DURING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS, SLATE’S “DEAR PRUDENCE” ADVICE COLUMN IS REALLY TACKLING THE BIG ISSUES: Help! The Sex Resort We Wanted to Try Has a Racist Theme Night.

We’ve met one couple whom we like a lot and who are huge fans of and advocates for a vacation resort in Jamaica that caters to people in “the lifestyle,” as they call it. The husband made a really intriguing and compelling case for giving it a try, emphasizing the complete safety and freedom to do or not do anything we would like. The resort itself is even divided between a “prude” side and a nude side to allow everyone to adjust to their level of comfort. He’s urging us to join them in October if it’s deemed safe.

Honestly we have always been rather repulsed by the idea of a place like this and thought we’d never be interested, but after his cheerleading, we took a look at the resort’s website and were considering it—until I got to the part about the theme nights where people dress in costume and act according to the theme. One theme night in particular: Jamaican night. I can only imagine lots of drunk white people with fake dreadlocks speaking in a Jamaican accent. The cultural tone-deafness and naked—literally in some cases—exploitation of people of color appalled me.

Our new friend’s explanation seemed the height of white privilege. He claimed the staff, all of whom are people of color, really enjoy the night too! My husband agrees with me that the themed evening is in exceptionally poor taste but does not think it’s a deal-breaker. I really don’t think I could stomach it, and I see it as a reason not to go. My husband’s position is that we should go and skip that night. Am I being too sensitive and overreacting? 

Woody Allen’s line in Manhattan that people “are constantly creating these real unnecessary neurotic problems for themselves, because it keeps them from dealing with more unsolvable, terrifying problems about the universe,” seems particularly apropos during the Big Lockdown.