The New York Times published an article about modern feminists joining sororities, and how those individual women are looking to change the system from “the inside out.”
Total Sorority Move, rather uncharacteristically, rebuttled the article with a column proclaiming that it is 100 percent possible to be both a feminist and a sorority woman, listing rather valid points.
As a sorority president, and a proud member of my organization Delta Phi Epsilon for the past three years, I was a bit perplexed by this article. Is this news? Are sorority women just starting to evolve the culture and stigma associated with sorority membership?
In my opinion, this isn’t a new trend we are seeing in recruitment. Since the very beginning, sorority women have been working to improve and empower women in the workplace, and society in general. The media, and society, just chooses to ignore it.
Little by little, the stereotype of the “typical” or “ideal” sorority woman is beginning to fade. Believe it or not, organizations do not recruit individuals that fit an aesthetic mold: they are recruited for their minds, and more importanty, their hearts. Each sorority has a unique set of values they hold dear, values that they search for in their potential new members.
The New York Times article claims that the best way for intelligent Ivy League women to destroy the system is to “fight it from the inside.” What exactly are they fighting? Isn’t fighting and scrutinizing the endless contributions of sorority women anti-feminist? To judge and poke fun at the hours of hard work and dedication required to operate and be a member of a Greek organization is to be exactly that. The modern sorority is anything but anti-feminist.
We were founded before women even had the right to vote.
Our founders set out with the common mission to create a place and purpose for women before it was so easily granted to them. In Delta Phi Epsilon, our founders known as the DIMES, were the first women to start a sorority at a professional school, New York University Law to be specific. There they were: five intelligent, driven, law students with one thing holding them back from achieving their goals. They were female. Our founders disagreed with the poor hand women were dealt nearly 100 years ago. They realized that women weren’t given opportunities; so they made them. They didn’t wait around for someone to hand them a chance, they took it themselves.
We look to fraternity men as allies and equals, not protectors.
“Toxic masculinity” is something that’s discussed in the New York Times piece, referring to the involvement of fraternity men in the lives of sorority women. Truly, wouldn’t it be a lot of time and money wasted for a woman to join a sorority simply for the benefits of being around fraternity men? That just doesn’t add up to me.
There seems to be this misconception that to sorority women rely on fraternity men, or care for their every whim as if the pure reason they are involved with Greek life is to pine after them like helpless puppies. Not true. In fact, that probably couldn’t be farther from the truth.
What needs to be examined is the working relationship between these two councils. There is no dominant party, because fraternities and sororities work together to achieve goals. They collaborate on events, spread awareness for each other’s philanthropies, and support each other professionally.
We value education.
You can’t be in a sorority without being enrolled in college. You can’t even be an active member of a sorority in most organizations unless you are taking a certain number of credits. Education is such an important facet of being in a sorority, and most organizations have high GPA requirements to be granted a bid as well as remain a sister. Sorority women are not enrolled in college to get their “Mrs. Degrees.” They are the future CEOs of companies.
As president, some of the greatest moments are seeing my sisters achieve great things academically. They are constantly being inducted into honors societies, winning scholarships, being published in academic journals, being accepted into law school, and earning incredible jobs after college.
We are involved on campus and in society.
If you gaze at a sorority girl’s resume, chances are her sorority is not the only thing she’s actively involved with. On the contrary, a sorority is an excellent network for jobs and internships, other campus organizations, and for life after graduation. Chances are, her Linkedin page is beyond impressive.
If sorority girls were anti-feminist, why would they be out pursuing the same leadership roles that any male could run for? Why are they holding positions in student government associations if they are stuck in a “flawed” system?
We hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Aside from the actual “standards board,” sorority women have requirements they must follow, set goals they must reach, and strides they need to make. Some unaffiliated students seem to think at bid day girls receive a t-shirt, and are whisked away to some blissful paradise of glitter and rainbows and candid photos.
That is also not the case. When you pledge a sorority, you are making a commitment to uphold the honor and dignity of that organization, and if you fail to do so, there are consequences.
We empower other women.
A feminist is someone who believes in the equality of the sexes. A sorority is a group of women who are constantly uplifting one another, celebrating their achivements and encouraging each other to pursue new opportunities. This doesn’t just go for their own sisters, but also sisters of other organizations as well, and other female and male groups on campus. When I hear of other women making fun of sororities, it truly saddens me. There’s nothing more anti-feminist than bringing other women down.
We want to inspire our daughters, and leave behind a legacy to be proud of.
When I look back years from now, my hope is that I will know in my heart that I made a positive impact both on my organization, and my university. I want to give my future daughter a strong role model to be inspired by, ensuring her that there is nothing in this life that she can not achieve.
We seek validation from no one.
Believe it or not, sorority women don’t sit around all day wondering whether or not you approve of them. They’re too busy changing the world.