Student Group Protests Outside Penn Phi Delt By Holding Faux Slave Auction
11 years ago

Student Group Protests Outside Penn Phi Delt By Holding Faux Slave Auction

Back in December, the members of Phi Delta Theta at University of Pennsylvania caught heat for including a Beyonce blow up doll in their Christmas photo. The fraternity apologized for the use of the doll, claiming that it was nothing but a gag gift, and said that it was a bad decision to have it.

Last Friday, one student group on campus, Students Organizing for Unity and Liberation, or SOUL, protested the fraternity over the incident.

From The Daily Pennsylvanian:

In front of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity house, a member of the group stood on a box with plastic chains around her neck, reciting a poem directed toward the members of the fraternity, calling them out for their choice to feature a black blow-up sex doll in their holiday photo last December.

“When you walk on Locust, you’re not supposed to feel the violence that is this house,” College senior Victoria Ford, the student reciting the poem, said.

In response to the photo, Phi Delt’s nationals put the fraternity on probation. The brothers were required to take educational programs on cultural sensitivity and sexual and relationship misconduct. The reason for the protest was because the group was not pleased with the punishment that Phi Delt received for the incident.

“We haven’t forgotten about this and remain unsatisfied with the University’s response and punishment of Phi Delta Theta,” SOUL posted on its Facebook event for a Tuesday meeting to organize the protest.

SOUL took to the front of the house to show this displeasure by participating in a fake slave auction.

The fake slave auction in front of the chapter house was meant to tie the purchasing of the black sex-doll into the larger narrative of slavery, and the historical relationship between white men and black women.

The fake auctioneers held signs that read $14.60, symbolizing the amount of money the blow-up doll cost. Protesters also painted their heads as a symbol of police brutality.

The fraternity did not have anything to comment on the protests.

[via The Daily Pennsylvanian]

Image via YouTube

  2. Rockefeller

    Foreigners probably think slavery still exists with all the overblown protests throughout our nation. Some people still act like racism is as bad as the sixties, where not many people will deny was still a time when racism was a legitimate problem affecting African Americans

    11 years ago at 1:21 pm
  6. Cdaddie

    What a bunch of fucking idiots, that’s more racist than the God damn blow up doll.

    11 years ago at 1:41 pm
  7. oldslappy

    The Delts should get together at one of the SOUL’s events and protest it mindlessly as they did to the fraternity.

    11 years ago at 1:52 pm
  8. Minervas_Raider

    This is what’s wrong with America these day- no forgiveness for mistakes. Yes, what they did can be considered inappropriate by some; but no one was physically harmed, no specific group was targeted, and they already received a punishment from their nationals. Some groups are just begging for attention and something to be angry about.

    11 years ago at 1:56 pm
    1. SperryHairy

      It wasn’t a mistake to begin with, and they should have had to apologize for including a pop star doll who just happens to be black in their photo.

      11 years ago at 12:46 am
  11. RowdyGent91

    and for the first time in university of Pennsylvania’s esteemed history every black student was able to captured in one photo

    11 years ago at 3:52 pm
      1. RowdyGent91

        i’m glad you can distinguish that a comment with a negative sign next to it missed the mark. you’re going places in life.

        11 years ago at 8:49 am
      2. Oral Hershiser

        It was +3 when I lapped you, and +2 when I replied. Your sour grapes have been noted, though.

        11 years ago at 12:05 pm