black sections of the Penn State community still think about race every day. I have many black friends that I do not consider entrenched in the black community, because they are involved in many other things on campus. Be it business organizations, THON, or Greek Life. I believe these students have truly wanted to become part of Penn State. I am unsure about the group of students who do not get involved and simply stay with people they are comfortable with. There are so many opportunities at Penn State to get involved with people you are not comfortable with. I think soc 119 has actually made me more aware of these groups of individuals who still think a lot about the “race table.” I do believe that these students are the minority and that Penn State as a whole is a very open place.
Finally, I would be curious to know what some of my non white friends would think about the individuals post. I believe I will ask them and see what they say. Themed parties are for fun! They are a way to do things different and a conversation builder. The only themed party that I can think of that makes fun of people is Jersey Shore. However, they deserve it.
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I have never noticed this. The thought would never have crossed my mind, but maybe that’s because I’m white. But I don’t think I’ve ever been to a party that has made fun of or been centered around black people or their customs. I’ve been to holiday-themed parties (which has more to do with religion, which is a whole other issue), and I’ve been to television show-themed parties (like Family Guy, Jersey Shore, etc), but never anything that had to do with being black or Asian or Indian. And if I did come across one of them and happen to get invited, I probably wouldn’t even attend because let’s face it: I’m white…and I can’t pretend to be black.
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I completely disagree with this actually. Every theme party I have heard of has not had a racist undertone. I have never gone to a theme party that would ever be racist towards black people. If there is any party that would even have the slightest bit to do with being racist the one in most recent memory would be “Jersey Shore” themed parties. Since the hit MTV series “Jersey Shore” came out there has been many “Jersey Shore” Theme parties as a response. Girls show up dressed in minimal clothing, huge hair, maybe sporting a fake tan. Guys show up in a beater, huge blown out hair, and a pair of shades. So technically they are making fun of the Italian community, right? I don’t think that people refuse to go to claiming the idea behind it is racist. I’m Italian and I think that these parties are pretty funny, I am not offended by this type of theme party in any way. There are many themed parties that have nothing to do with race such as “CEO’s and secretary hoes”, “Golf Pros and Tennis hoes”. “ABC party”, “Ugly sweater party”, etc. I think that theme parties are definitely stereotypical in some cases like the aforementioned golf pros and tennis hoes party where everyone dresses in golf gear and tennis girl, but I don’t think they attack any particular group.
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I think its obsurd to say that themed parties are racist. I do know a large majority of white people go to Penn State, but all of the themed parties that I have been to don't revolve around racism. If anything I think recently themed parties have been making fun of white stereotypes more. The only "themes" I call into question are maybe a gangsta party or maybe a beer olympics where people dress up pretending like they are from all different countries around the world. I think that this is definitely a bold statement to make, and I guess some people might suggest the same thing. Even reading some of the other blog entries I think its safe to say that this is definitely not the case.
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In response to the video, I agree that as a Penn State student, the majority of themed parties that I see are hosted by white people. Though this may be true, it also may be representative of the percent of white students on this campus. Since Penn State is predominantly comprised of white individuals, it would make sense that more parties would be thrown by white people and a percent of these would be themed parties. So far this is all logical to me. What doesn’t make sense to me is that, from my four years as a Penn State undergrad, I have seen themed parties thrown by white people making fun of white people. For instance, white trash parties in which attendees black out some teeth, rip their clothes, and lower their vocabulary in order to fit the part. To me, these parties seem ignorant; however, my guess would be that these kids just want to find another excuse to drink.
Though I don’t think that the white students at Penn State tend to discriminate particular races, I do find that themed parties tend to exploit women. This feeling comes from popular party themes such as CEOs and corporate ho’s, pirates and wenches, golf pros and tennis ho’s, bikers and babes, and GI Joes and Army ho’s, just to name a few. If you didn’t notice by the names, these parties expect the men to be the dominant role of the party theme and the women to be provocatively dressed floozies. It seems that this trend would be degrading for women, however I’ve found that a number of my fellow female students actually enjoy being objectified by cooperating with these unequal themes. Maybe it’s because alcohol is involved and their inhibitions are low? Maybe it’s because there is a part of their personality that really wants to be slutty? No matter the motivation to oblige with these degrading parties, it seems like a double standard against women, no matter their race.
If this video blog was regarding the Compton Cookout that we talked about in group this week, I do not excuse these kids in the least for being so ignorant to present that party as though it were in celebration of Black History Month. Perhaps they were just trying to have a unique party theme and they didn’t consider the possible repercussions of their idea, however I don’t think that excuses them for blatantly disrespecting black people. Another aspect of this party that shocked me was the fact that the creators limited this ghetto party to only black people. From the video we watched in class about Tammy I would think hope that it is clear that white people can also be in poverty and struggle.
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Well i would like to know too, but as I've been to a few theme parties most have which were Halloween costume parties or something along the lines of beach themes. I have yet to encounter a "black/ghetto" theme where it looks like blatant racial discrimination. I think that it is quite odd if those do occur and that they offend people. I don't think most people here on campus are racist but some latent racism does tend to happen but i think its all in good fun. SOme sterotypes have been played too much and it does become old that people should grow out of it but mainly fraternities and soroities hold these parties and you can't account everyone that goes to these racial undertone parties as a rasict but the only thing to do about it would be to take action.
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Additional Blog #2
Personally, I do not think that all theme parties are made by or just hosted by white people. I also do not think that every time a person should attend a theme party, he or she will have to worry about race dialogue. All theme parties were not made for this particular reason.
However, I will admit that there are so theme parties out there that given just for the purpose of making fun of those of color. These types of parties are also held by mostly white people, but they are not completely to blame. I wonder do we ever go into a party looking for a race joke. Do we go into these parties already assuming that people of color are going to be the butt of everyone’s jokes? We must stop looking at everything in black and white/ either or reasoning. There are some shades of gray here. We can all enjoy ourselves at parties as long as we stop looking forward to being the controversial topic.
