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Perth pub apologises after using explicit banners to promote 'frat'-themed party.

 

A Perth pub has been forced to apologise for the way it promoted a “fraternity-themed” party, to be held on January 1.

“You teach her morals, we’ll teach her oral,” one of the signs that was hung outside the Brass Monkey Hotel in Northbridge read.

Another pointed to the “daughter drop off point”.

 

The public outcry was swift and severe.

“I think it’s disgusting behaviour! Liquor licensing should have a field day with this one,” one Facebook comment said.

“I’m totally disgusted that Management ever thought it was ever alright to hang these banners,” said another.

“We will never go there again and will tell everyone we know never to go there, disgusting behaviour! Shut your doors and never open again.”

The pub’s apology, or “Public Apology Notice”, was posted to Facebook yesterday.

“We have been contacted by concerned people from the WA community regarding banners that were placed on the exterior of our venue today for an upcoming Frat themed party,” the post reads.

“The team meant no offence or harm to anyone by the messages written on these banners and can see how they are inappropriate. These banners have now been taken down and will not be put up again. The team at the Brass Monkey Hotel would like to apologise for any one affected by these messages and hope that you have a great New Years.”

The party is still set to go ahead on New Year’s Day. And, according to many (now ex-) patrons, the apology simply isn’t good enough.

“This apology is utterly disingenuous, it seeks to minimise the issue as though it were not reasonable or predictable that the action would cause offence. It makes the behaviour of the “team” worse in my opinion,”  one commenter said.

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“What an empty corporate apology,” another commented.

“You should donate all proceeds from NYE to a women’s shelter,” another comment reads. “Your apology is pissweak at best. Not only are your banners inappropriate they are HARMFUL and OFFENSIVE to both women and men by assuming that all men want to treat women as objects and that all women wanted to be treated as such.”

The backlash is understandable. Treating women as sex objects is a favourite, and very dangerous pasttime, for college students in US fraternities.

Studies have shown men in fraternities are three more times likely to commit rape, and women in sororities are 74 per cent more likely to experience rape than other college women.

As Jessica Valenti points out on The Guardian, it’s time to seriously consider banning fraternities altogether. Parties that celebrate their “culture” are way, way off the mark.

Perhaps the best, and most positive, reaction to the situation in Perth, came from the pub across the road.

 

Mechanics’ Institute Small Bar posted an image of their own promotional banner to Facebook. It screams “women are amazing”, and their caption reads:

“We normally don’t like to comment on other bars and their doings. But we thought we should hang our own banner in contrast to the stupidity across the road. (sorry for the lack of arts and craft skills) #dickheads

We have to agree with you on all fronts there, Mechanics’ Institute. Well played.

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