So for the Olympics one of our sororities (Theta, if you were wondering) decided to host a mixer where everyone would come in costume. People came as French in berets, Japan in chopsticks, etc, etc. And so Theta decided to be Mexicans and dress up in somberoes and fake mustaches.
http://bwog.com/2014/02/23/mixer-mix-up/#more-128259\How very tame, right? No. quite suddenly, everyone began getting prissy. The Chican@ Caucus (yes, it's spelled that way) issued a
very stern statement that said that "these pictures caricaturize Mexican culture and should not be overlooked. The attire trivializes an entire nation’s history, its peoples, and its cultures, reducing them to a mere mustache and sombrero" and that "humiliating and perpetuates that group’s oppression in the United States by reinforcing a general culture of disrespect." Shame, shame on them!
Then the Dean of Student Affairs joined in, saying that she was "incredibly saddened and disappointed to learn of students in our community participating in costume caricatures of several different nationalities." Even the Huffington Post had its share of the fun, saying that "the team's photo was remarkably similar to one from Penn State University's Chi Omega sorority that led to the chapter's suspension," because wearing sombreros is quite obviously just as offensive as holding signs that say “will mow lawn for weed + beer” and “I don’t cut grass, I smoke it.” Either way, shame on us, shame, shame.
But wait, what's this?
Why, it's the Chican@ Caucus, with cut outs at some event on campus! And these cut outs have... sombreros and mustaches? Surely this too reduces Mexican culture "to a mere mustache and sombrero"! What? I'm confused. So was everyone else. So what did they have to say from themselves?
"However, our event at Glass House Rocks was far from a trivial representation of our Mexican heritage; it was a means through which we paid tribute to one of the many cultures within Mexico, "Actually, let me reproduce the whole statement, it's equally nonsensical:
On Thursday, February 13th, Chicano Caucus participated in Glass House Rocks 2014: Under the Sea, showcasing the southwestern coastal regions of Mexico through papel picado, lotería, face cut-outs, and traditional cuisine. We would like to apologize to anyone we offended with the images of the face cut-outs. It is regrettable that only one of the many aspects we sought to share was singled out, neglecting the overarching theme. However, our event at Glass House Rocks was far from a trivial representation of our Mexican heritage; it was a means through which we paid tribute to one of the many cultures within Mexico, combating the very issue of cultural unawareness. We attempted to address the stereotypes imposed upon us by showcasing their underlying truths: the places and peoples they actually pertain to. It is very easy to release certain images without context, and we feel that this is only taking away from the real issue at hand.
We reiterate that cultural appropriation is an issue that needs to be continually discussed and addressed on all levels. The concerns raised by both of these events (1) (2) are starting points to bring about tangible change to our campus community. As we move toward this goal, we hope it will include the participation of student organizations and administration.
Furthermore, we would like to be a resource for those with questions or concerns. We invite those who wish to discuss this situation to Chicano Caucus’ open meeting on Thursday, February 27th at 9pm.I don't know about you, but all I see are sombreros, mustaches, and a great deal of faux outrage. As you can see, a great deal like the Atlas.