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part 1: Here’s a solution to themed parties if people are offended by them, DON’T GO TO THEM! I’m pretty sure that whoever is in charge of putting a party together and the theme is to dress ghetto or something that people consider racist doesn’t mean the person is a racist bigot. If a girl thinks that golf pro and tennis hoes is demeaning to women, it’s just dumb. And it’s not just that it’s one group or culture that gets thought of as a theme for a big party. Being white, I’ve been to “white trash bash” parties as well. Penn State is the number one party school in the country, so there’s going to be a myriad of different parties that will be thought of so there not all plain and boring. And if you’re in a fraternity or something along those lines, and your social chair conjures up an idea for everyone to dress “black” or “Spanish”, just don’t go if you are offended.
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I don't know where this question came from. I have been attending school here at Penn State for three years now and never have I been to a party which was racist. The closest you could consider a party I have been to was the Beer Olympics where teams of two people dressed to represent their country. Most parties that I have attended have been of the black light, ceo's and office hoes, pirates, and the big time holidays like Halloween and State Patty's Day. I have even attended a rubix cube party where you are required to wear each color of the rubix cube and throughout the night trade clothing with various people. By the time the keg is kicked you must be one solid color. Sounds pretty far from racist unless you look too deep into it and say that there is an underlying message which is against multiracial people in saying you must be "all one color" but that would just be a little O.D. and I'd consider that to be nonsense. I am curious as to what types of parties you have been going to that you feel parties to be racist. I wish you could have filled us in on some of your experiences have been, then I could share with you the time and place of a "good clean fun" party and hopefully alter your way of thinking about the party scene here at PSU aka the number one party school in the United States.
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part 2: It’s really not a big deal at all. People who get offended by a show like Jersey Shore (i.e people from North Jersey or “guidos” or Italians in general) just need to either change the channel. It makes a majority of people enjoy it and watch it. There’s no point to petitioning to the network to take it off the air. People need to stop being so damn sensitive about everything. There is a line I know, but I don’t think themed parties come anywhere near crossing it. There are much bigger racial problems in this world, people getting jumped by other people, maybe being a hate crime. This should be the main focus of people, not that parties are being racist because they make white people dress black. Everyone exaggerates stereotypes at some point in their lives, and if you walk down the street you can see people dressing and acting contrary to their general race norms and customs.
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Although I have been known to enjoy a theme party or two, who doesn’t like to dress up like you favorite persona and let loose, I have never been to one that was even remotely close to being racist. Normally the theme parties I have attended relate to current events, for example I recently attended an Olympics themed event, or have to do with an upcoming event or holiday, ugly sweater parties are a staple Christmas time themed party. I suppose you could argue as well that State Patty’s Day is a university wide “theme party”, what other explanation is there for thousands of students donning green attire and shamrocks on a nondescript February day, and I know it was not only white people wearing green and having fun last weekend. Other common themes that I can think of or that I have attended have not had any racial undertones, and as others have said most of the times if you actually give some thought to it are more sexist and offensive to women than anything. To answer another question my classmate posed, why even have a theme, is kind of silly. Why not have a theme at a party? It’s fun to decorate and dress up for theme parties and it’s not like a professor is requiring anyone to have dress a particular way for class, if I opt to go to a theme party on the weekend, why not? And I do not think that theme parties are exclusive to white people either. I have seen people of many races at theme parties enjoying themselves nonetheless.
Everyone has different ways of having fun and for some people theme parties are a fun alternative to regular parties in the clothes you wear every other weekend and it’s a great way to meet people, with everyone wearing outrageous things it’s a great jumping off point for conversations. Also, I have never seen anyone been barred entrance from a party because they were not dress as the theme implied. To me, theme parties have never been racist. As other have said if there is a theme that could be construed as racist it may be the high school stereotypes party where someone may opt to dress as a gangster. But once again this is a stereotype party. I think it is commonly understood that stereotypes no not indicate the behaviors or attitudes of an entire race and are simply an over simplified conception that often is based off media perceptions and not actual behaviors of real people. Additionally, as a woman I feel like my classmate who posed this question should be more appalled and concerned that there are parties going on, perhaps every weekend, where women are continually referred to as hoes.
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Based upon my experience, I do not agree. I have attended parties where the theme is a hayride, State Patty’s Day, Christmas, Homecoming, perhaps a period of time, like the 80s or sometimes just a “formal” which may be an annual event of a group, club or Greek organization. I have never attended a party of any nature that made fun of racial stereotypes. I will acknowledge that most of the parties that I attend are hosted by whites but for good or bad, the focus of the party is on having fun or celebrating an event—not poking fun at an ethnic or racial group. I hope that the You Tube piece only represents what the speaker heard and the comment was misinterpreted. Although I know that discrimination continues to exist here at Penn State and all over our country, it would be very disappointing to think that people have parties devoted to prejudice.
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I have not been to many theme parties in my life, but the few that I have been to were pretty fun and not racist. I guess theme parties are an excuse to dress up differently, instead of the normal going out clothes, and make the night more entertaining. It is just a fun thing to do and nothing that I would think as harmful or hurtful to other people. When I think of theme parties I think of holiday parties like St. Patrick’s Day or Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties, etc. I have been to Toga Parties, Mustache Parties, Jersey Shore Parties, and have heard of many other theme parties like White Trash Parties, Golf Pros and Tennis Hoes, and Business Hoes and Ceos parties. I do not think that any of these parties intentionally try to make fun of or degrade any certain group of people; I think it is just a way for everyone to dress differently and laugh about it.
When I first heard the question being asked, I was just really confused. Off the top of my head I could not think of one party that I went to that was specifically aimed toward making fun of black people. I wish that the girl that asked the question had given an example of a theme party that was geared towards that. Looking at one of the later blogs, however, I saw that some students made a theme party towards dressing ghetto. Yes, I can see why people would be offended by that, but isn’t it even a little funny that extremely white people dress up in the hip-hop style? I don’t think people (at least not all people) that think of parties try and come up with a theme with the intent of offending anyone.
