Pajamas Have Nothing To Do With Homelessness

by Shannon Moriarty · 2010-01-27 07:49:00 UTC
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Talk about out of touch. Tomorrow is the fifth annual PJ Day in Denver, when Mayor John Hickenlooper will be sporting fuzzy slippers and pajamas in an attempt to raise awareness about the city's homeless problem. Only this time, instead of parading around his office in silk jammies, he's also decking out the high-powered, deep-pocketed Denver business community.

What a sight this will be to see: the people in Denver who are perhaps best-positioned to take real, effective action towards helping the homeless will be donning matching pinstripe pajamas, essentially mocking the suffering of those in need. It'll be like wearing a "WE'RE OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY" team uniform.

Last year, I called out the Mayor's attempt to bring attention to the plight of the city's homeless by hosting "PJ Day," when city employees wore bathrobes and bunny slippers to the office. Later that night, he hosted a "Pajama Party" fundraiser, complete with a bedtime story read by the Mayor himself. This year, he decided to take this brilliant idea to the next level. He has challenged 10 corporations to donate $10,000 to Denver's Road Home. Businesses who pony up the dough get to join the exclusive "Pinstripe PJ Club," which includes a posh pair of logo pinstriped pajamas.

Now don't get me wrong -- the fundraising efforts are admirable. But can't it be done without this ridiculous homelessness-pajamas connection? It may not seem like a huge deal, but it is indicative of a largely out-of-touch politician making loose and wholly inaccurate assumptions.

How did he come up with the idea? I imagine his brainstorm went something like this:

Denver Mayor thinking to himself: Homelessness seems like a hot topic nowadays, so how can I get involved? Well first, what do I know about homelessness? Hmmm ... Well, I see them sleeping outside on the sidewalk. So, what do I associate with sleeping? Hot tea, teddy bears, my satin face mask, 1,000-thread-count bed sheets, feather comforter, pinstripe pajamas -- oh, how about pajamas! Get it? Sleep on the sidewalk. Pajamas. Boy oh boy, I sure am clever!

Associating pajamas with homelessness is patronizing to those who suffer without a home. Pajamas do not acknowledge the gravity of the issue, including the complex causes and traumas experienced by people who are homeless. Perhaps the greatest irony is that many homeless people do not even have the luxury of owning a pair of pajamas.

Mayor Hickenlooper, your intentions may be in the right place, but you are in dire need of a reality check. Ditch the bathrobe and jammies and try putting yourself in a homeless person's shoes for a day. They may not be wingtips, but they will certainly change your perspective.

Photo credit: jmkizer

Shannon Moriarty has worked in various homeless shelters and service organizations around the country. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.
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