Beyonce Sex Doll Sinks Ivy League Frat

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 Beyonce 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. It reports the photo was taken after the brothers' Secret Santa exchange (they say the doll was meant to be a gag gift), and in a draft apology they wrote that "once removed from the packaging, it bore no semblance to the artist beyond skin color adding to its offensive nature." The photo made the rounds on social media on Dec. 14. The university says it supports ongoing student conversations stemming from the controversy. See the photo here. (More Beyonce stories.)