The “ghetto” theme party is the only one I can think of that would even be the tiniest bit offensive and maybe it is just the term being used that offends people. I would definitely disagree with the statement that most theme parties are geared towards making fun of black people, because I do not think that is the case at all. Maybe some parties can be, but most of them are not. If anything, I feel like most parties are aimed at making fun of parts of white culture. The Jersey Shore theme parties can be offensive to Italians I guess, but I don’t take offense to it and I am both Italian and from the jersey shore. Some things people just need to laugh off and not turn into a huge deal. If you take offense to everything, you will always be upset about something. Any theme party that I have heard of or encountered has never been racist, and I hope it stays that way.
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I have absolutely no idea what the person posing this question is talking about. I have been in a fraternity for over a year now and have been a part of many themed parties. Not one of these parties had to do with minorities or race at all. There is St. Patty's day, Christmas parties, and Halloween parties, but all three of these celebrate holidays, nothing else. Other themed parties I have been to include highlighter parties, anything but clothes party, and beach themed parties. I don't see how any of these relate to race or racism at all. I have also never heard of any kind of themed party being racist at all.
The whole point of having a themed party is to have fun with it and be creative. A good theme can set that party apart for just your ordinary, regular non-themed party. Clearly, these parties are set up to draw in large crowds of people to the party, not to be racist.
I also don't see why the person in the video claims that themed parties are mostly thrown by white people. I never connected white people and themed parties together, mostly because there is absolutely no connection. A black person is just as able to throw a themed party if they'd like to.
The thing that really pisses me off about this video is the fact that the person in it is trying to stir up unnecessary controversy. Clearly, she doesn't know what she is talking about, because not once did she mention a particular themed party that she felt was racist. Her statement was extremely general and has nothing to back up her point. At best, she saw one racist themed party and generalized that most or all themed parties are racist in their theme.
Although I am not black, I understand that even today they have to put up with racism that white people don't have to deal with. Not all of the racism is blatant or obvious, but it still occurs. These parties are not one of these racist instances thought. A lot of times, I feel like some black people are always saying, "that's racist." Sometimes, they just need to realize that not everything is racist. If they get fired from a job, then they say "that's racist." No, you most likely got fired because you didn't do your job. Most black people are probably not like this. Most are willing to take accountability for their actions and recognize that you can't use racism as an excuse for everything. I feel like sometimes black people look for controversy and racism that isn't there to begin with. The girl in the video is clearly displaying this. This really needs to stop. I am so tired of it.
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I think I’m going to disagree with this statement. I’ve been to, hosted, and heard of tons of theme parties and none of them are created for the purpose (intentionally or otherwise) of making fun of black people – in fact I think white people would be afraid of hosting a theme party where that’s the theme! I can see where you’re saying they’re aimed at a group of people – CEOs, Pirates, Jersey Shore “contestants” – but I’d say the most racist theme that people are holding is a “white trash party,” for as far as I know that’s the only one that deals explicitly with race. Unless I’m wrong. Which I might be, because that happens. But what I really want to write about is something that was in the USA TODAY on Monday.
On the front page was an article expressing how the US needs to take proactive measures against natural disasters in an attempt to avoid economic and social damage (as has happened to other places). The opening paragraph was roughly: The last major earthquake to hit the USA was a magnitude-9.0 on the Pacific Northwest Coast over 300 years ago – before people and development.
Apparently the USA TODAY doesn’t think Native Americans are people.
So I wrote a letter expressing my disgust for the ignorance of the article and its THREE writers, named several Indian tribes that resided along the pacific northwest coast during the time of the earthquake, and more or less made it seem like the article offends all minority groups residing in the US (also I may have implied that I myself was Native American).
After last week’s class I was surprised to find such blatant unawareness, especially in a news paper! Also it wasn’t as if it was the Pittsburgh Post Gazette or some other shallowly circulating newspaper, but the USA TODAY! I’m sure I wasn’t the only one to write to them on the topic – anyone of Native American ancestry I’m sure immediately noticed the flaw and had a thing or two to say – maybe comparable to my insistence that the paper writes a correction to the article for the following day. I emailed the letter in the evening assuming there was a man whose job it was to look for mistakes like this, taking into consideration the emails sent directly to the “corrections” inbox for fear of being sued for liable or offending anyone, leading to loss of business. My highly romanticized and film-induced perception of the journalism industry was slightly wrong.
The next day I received a stock email, thanking me for the input and urging me to continue reading the “fast, informative” USA TODAY. There was no correction the next day.
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I will agree that most theme parties I have attended are mostly hosted and attended by white people. I do not, however, agree that they are racist. At least among my friends, the theme parties have never even remotely related to race. To name some of the recent ones, they have been British themed, Olympics themed, 90s nickelodeon, Disney characters, 80s just to name a few off hand. None of these have anything to do with race. I'm really sorry that it has beem your experience that you have heard of racially offensive themed partied and that is terrible, but just know that I do not believe that the majority of parties are this way. From my experience, most are silly or harmless themes that would not be offensive to anyone.
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As has seemed to be the general consensus of my fellow classmates, I do not agree with the statements of this video and feel that what this person is describing as a “theme party” is completely inaccurate. The concept of a theme party is to add a twist to the traditional party environment by initiating some dress code, so to speak, that people are supposed to follow. This theme is often very simple and usually has zero connections to race. While there are some themes that certainly target a certain stereotype of people, it is rarely a stereotype that is based on race and is more likely one based on humorous events in society. As far as white people “usually hosting these,” I am not quite sure why this person feels this way since there are no aspects of a theme party that limit it to being run solely by white people.
An interesting point that I came across while reading other responses was the fact this type of blog post (the question) demonstrates how literally everything in today’s society can be brought to the race level even when there clearly is no connection. I found this statement quite interesting and would certainly have to agree with it. In light of this question and that particular response, it appears to me that many things are far too over-analyzed and are often wrongfully misinterpreted. In this case it is simply a year-round Halloween party that someone feels is “usually racist.” In another example that was discussed earlier in the year it was a critic’s review of Avatar that elaborated on the white messiah foundations apparently evident in the film. In both cases, I feel the critics are extremely incorrect and are simply searching for drama.
