'Hood Ratchet Thursday' party at University of Michigan cancelled

theGRIO REPORT - A University of Michigan fraternity is under fire after scheduling a "Hood Ratchet" themed party.

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

A University of Michigan fraternity is under fire after scheduling a “Hood Ratchet” themed party.

Theta Xi created a Facebook event for a November 7 party, entitled “World Star Hip[-]Hop Presents: Hood Ratchet Thursday.”

“Started from da bottom now we here but now we goin back to da hood again!! [sic]” the since-removed invitation read.

The event sparked outrage among minority students by specifically inviting: “rappers, twerkers, gangsters (no bloods allowed), thugs, basketball players, bad b*tches, ratchet p***y.”

“It was very important that we all get together and discuss the impact this unfortunate event has had on the University community, as well as our expectations moving forward,” University of Michigan’s Black Student Union secretary Geralyn Gains told The Michigan Daily. “Obviously, the way the party was both conceived of and executed is in direct contradiction to the standards of our university.”

The university responded by sending an e-mail to all U-M students.

“We were deeply disappointed to learn that members of a university fraternity had planned an offensive themed party for November,” the letter read, according to WJBK-TV. “The language of the invitation and theme of the party denigrated all women and African[-]American/black identified people through racial stereotypes and cultural appropriation.”

The fraternity’s president, as well as the student who helped create the event and posted it to Facebook, have apologized.

“I would like to apologize to all of the members of our student body, including those of all ethnicities, and to all women, for our extraordinary lack of consideration, and lapse in judgment,” Theta Xi chapter president Eric Quang wrote in a letter obtained by The Detroit News.

Theta Xi’s national headquarters has suspended all social events until their investigations are closed.

In a similar scenario this summer, a Dartmouth University fraternity threw a “Bloods and Crips Party.” The fraternity and sorority involved in the event issued apologies following the event.

Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @CarrieHeals

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