With recent Greek life party themes like “Miami Vice” and “Lace and Leather,” conversations have emerged about the intention behind these themes. It’s an open question whether these themes have been chosen for the genuine purpose of boosting student engagement, or if they have been chosen for the sole purpose of getting girls to wear more revealing clothing. With different perspectives emerging, we asked students about their takes on the Greek life party controversy.
Katherine Dixon, junior neuroscience major
Are you affiliated with Greek life organizations?
“No, I’m not in a sorority, but I spend a lot of time around the Betas.”
Do you often find yourself going to themed Greek life parties?
“Every once in a while.”
Do you like the themes? Do they entice you to go to the parties?
“I will say a good theme would get me excited to go, ‘cause then I’m thinking about my outfit. But a bad theme is kinda like, eh, you know?”
Do you ever see a pattern in themes that seem to encourage a woman or a feminine-presenting person to wear fewer clothes?
“I mean, yeah. I think it’s pretty obvious. Like, Playboy Bunny theme? Who’s that really for?”
Can you give some other examples?
“Yeah. there was a theme called Leather and Lace which is like, come on now, it’s leather and lace — like what else? That’s pretty suggestive. Miami Vice isn’t as bad, but the expectation is kinda like you wear something bathing-suit adjacent.”
Do you think that these themes deter or encourage others’ participation?
“I think both. If it’s a good theme and it’s fun and you can get excited about your outfit and maybe plan with your girls, yeah. But sometimes, if the theme is wack, you’re just like, well whatever. Maybe I won’t go out.”
Kiara Garcia, junior English major
Are you affiliated with Greek life organizations?
“I am a proud member of Chi Beta Epsilon.”
Do you often find yourself going to themed Greek life parties?
“You know, yeah, I do.”
Do you ever see a pattern in themes that seem to encourage a woman or a feminine-presenting person to wear fewer clothes?
“Yeah I would agree to that. I think it’s a lot of bikini or beach.”
Do you think that if these parties weren’t themed you would still go?
“Yeah, honestly I would probably still go if they weren’t themed.”
Do you think that the themes of parties make or break a party, or do they just not matter?
“No, honestly, I think it’s like if they have enough punch.”
Kyle Rubovits, senior finance major
Do you often find yourself going to themed Greek life parties?
“Yes, I am an O-Phi, so frequently.”
Do you ever see a pattern in themes that seem to encourage a woman or a feminine-presenting person to wear fewer clothes?
“Yes. I would say both, but yeah.”
Can you give some examples of themes?
“Yeah, like any time you’ll see a darty, it’s usually beach-themed, which for girls tends to mean bikini top and for guys tends to mean not a shirt at all, but any interpretation of that, as in, no one is going to sit there and be like, ‘Oh you aren’t wearing the right thing.’ It’s almost just implied within the mini-friend groups that get together to go to it. Like my friends and I will wear Hawaiian shirts, you know. O-Phis are known to not dress up for theme at all, and that’s never really an issue, but the themes themselves do imply stuff sometimes, yeah.”
Brandon Ortiz, junior computer science major
Do you often find yourself going to themed Greek life parties?
“Recently, no, but I have been in the past.”
Are you affiliated with Greek life organizations?
“No.”
Do you ever see a pattern in themes that seem to encourage a woman or a feminine-presenting person to wear fewer clothes?
“I think that is a thing.”
Can you think of an example?
“I remember risky business being a thing, encouraging people to basically show up in their underwear. A lot of beach theme, like just beach with anything.”
Do you think if a party didn’t have a theme people would still go, or what are your thoughts on the themes in general? Do you think they encourage participation?
“I think that people would still go but it makes it more exciting to go to have a theme. I think they encourage participation, yeah.”