What is more interesting with this particular theme party question is the “why”? Every post that I have seen thus far has disagreed with the description provided of a theme party, which can lead one to extract that this most likely is not an accurate description of such a party. So why did this person think otherwise? And why was it so bothersome that she wanted to speak out about it? Perhaps she attended one of these parties or heard of one that she found simply appalling or inappropriate. That would account for why she is upset, but not why she assumes that all parties are racially oriented and all parties are run by white people. So where does this type of information come from? I cannot come up with any logical source or any reasonable way she could have developed this type of stance based on anything other than wrongful assumptions. Whatever the case, it is good that she brought it out into the open so that she hopefully will see that her position on this subject is not correct.
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I think that the theme for the theme party plays a pretty huge role in whether or not the party is racist. There are indeed a lot of white people out there that will attend or host a racially themed party like the one held to "mock" black history month. The Compton Cookout party held by a fraternity at University of California San Diego, a party where you had to "dress ghettto" to attend. I guess in the eyes of these obviously mis led students they were respecting and celebrating black history month by dressing up in Fubu jeans, gold chains and nappy weaves. Guys were told to dress and act "Gangsta" and girls were told to dress and act like "ghetto chicks". I'm sorry but what the hell is that?! That to me is no way to respect any race. There were no blacks even in attendance to that party in fact they were quite offended. I wonder why. But these parties are no't always themed around a black or ghetto stereotype, there have been white trash parties, and probably some Latino stereotyped parties as well. there are also the beach themed parties, pajama parties and drag parties that don't try to imitate any race or offend anyone. But I have witnessed a pretty huge annual racial stereotype party right here in State College when thousands of people gather at all of the bars here and "drink like the Irish". I am Irish, but I'm not personally offended by this binge drinking. I could care less. But I know a very Irish guy that I worked with on State Pattys who is offended by this stereotype around which we revolve our binge drinking.
Therefore, not all theme parties go by a black stereotype but I think its safe to say that most of them do. The only reason I can think of for these parties mostly revolving around a black stereotype is because its probably a lot easier to try to resemble that stereotype because lets face it there is a lot of things on television telling people that its perfectly fine to make fun of this stereotype. A lot of the Blacks that you see on the media, things like MTV and VH1 go by the same stereotype that most blacks don't want. Although, I don't believe that anything makes these incredibly offensive parties o.k. I do kind of understand that for some of these people its alright to make fun of the stereotype, the media does(i.e. Chapelle's show, MAD TV, and others) and in that case I think it might be more of making fun of the stereotype rather than making fun of the Black race.
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As a senior, I have been to so many themed parties while attending Penn State and visiting other colleges. Some of them have been the most fun parties that I have ever been to. I could name hundreds of themes that I have heard of or been to. But never have I even stopped to think about the actually theme and what it truly means. The deepest I have thought about a theme was to decide what I would wear. So I never really thought of it as an issue. I mean, there is an actually holiday dedicated for dressing up.
I do not think that I totally agree with the statement that most of the college themed parties are hosted by white kids and are themes are make fun of races and/or stereotype a certain racial group. I am in my last year at Penn State, and I can say that in the past three years I have seen that the least percentage of the themed parties have anything to do with race, and I have been to many themed parties. While I understand that some may be racially suggestive, but they do not occur that often, and there is no underlying message to the themed party that is meant to be offensive. It is all just about fun and games.
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There are hundreds of other kinds of themed parties that occur at Penn State and at other colleges. Hardly any of them have anything to do with race. There are beach parties, ABC (anything but clothes), stop light, highlighters, just to name a few. These have nothing to do with race. So I think it is just a stereotype of college and Penn State to say that only the white kids host themed parties and the majority of them are racially themed parties that make fun of races. This is definitely not true and is a huge assumption, and an unfair one at that. When my friends and I go to a themed party, whichever kind it is, the last thing on ours minds is the underlying message of the theme and whether or not we should go. And even while we are there, there are so many different races, so there really isn’t a problem with the themed parties.
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I am not saying that there could never be an offensive theme, I just have never been exposed to one or have heard about one, but to be fair, there probably have been some. But to assume that the majority of these racially offensive parties are hosted by white people is very unfair to everyone, those that host, and those that attend. Many people of other races other than white people host themed parties too, so the hosts of the parties should not be the main issue here.
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Continuing with the feelings of the entire class, I feel that this statement is just plain false. While there are some parties which focus on race and of these, sometimes, the race of focus is black America, I do not think it is fair to claim that a majority of the parties purposefully aim to degrade black America. There are two parts to this video. The first part of this video is that themed parties are meant degrade or insult a specific race or ethnicity. The second part is that of these race themed parties, a majority focus on black America.
Starting with the first issue, I do not agree that themed parties are meant to offend any specific race or ethnicity. If anything, the argument could be made that themed parties are meant to promote the observation of stereotypes so that they may be more prominent and thus addressed by the greater community. This is no different than what many famous and accepted comedians do in their comedic skits, including Dave Chappelle. Also, at least in my experiences, most parties are not focused on race or ethnicity themes, but instead are focused on themes which require girls to wear sexually seductive clothing or no clothing at all. In fact, the argument could be made that most themed parties are aimed at degrading women more so than they are anything else. But even here, it cannot be forgotten that the idea of a party is to celebrate and have fun, and not to insult or make people angry, hence the addition of the theme to add to enjoyment.
As for the second issue, I also do not agree with the notion that most race themed parties focus on black America. In my personal experiences, most of the race themed parties focus on white trash, which as a white person I do not get offended by. The reason relates back to the previous idea that these themed parties are not meant as much to insult as they are to satire. Back to the issue of racism towards black America, I just don’t see where this point posted on the website gains any credibility or momentum? This is not to say that there aren’t any racist parties geared towards black America where nonblack students dress in black face, and that is not to say that this is not racist, but this is only for the extreme minority. Possibly the same minority that comprises neo-Nazis or KKK membership. Again not to be misunderstood, that is not to say that these people are wrong for their beliefs just because I disagree with them or just because they do not represent the majority.
The addition of themes to parties is meant to add to the enjoyment of the atmosphere and, at least in my personal experiences, to entice women to wear as little as possible for aesthetic or personal reasons. While there are some parties which do focus on race, I do not believe that these parties are meant to offend as much as they are intended to promote awareness. Finally, within these race parties, to look for patterns of racism towards a specific group of people is to look for racism where there probably isn’t any, and when someone looks for racism it does not take much of a leap to extrapolate irrelevance into make believe fact.
