We've all seen them, the tasteless party themes that are a disaster waiting to happen. Let's dive in. For starters, anything that's 'around the world' tends to devolve into a mess of stereotypes and generalizations. But wait! There's more.
Recently attended an 'Arabian Nights' themed birthday party. Someone thought it would be brilliant to have guests ride in on 'camels'—which were actually donkeys painted to 'look' like camels. The sheer lack of awareness was baffling. On top of that, the music selection was a mishmash of tracks, none of which had roots in the Middle East.
The food was equally misattributed. Someone said, 'Let's serve tacos because it's all foreign, right?' Wrong. So wrong.
To anyone considering a similar theme, here's some advice: Research. Avoid stereotypes. And maybe, just maybe, pick a theme that doesn't rely on reducing whole cultures into a single, often incorrect, party aesthetic. Trust me; you'll avoid making the highlight reel of /r/WorstCelebrations.
Omg, this post hits the nail on the head. People need to understand that there's a fine line between a theme party and cultural appropriation. It's not about being overly sensitive, it's about respect. I went to a 'tribal' themed party once and the ignorance on display — fake warpaint, plastic bones... appalling. We don’t live in a vacuum, people, your party choices have social impact!