Oxford students hounded over fox-hunt theme parties

OXFORD University Student Union has warned against fox hunting-themed fancy dress parties because they promote “stereotypes”.

Students have also been urged to steer clear of “highly gendered” themes such as “vicars and tarts” or “pimps and hoes” because they may lead to non-binary students feeling excluded.

New guidance published by Oxford’s students’ union also advises against “culturally appropriative” party themes such as “Cowboy and Indian” or “Arabian Nights”.

These could leave students from ethnic minorities feeling “excluded, mocked or distressed”, it said.

The guidance, called Inclusive Practice for Events, states: “This advice does not seek to repress student selfexpression through the clothing they choose to wear but is here to help everyone feel able to have a good time.

“Entz [entertainment] events with highly gendered themes are a welfare issue because there is usually an implicit or explicit gender divide.”

Examples included “vicars and tarts” and “pimps and hoes”.

It said that for anyone “who does not identify with traditional binary gender roles”, these sorts of themes may be problematic since they often stereotype men and women in a “highly objectified” or “sexualised” roles.

The guidance document also advises students that drag-themed events need to be handled with particular care.

“Attendees shouldn’t seek to dress as another gender for the purposes of ridicule or to make light of the experiences of people of that gender,” the guidance states.

“However, students should not be restricted from dressing in drag in a

‘Attendees shouldn’t seek to dress as another gender [to ridicule] the experiences of people of that gender’

way which expresses themselves or to demonstrate admiration for individuals. If handled sensitively, themes that involve drag have the potential to be friendly and positive for all students.”

An Oxford University Student Union spokesman said that it had loose guidance on ensuring events are inclusive and do not offend anyone.

Last year, students at the University of Sheffield were urged not to wear sombreros and were asked to ensure Hallowe’en costumes were not “sexist, racist, ableist or transphobic”.