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part 3: Dr. Richards brought up wiggers in once class. It’s okay for one night to try and step in someone else’s shoes, but people that try and act like another culture permanently because they think they’re cool, that’s just stupid. And if non-Caucasians try and point the finger at white people for the heart of these ideas, that is not true at all. Two of my friends are in a mostly Asian fraternity, and they have had themed parties acting like white guidos, wearing tanktops and tight jeans. So if it is a “problem” (which I obviously don’t think it is), it’s everyone. But moral of the story, only let in what information you want to know. If you don’t want to feel discriminated against, go to a different party.
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keg5174 Reply:
March 12th, 2010 at 1:38 am
i completely agree with what you are saying. i think that it may have started off as white kids making fun of other kids, but it seems like now everyone is involved in the making fun of one another. i dont really see a cure to this "problem" and i think that we shouldnt take it as a slap in the face or a racial thing. its true, if these parties are really offensive to you the way that some people describe them to be, then dont go, go to a different party, forget about it and leave. the reality of it is that it certainly wont stop, despite whatever efforts to stop it, i find it hard to believe that it ever will.
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I’m a little confused by the assertion that theme parties usually target black people. I have been to plenty of theme parties, and I have never been to one that targets black people, and I have only been to one that could even be considered racist or prejudiced, but it targeted Native Americans. Here is a short list of the parties I have attended: CEO and business hoe, beach parties, golf pro and tennis hoe, heroes and villains, movie stars, and cowboys and Indians (Obviously this is the one that could be considered offensive or prejudice). Quite honestly I cannot attest to whether these parties are primarily white, but I still cannot see how they target the black community. I do see that most of the parties I attend are primarily white, but the truth is that most of my friends are white, so I don’t see a wide enough spectrum to really know.
In my opinion, if these parties are offensive to anyone it would seem to be to women in that these parties usually objectify women. At these parties, women are typically expected to dress very sexy and scantily, while men usually try to be funny with their costumes. This is the only aspect of theme parties that I believe systematically and consistently discriminates against anyone, but this is clearly not exclusive to just theme parties, because women usually try to dress up and look sexy at most parties and social events.
Overall, I have always had a lot of fun at theme parties because they make normal parties more exciting and add a creative aspect to the parties as well. I have never even noticed any racial aspect to them with the exception of the cowboys and Indians party. I’m sure there are parties that are offensive, but I think they are the exceptions, not the rule. Most theme parties are usually either holiday related or related to something in the media or popular culture. As others have noted, I believe that these offensive parties must exist since I don’t believe that this person randomly made them up, but I don’t think that she is aware of the other themed parties that really make up the majority of such parties.
So in conclusion, I really don’t think that themed parties are really prejudice as a general rule. As a white person, I apologize for my race if we have really created the impression that these themed parties target minorities, and more specifically black people, but the people who hold and attend such parties are not representative of me or my friends. I hope this response helps to explain what I see in regard to the question posed, and I am sorry that I haven’t seen the problem that is being described. Maybe I am just living in my own little white world, but truly I have never seen any theme parties that target black people.
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Before I share my opinion on any of this, I think that a point needs to be established. Theme parties as a whole almost never have a race based theme. One did, and it just made the national news. So saying that there are a plethora of theme parties with race at the center of the theme is just plain wrong. Regarding the party at USCD, the whole thing is totally out of hand. However, I think the part of it that makes it out of hand is that it was thrown in response to Black History month. Honestly, I would have thought about this party a lot differently is the invitation had just called it a Compton Cookout with no descriptors attached. People’s interpretations may have come off a little skewed, but the point I want to arrive at it that there is a difference between making fun of a race and making fun of a culture. I don’t think anyone should really have a problem with people having Jersey Shore parties or things like that. Sure, you may be from there, and it may be mocking you a little, but making fun of a culture is fair game in my eyes because it is something that you choose to be a part of. For example, I may get slightly annoyed when people make fun of the culture that I associate with, but I at least can laugh at myself when people take small eccentricities to an extreme. The problem with how this was thrown was really one big thing. If you had a party that said dress ghetto, and included all the descriptors on the invitation that have been mentioned, I don’t think it really would have been that bad. Obviously the purpose of this party is to make a mockery of whatever its guests represent. However, again the big problem is that you have associated a culture that you are mocking to an entire race. Race unfortunately is not something that you can realistically choose to be a part of or not. The net effect is that people who have nothing to do with this culture that is portrayed are sucked into the stereotype that they have distinctly chosen not to be a part of, for one reason or another. I can see both sides of calling this racist or not calling it racist. I think that it is, but just omitting that black history month statement would almost make me argue the other way. That’s kind of interesting to me, that just the wording makes me change opinions without really taking into account the intentions of the people behind the party. Maybe they are racist, maybe not, but there is definitely a thin line in this case in my opinion, thinner than most might believe.
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I do not agree with this girl's statement regarding themed parties above. Having been to numerous theme parties myself I do not think there is a racial undertone or a hidden attempt to humiliate people of color, blacks or whoever else. I think the objective of a theme party is actually kind of the opposite. It is to put everyone in attendance in the same type of situation, so they can bond and become closer. If everyone is dressed up and looks abnormal and wild than it takes away from some of the pressure to fit in or look cool in regular, everyday clothing. There are tons of themes that have nothing to do with race whatsoever, ugly sweater party? 80s party? toga party? None of these address any aspect of race. They are held to get people to loosen up, try something different and less boring. They take place for fun, not for racial discrimination. What I can see as having the potential to be offensive is having a "gangster" or "ghetto" party. These are stereotyping huge portions of communities and can be unfair. Not everyone wears a bandanna with a flat brimmed hat or has a tear drop tattoo coming down their faces which are practically staples in a gangsta party. But again,I honestly in my heart of hearts I do not believe that these parties or any themed parties are held with the intention to offend anyone. In my experience it is just a fun way to hang out with your friends and do something different. The same goes with high school spirit days. Both for homecoming week and the day before home games we would choose special themes to dress up as. They are used as a tool for bonding and to get excited for something. And people from every race took part and enjoyed them. It gave you and your teammates or classmates a special connection. I will admit, the girl who asked this question could very possibly have a greatly different experience or exposure to theme parties. So I am not saying that she is wrong, I am just saying that that is not what I have seen. Both in my very culturally diverse high school in the Washington, D.C. area to the predominately white surroundings of State College, PA I have seen themed parties that are created as way to have fun and act silly with your friends, or to be creative and find a funny costume. But I have not once seen a theme party to hurt or mock people of color. So my advice to you is to grab your costume, grab your cup, lighten up and enjoy!
