Fraternity suspended over holiday card showing mostly white group with Beyoncé sex doll

The Associated Press
December 17, 2014 at 8:01PM

PHILADELPHIA — A University of Pennsylvania fraternity has been suspended pending an investigation into a holiday card showing the mostly white group posing with what it says was a Beyoncé sex doll.

Phi Delta Theta's national leadership halted its Penn chapter this week amid concerns the image — criticized as racist and misogynistic — shows a lack of judgment that's inconsistent with its values.

The chapter issued an apology and says it displayed poor judgment by including the sex toy in a holiday picture. They say they weren't being racist.

In excerpts published by the Daily Pennsylvanian student newspaper, the chapter called the doll "distasteful" and acknowledged it could be offensive to some people.

The university says it supports ongoing student conversations stemming from the controversy.

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