Students react to party themes, gender relations

Since last spring, Patterson Court Organizations' party themes have come under scrutiny for cultural insensitivity. Recently, faculty members have also voiced concern for gender issues in themes that perpetuate objectification of women. Last week, 439 students participated in a school-wide survey to gauge their perspectives.

Results reflected varying opinions: While 39.6% of students agree that ensuring party themes are non-offensive is important, 39.3% disagree. 20% answered "neutral." Students also ranked the offensiveness of eleven party themes.  Over half of respondents reported being completely unoffended by all eleven.

As for specific party themes, 27% of females reported being offended by "Walk of Shame," and 26% by "Six Figures and Gold Diggers" and "Golf Bros and Tennis ‘Respectable Women.'" Further, while 80% of males completely disagreed that they had been offended by a Patterson Court party theme or advertisement, only 50% of female students completely disagreed.

The survey also received over 65 comments in the space offered, showing disagreement over how to address offensive themes. Many referred to taking offense at themes as "ridiculous," "annoying," and "overly-sensitive," criticizing "obsession with political correctness." Others alleged that taking offense "highlights a person's insecurity." Students cited First Amendment rights to free speech, and wrote, "the right to not be offended does not exist."    

Regardless, the PCC is taking new measures to regulate offensive party themes. Turner Eating House Social Chair Krista Catafago '14 said that Patterson Court Advisor Meg Shamburger approves themes and emphasized a move toward themes that "entertain rather than offend."

Kappa Sigma Social Chair Ace Coumas '14 evaluates themes asking, "Does it reference alcohol? Are there racial or gender stereotypes?"

Morgan Bell '12, PCC Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms, works to help Social Chairs assess themes. "We identify risks that PC members might face and strive to educate rather than enforce rules." PCC measures have provoked creative themes like "Middle School Kewl," but the approval system is not foolproof.

One student pointed out, "Any party theme can be found offensive by someone in some way." For example, though 56% of female and 80% of male students reported being unoffended by KA's recent "Golf Bros and Tennis ‘Respectable Women'" theme, other students expressed distaste for the euphemism.

Health Advisor Madison Rigger '12 said, "I appreciate that it's cute and clever, but we all know what it is replacing."

Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity's social chair Cyrus Saffari '14 adds, "If the PCC is serious about having parties that do not offend anyone, themes like this should not be approved."

President Lee Dorsey admits that PCC is "still working out the kinks" of theme regulation, and stresses that policies and procedures present "a technical change to an adaptive problem," implying that themes alone are not the issue, but point to a larger systemic issue at Davidson.

Associate Dean of Student Life Kathy Bray concurs. "I don't want to focus too much on party themes. They are a visible manifestation of a larger dynamic."

Concern exists that objectification of women is more prevalent in Davidson social life compared to classrooms. The majority of students commenting on the survey emphasized that Davidson's parties are fun, stress-relieving and an important part of the social lives of our intelligent hard-working students. While 85% of females surveyed disagreed either completely or somewhat that they had experienced sexually offensive behavior from the opposite sex in academic settings, 72.4% agreed either somewhat or completely that they had experienced sexually offensive behavior from the opposite sex in social settings.

These numbers trouble President Carol Quillen, and in response, she suggests that we ask ourselves, "Are these themes causing people to dress and act in ways that seem to authorize behavior that is dangerous to men and women?"

Connor Eating House Social Chair Gen Carter '13 says no. "Women are smart enough to determine for ourselves what is appropriate behavior and apparel for a party without being influenced by a theme's sexual overtone."

One survey respondent disagreed, "I think that women on this campus feel like they must dress or act in a very sexual way in order to fit in or get male attention , which men don't really do. Much of the time, the underlying gender issues behind this are ignorantly perpetuated as a result."