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I do not think that theme parties are thrown mostly by white people, and I definitely do not agree with most of them being at the expense of black people. Penn State is a mostly white campus so chances are white people host more theme parties simply because there are many more white people here than students of color. I’m not sure what you mean when you say that many of these parties are making fun of racial stereotypes towards black people. I’ve heard of many different types of theme parties, but most of the parties that come to my mind are based on professions more than race. Golf pros and Tennis ho’s, CEO’s and office ho’s, traffic light parties, and jersey shore parties are all very popular themes that I hear about quite often. Not only do these not have anything to do with black people, only jersey shore parties are based on a race (Italian).
Everyone likes to dress up, just look at Halloween, and theme parties are just another way for students to have fun dressing up in crazy outfits with their friends. Wearing crazy clothes is one of the easiest ice breakers at a party and I think this causes many students hosting parties to decide on a theme and have people dress up accordingly. Theme parties tend to be more fun for this reason. If everyone is dressed up in different ways it is much easier to start a conversation and therefore easier to make friends.
Also, after the first half hour or so at a theme party no one really cares about what anyone is wearing anymore. Since everyone is dressed in a very similar fashion, people tend to get used to all the outfits and it becomes normal to see a guy in golf attire or a girl dressed as a secretary. It really doesn’t matter what theme the host picks because since everyone will be dressed the same way and have fun seeing others dressed as ridiculous as them. Also choosing a theme for a party allows people to dress up as crazy as they want because there will almost always be someone dressed up crazier. Because everyone is trying to be very clever with what they wear, it makes the party more interesting for the attendants. It’s more fun to see people dressed like the crazy people on the jersey shore or as gold pros then to just see everyone in jeans and a T-shirt. People being dressed in funny ways also encourage more fun conversations between friends because there are a lot of interesting outfits to talk about. I think theme parties are so popular because of the social reasons, easier to make conversation, and that it really doesn’t have anything to do with race.
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I have to say that I strongly disagree with the statement that theme parties are racist, and that they are somehow geared towards the racism of black people. Also, only white people host them? I can’t say I agree with that either. I’m Hispanic, and I, myself, have hosted many themed parties, and none of them had anything to do with race. Personally, most theme parties that I have heard of or been to don’t have to do with race at all. Anything but a cup, anything but clothes, ceos and business hoes, ugly Christmas sweaters? I really don’t see how any of these even remotely have to do with racism, in any way. Themed parties are merely just to spice things up. To say that they are only hosted by white people is to be a little misinformed. It is not something fair to say or think. I also think that before making this comment. You have to take into consideration the context of the situation. We go to Penn State. I am like 1 of the 20 Hispanics that go here. Most of the student body here is white. So , of course, most parties that you may attend will be hosted by a white person. I’m not saying that there aren’t themed parties out there that poke fun at certain racial groups. Just that it is rather rare. And when they do, it is not only to make fun of black people. How about the Jersey Shore themed parties? I feel like sometimes we may look into things from a negative perspective, and try to make them more than what they truly are. Yes, many things out there are extremely racist and biased, but not everything in the world is. Sometimes things are just what they are meant to be. In this case, just plain fun. People sometimes try to find something racist in every aspect of life. I just hope people realize that not everything is racist! Theme parties are just an excuse to look silly while drinking, that’s all.
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I have to say that I strongly disagree with the statement that theme parties are racist, and that they are somehow geared towards the racism of black people. Also, only white people host them? I can’t say I agree with that either. I’m Hispanic, and I, myself, have hosted many themed parties, and none of them had anything to do with race. Personally, most theme parties that I have heard of or been to don’t have to do with race at all. Anything but a cup, anything but clothes, ceos and business hoes, ugly Christmas sweaters? I really don’t see how any of these even remotely have to do with racism, in any way. Themed parties are merely just to spice things up.
To say that they are only hosted by white people is to be a little misinformed. It is not something fair to say or think. I also think that before making this comment. You have to take into consideration the context of the situation. We go to Penn State. I am like 1 of the 20 Hispanics that go here. Most of the student body here is white. So, of course, most parties that you may attend will be hosted by a white person.
I’m not saying that there aren’t themed parties out there that poke fun at certain racial groups. Just that it is rather rare. And when they do, it is not only to make fun of black people. How about the Jersey Shore themed parties?
I feel like sometimes we may look into things from a negative perspective, and try to make them more than what they truly are. Yes, many things out there are extremely racist and biased, but not everything in the world is. Sometimes things are just what they are meant to be. In this case, just plain fun. People sometimes try to find something racist in every aspect of life. I just hope people realize that not everything is racist! Theme parties are just an excuse to look silly while drinking, that’s all. I have to agree with saying that this question/video is a joke. I don’t understand how anyone could come to that conclusion. Then again, opinions have to do with personal experiences.
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I have to say that I strongly disagree with the statement that theme parties are racist, and that they are somehow geared towards the racism of black people. Also, only white people host them? I can’t say I agree with that either. I’m Hispanic, and I, myself, have hosted many themed parties, and none of them had anything to do with race. Personally, most theme parties that I have heard of or been to don’t have to do with race at all. Anything but a cup, anything but clothes, ceos and business hoes, ugly Christmas sweaters? I really don’t see how any of these even remotely have to do with racism, in any way. Themed parties are merely just to spice things up.
To say that they are only hosted by white people is to be a little misinformed. It is not something fair to say or think. I also think that before making this comment. You have to take into consideration the context of the situation. We go to Penn State. I am like 1 of the 20 Hispanics that go here. Most of the student body here is white. So, of course, most parties that you may attend will be hosted by a white person.
