This has not been a good week for sororities. First, an expletive-laden email from a Delta Gamma sister at the University of Maryland leaked. Then the media located the author's unfortunate Twitter history -- how is it possible to be racist, ageist and homophobic in so few characters? And today, photos emerged of the ladies of Kappa Delta at Indiana University attending a homeless-themed party.
Yes. Homeless. Themed. Party.
A tipster sent Jezebel photos of the Kappa Delta girls clad in torn, "dirty" T-shirts and Daisy Dukes and wearing cardboard signs emblazoned with classy slogans like, "Give me a nickel and I'll tickle your pickle," and, "Why lie? It's for BOOZE. Homeless need $ and prayers."
As if all of that's not tasteless enough, a tipster explained to Jezebel why this stunt was especially awful coming from a sorority at Indiana University specifically:
Bloomington, IN (home of IU) has a disproportionately high homeless population. They're typically the target of a lot of shit from students. They get treated pretty badly... The greek system here does do a lot of philanthropic work, but homelessness, which is one of the biggest local problems we have, and a problem that the greek system has the opportunity to really help, is completely ignored.
This is not the first time in the past year that a sorority has landed itself in hot water for an insensitively-themed soiree. In December, Penn State's Chi Omega chapter threw a "Mexican-themed" party which involved signs declaring, "Will mow lawn for weed + beer,” and, “I don’t cut grass, I smoke it.”
Ladies of Kappa Delta, there are worthier ways to, er, address homelessness. Do better next time.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article mislabeled the name of the sorority sponsoring the homeless-themed party. It was Kappa Delta.
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