"ONE of the oddest features of American university life is the stubborn persistence of Greeks on campus." The opening sentence of the article betrays the author's opinion of Greek life. "Stubborn" and "persistent," when used in tandem, are adjectives more befitting a pest infestation than student groups. Is this the majority unaffiliated view of Greek life...? That we are the weeds of campus life, lingering and flourishing despite the best extermination attempts? The remaining three books cited by McGrath present an equally low opinion.
The points expounded upon of Peggy Reeves Sanday's Fraternity Gang Rape: Sex, Brotherhood and Privilege on Campus are the "phallocentric" nature of sex acts engaged in (or forced upon women) by as well as many rituals of Fraternities: "In fact, a great many of the brothers, in trying so hard to be studly, show all the signs of 'confused sexual identity.'" So now we are presented with a picture of fraternity men as closeted, sexually frustrated gay men who take out their aggressions on innocent women and find relief through closed-door practices. It's safe to say that this article will not contain a book of glowing praise of the positive aspects of Greek life, or the service-oriented aspects of Greek organizations or the intellectual prowess of their members.
Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities, although admitted as being criticized for being under-researched, is one woman's infiltration of ONE chapter. The umbrella generalizations forced upon sororities as a whole include "a system... more puzzling than the fraternal one: cattier, meaner, more rigid and structured..., more obsessed with wardrobe and dieting."Also noted is the prevalence of "purging" ("...the plumber has to come once a month to unclog the pipes.") And, while sorority women typically perform above-average academically, "Most of them don't want careers... and dream of being stay-at-home moms."
By this point in the article I have decided that none of these authors, or the constituents interviewed or statistics used, speak for or represent me, and I am saddened.
The final, and most recently published, book, Inside Greek U.: Fraternities, Sororities, and the Pursuit of Pleasure, Power and Prestige highlights the double standard of women's and men's sexuality in Greek life, but with the "surprising conclusion" (!) that "fraternities and sororities aren't so bad after all."
The article's author then posits that students are drawn to Greek life by the family-like camaraderie and belonging offered, and with the qualifier that the removal of alcohol from the system would cause "bad behavior" to disappear. "But then, without alcohol, nobody would join in the first place."
As a final slight, the author lists one redeeming quality of Greek life:
"The good news..., is that Greekness is not a permanent condition."
Up until this point, I've weathered the commentary. I saw everything as a common misconception. But this last comment struck me hard. It is the exact opposite of every thing I know and cherish about being a sorority woman. When I think of my Greek experience, I think of friends I will have for a lifetime, connections and opportunities that will grow and flourish throughout the years, a sense of pride in AOII that I'll carry to my death. "Greekness," whatever that means, is impermanent. The immaturity and foolishness associated with "the undergraduate experience" is fleeting. Stupid decisions, if you're lucky, won't have a lasting effect. But Greek life is forever. It is a vow, an oath, a promise to yourself, your brothers and sisters, and to the world, that you will always strive to better yourself, in whatever you do.
The fact that these four books, published across a span of fifty years, report the same debauched state of Greek life, is disheartening. I ask not why this is, but how I, my sisters, and my community, can change it.
The article's author then posits that students are drawn to Greek life by the family-like camaraderie and belonging offered, and with the qualifier that the removal of alcohol from the system would cause "bad behavior" to disappear. "But then, without alcohol, nobody would join in the first place."
As a final slight, the author lists one redeeming quality of Greek life:
"The good news..., is that Greekness is not a permanent condition."
Up until this point, I've weathered the commentary. I saw everything as a common misconception. But this last comment struck me hard. It is the exact opposite of every thing I know and cherish about being a sorority woman. When I think of my Greek experience, I think of friends I will have for a lifetime, connections and opportunities that will grow and flourish throughout the years, a sense of pride in AOII that I'll carry to my death. "Greekness," whatever that means, is impermanent. The immaturity and foolishness associated with "the undergraduate experience" is fleeting. Stupid decisions, if you're lucky, won't have a lasting effect. But Greek life is forever. It is a vow, an oath, a promise to yourself, your brothers and sisters, and to the world, that you will always strive to better yourself, in whatever you do.
The fact that these four books, published across a span of fifty years, report the same debauched state of Greek life, is disheartening. I ask not why this is, but how I, my sisters, and my community, can change it.
Wow, some of those books were a real slap in the face to greek life. The last comment that you touched on also gets me pretty pissed off about what they think of greek life. Great Post!
ReplyDeleteClaire, your last 2 paragraphs really got to me. I thought I had heard every stereotype associated with Greek life but apparently I was wrong. I have never heard anyone say that "Greekness" doesn't last forever. It's actually interesting because when I talk to someone who isn't in Greek life, one of the first things that I mention is how being Greek and joining a Fraternity/Sorority stays with you for life. It gives you a family that reaches across the country and stays with you for as long as you want it to...it even follows your family (legacies). Great Post!
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