I’m not saying that there aren’t themed parties out there that poke fun at certain racial groups. Just that it is rather rare. And when they do, it is not only to make fun of black people. How about the Jersey Shore themed parties?
I feel like sometimes we may look into things from a negative perspective, and try to make them more than what they truly are. Yes, many things out there are extremely racist and biased, but not everything in the world is. Sometimes things are just what they are meant to be. In this case, just plain fun. People sometimes try to find something racist in every aspect of life. I just hope people realize that not everything is racist! Theme parties are just an excuse to look silly while drinking, that’s all. I have to agree with saying that this question/video is a joke. I don’t understand how anyone could come to that conclusion. Then again, opinions have to do with personal experiences.
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Maybe I am not going to all of these themed parties that she was talking about. Themed parties have been ABC, Jersey Shore, beach party, or anything like that. I honestly cannot think of one time I went, was invited to, or even heard of anyone going to a party that seemed in any way racist at all nor do I think I will ever encounter one. People don't make up parties to be racists, they don't even have racist themes. It does not make sense where this question came from because I am pretty sure they are just neutral themes that have nothing to do with anything.
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Theme parties have defiantly gotten a little bit out of control. I think if prepared for correctly they can occur without really offending people. However, typically people don’t take into consideration that they could possibly be offending someone. After discussing the “Compton Cook out” in my discussion group I defiantly realize that there are lines that can defiantly be crossed.
For example, I think most people would consider it a little odd if a large # of white people have a party and all try to dress and act like black people do. First of all, the first thing I see wrong with this situation is that not all lack people act alike. And just because someone is from the ghetto does not mean they dress the same way as everyone else in the ghetto does. I believe that the one line in the invitation said to “come see what it is like to live in the ghetto”. This is completely absurd as far as I am concerned. Just because you put on a white tee and throw in some bad weave does not mean for a second that you could understand what it is like to live in the ghetto. I feel the fact that people would want to have a part to act “ghetto” in the first place ridiculous. Not all people that live in the ghetto are black. The majority of the people that live there would get out if they could.
I also feel there is a difference to have a “jersey shore” party and a “Compton Cookout”. I know people act like they are proud to be from the ghetto but I guess that if they were given the opportunity to leave, most people would choose to do so. On the other hand, the people on the show Jersey Shore want the attention. They choose willingly to put themselves in the positions they do.
Also, the idea of white trash parties. I mean not everyone who we would consider white trash has asked to be put in the situation that they live in. I feel that these parties can be fun and harmless if conducted properly. For instance, start with the guest list. If a group of black kids decided that they were going to have a white trash party, many people would consider that offensive. If a group of black kids would decide to have a party to dress and at like white frat boys many people would, rightfully, be upset. The fact that these white kids had only invited one black person to the Compton cookout tells me that they knew what they were doing was defiantly wrong and went way too far.
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I have to disagree with the person making the video because, being in a frat, I have obviously been and hosted many theme parties. Saying that "most theme parties are hosted by white people" is kind of discriminatory in my opinion. We do not discriminate against anyone coming to theme parties and do not intend them to hurt anyone. If it is a "ghetto theme", then there may be a line that has to be drawn. For example, it wouldn't be appropriate to say grease up your hair or wear a nappy wig, etc., because that is obviously discriminating against black people. Being "ghetto", though, does not automatically mean being black because anyone could classify as "ghetto." Themes like Jersey Shore are also not very discriminatory because they were pretty open on the show about being guido and embracing that lifestyle, so who would be offended by this? I think issues like this are a small problem in the world of race relations. There is nothing offensive about white people dressing up in baggy clothing and fitted hats, because many white people already do this. It is not discrimination against black people, to me its just a style.
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I really wish this girl said more about the themes to which she is referring. The only theme that I know of that she could be talking about is the “gangster” theme, and that’s not even a racial theme. Gangsters can include people of any race such as the Italian or Irish Mafias or the Crips and Bloods. On top of all this, I think I may have heard about one “gangster” themed party. Most of the themed parties just go along with the trends like the “guido/guidette” parties which stem from “Jersey Shore” or seasonal holidays like an “ugly sweater” Christmas party. There are even more themes such as a “sticker” party, “highlighter” party, or “would you be my friend if I wore this” party, that are done with the intentions to be goofy and add humor to the event.
As far as white people being the only people to have themed parties, that doesn’t even seem to have a connection to me. If black people want to have themed parties then they should do that. I don’t know what race has to do with it. In fact I know a bunch of black girls at Penn State who recently went to a “lingerie” party hosted by black guys, so there’s an example of a themed party put together by black people. Also, the fact that Penn State is largely populated by white people (only 13% of the enrollment is composed of students of color according to Penn State’s admissions website: http://admissions.psu.edu/facts/studentbody/) means that white people are typically hosting parties. If these parties happen to be themed, it’s done with the intentions to have fun, not to “make fun” of black people. Usually the theme is just to be silly and dress differently than we typically do, not to dress like black people.
In all honestly, the people who have the right to be upset about some themed parties are women in general. Themes such as “CEOs and Office Hoes” are degrading to females, and I know of lots of themed parties such as this one that are hosted regularly. The goal of many themed parties is often to get girls to wear as little as possible and has nothing to do with race.
Overall, I see no correlation between white people and themed parties. I think a theme is a common thing to do whenever anyone hosts a party. And the idea that white people’s themed parties are done to make fun of black people is outlandish. As I said, there aren’t many themed parties that even have a theme related to black people, so I don’t really know how someone could get the idea that these parties are intended to target black people.
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I have not personally attended any theme parties that I would consider racist, derogatory, or stereotypical in any way. I cannot recall hearing of any parties that could be racist towards black people. I guess if someone is offended by the theme of a party because they feel that it is focused on degrading their race then perhaps they could try to look at it as a celebration of their race. From my experiences, when friends of family have thrown parties in my honor I have always been very grateful and excited. If white people are throwing a “black” themed party, I think that they should try to see it as a celebration of their race.
