A college fraternity, a Beyoncé sex toy and a problem.
The University of Pennsylvania’s chapter of Phi Delta Theta sparked some controversy Sunday night when members posed for a holiday card with a naked brown-skinned blow-up doll.
A photo of the card was posted to Facebook but then removed.
The Daily Pennsylvanian reports:
On Sunday night, a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity posted what became a controversial Christmas photo on Facebook. The photo showed the brothers — most of whom appear to be caucasian — posing in holiday attire in a living room. Next to one of the brothers on the left of the photo was a dark-skinned blow-up doll.
The blow-up doll was meant to be a “gag gift” at the frat’s Secret Santa event, according to chapter president and college senior Jimmy Germi. The doll was originally a “Beyoncé sex toy.”
The fraternity has issued an apology to Penn’s black student union, UMOJA. Here are more details from Germi’s apology note according to the Daily Pennsylvania report:
The apology said “there were absolutely no prejudicial motivations behind the gift,” but acknowledged that “the absence of racial motivation is no justification for this act of poor judgement and the decision not to include a sex toy in a holiday picture should have been an easy one.”
Phi Delta Theta’s national office is currently investigating the incident and determining what “sanctions” will take place. Associate Executive Vice President Sean Wagner issued the following statement on the fraternity’s official website:
We are deeply concerned by this image. Phi Delta Theta is a values-based organization, and the lack of judgment associated with this image indicates a disconnect from those same values. Our goal is to determine the organizational issues associated with this misguided decision and to provide both punitive and educational action that will promote reform.