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I have been to many themed parties during my time at Penn State. However, the only theme party that I have been to that was directly related to an ethnic group was a Jersey Shore theme. Almost every party that is thrown at Penn State has some kind of theme, but I have never been present at a party that was directly insulting or insensitive to Blacks or another minority. They have all been either toga, abc, beach, etc. They just have a theme so people can wear stupid or slutty clothing depending on the theme. I think you could even make the argument that the golf pros and tennis hoes parties are insulting to the wealthy, country club set. The party that I could see being really offensive to an ethnic group would be the Jersey Shore party. Kids are actually putting on tanning lotion and makeup to make their skin darker than it is. The girls are dressing in extremely provacative way and the guys are gelling their hair and wearing Ed Hardy tee shirts. I do agree that many of the theme parties are thrown by white kids, but that is because they are the majority of the kids at Penn State.
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In my experience, the reason that groups decide to host themed parties is to facilitate conversation and to easily meet new people while they are out. I have always enjoyed themed parties and think they are particularly beneficial for any individuals who are a bit shy. When you and everyone around you are dressed like buffoons it becomes easier to laugh with, and at, each other’s wardrobe and theme choices thereby making a conversation much easier to start among strangers.
I think it is very easy to feel personally affronted by people’s actions even when they were not intended for you. Sometimes it is important to take a step back and realize that while some things are racist and degrading to others, some things are done in innocence. I have never been to a theme party where I wanted to upset someone or do something that could be considered racist. Maybe I have accidently without knowing it, but it is kind of like accidently hurting someone’s feelings… if you do not do it on purpose is it really as painful?
I do not think that themed parties are purposefully racist or degrading in anyway. For any party it is really up to the attendee to dress however they like and be creative with their outfit. For a pimps and hoes party I had friends dress up as pimps so they would not have wear slutty outfits and even for a “South of the Border” theme I had a friend dress up as a piñata.
I think if you are feeling upset by certain people’s choices and decisions then you should just take a step and really consider if they are doing it to hurt someone or just in the name of fun. If it is people you are close to, ask them. It is so much easier to just talk things out with people than get more and more upset about something that they probably would never even think would upset you.
I stand by what I said before that really the main reason people have themed parties is to help make conversation and meeting people easier for their guests. It is the same as seating people who do not know each other together at dinners so that everyone can mingle and meet each other. While some themes might not be exactly politically correct, I do not think that people choose themes to target any group in a racist or demeaning manner. I am glad you asked this question though because it gives me pause if my actions have ever hurt someone’s feelings and I will probably be more cautious about my future actions in regards to how others may view them.
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I don't really agree with that. I have been to plenty of themed parties in my day and not many of them if any would I consider to be racist. Stereotypes are seen at some. There are BET versus CMT, which is just dressing like people on each channel. However, I see nothing wrong with this. Maybe the problem is that there is a channel called "black entertainment." If it is just hip-hop then it should be called HMT or something along those lines. And dressing up like people on CMT is not wrong either.
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Those people dress how they dress because they want to be perceived a certain way and dressing up like them is fine in my mind. Another type of party where you dress as a stereotype is the Jersey Shore party, which is where people dress up like the guidos that they see on the show. There isn't anything wrong with this in my mind either. I love that show. I watch it all the time. The people on the shows are perceived as dumb, macho, Italian types. They love being considered guidos. They all say that during the show. They think they are awesome and I'm sure that they wouldn't have a problem if you wanted to dress up like them. It would be incorrect though, if you ran across a guido and assumed they were stupid from what you watched from the show. Also to address the fact that it is mostly white people who throw the parties- most people who go to penn state happen to be white.
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If most people who wnet to penn state were black, asian, indian, native american, hispanic, or any other type of racial group- it would be them who were throwing the parties. Most of the themed parties I have been to have been decades, toga, anything but clothes, anything but cups or anything else that people can think of. If you are goign to say that themed parties are racist- you would really just not be right, in my mind at least. Anyways, maybe that is just me and the people that I associate with that have never been to any racist parties. I don't know though, not to generalize, but most of the people that I have encountered at Penn State are not racist in the least and would not try and throw a racist party. I think that if they did people would feel pretty uncomfortable with it and not even show up.
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I was not aware of any themed parties that exist that are racist against black people or African Americans. The themed parties I can think of off the top of my head include: 80s, CEOs and corporate hoes, Jersey Shore, ugly sweaters and I suppose Halloween could be included in that. As far as I know none of those have any undertones of discrimination against blacks. But who knows, maybe I’m naïve and ignorant to the real underlying issues. I think to give the argument more support it’d be good to give specific examples of themed parties that are racist.
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I really can't see where the girl in this post is coming from, I mean I've definitely been to more theme parties making fun of white people than any other racial group. Jersey Shore parties for example could be seen as making fun of Italians. Out of all the parties I've heard of there is only one that I could understand black people being offended by and that is "gangsta" parties or something along those lines. However, I've actually attended a party like that with black friends and they didn't seem to take any offense. I think it's also necessary to see that white people aren't dressing like that in order to make fun or offend black people its usually just copying famous rappers and other artists that we like too, and so most white people just think its cool to dress like that for a night. As a white person I can't say that I understand the daily struggles of black people, but I am aware of racism that still exists in this country and can say that this issue is not a racist issue. The main reason for any kind of party such as this is to do something different and have fun while drinking. I can speak for the majority of white people at penn state and say that were just tryin to have fun and get drunk, not offend anyone. I also disagree with the statement that these party's are only thrown by white people. I've been to themed parties thrown by people of other races and the parties have never been exclusive only to whites. I think that it may seem that way since the majority of people here are white but I'm sure on other campuses it would be the other way around. Its also necessary to see that the majority of themed parties such as ugly sweater, anything but clothes. etc have absolutely nothing to do with any kind of race, white black or brown, so its hard for me to see how this can be a race issue. I'm not trying to say that there has never been a racist themed party hosted by white people, but you have to realize that although racism exists the vast majority of people are not racist. I really think that themed parties are really just a way to have fun and an easy way to meet people. As for the question of 'why must there be a theme?' I think that its just a way to spice things up and do something different. Its also usually really funny to see people dressed in ridiculous costumes no matter what the theme. When it comes to any kind of party, its all in fun.
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