Ah, Spring Term at Augie: the Slough Path becomes scenic again, the warm breeze chases you on your way to class, and the frat boys are swarming. Spring Term at Augie doesn’t just signal the last term before school is out for the year, it means pledging has begun. And although there’s nothing wrong with people who choose to partake in Greek life, there is a problem with certain individuals who feel entitled to random makeout sessions. Let me rewind for those who aren’t familiar. Frats often encourage their pledges to approach women, bend down on one knee, and chant “spring has sprung, fall has fell, kiss me now, I’m horny as hell.” Charming. There are four socially acceptable responses to being “sprung”:
1. Kiss that pledge on the lips
2. Offer your cheek instead
3. Offer your hand instead
4. Give a flat-out no
If you want to take agency as a woman and kiss as many boys as possible, by all means do so. For some, this could be an act of sexual empowerment. But if you want to stay as far away from kissing as possible, don’t be hesitant to tell someone no. And if anyone ever doesn’t take no for an answer, immediately tell your sorority, Katey Bignall, and/or any professor you trust. Consent on this campus is mandatory.
You may be asking why I, a person who dedicates their time to writing about sex, may have a problem with Spring Has Sprung, so let me explain my beef: it inherently perpetuates heteronormativity, takes advantage of young women who are caught off guard, and validates campus rape culture. None of this is the fault of women who choose to partake in the sexual freedom of pledging, but of frats who push their pledges to be a part of compulsory heterosexuality and possibly threatening behavior. Greek life inherently assumes that all pledges are heterosexual and/or cisgender; although many groups are becoming more progressive, this stands true regardless. The pledges of Theta Chai Tea and Kappa Apple Pi aren’t allowed to SHS other male identifying students, which deters LGBTQ+ students from Greek life or forces LGBTQ+ students to “act straight.” Some actives even heavily encourage their pledges to approach as many women as possible. For femme students, SHS tends to take advantage of vulnerability.
Many of the times femme students get SHS’d, they are in a strange place (a frat basement), with new people (their fellow pledges), being approached by a stranger (thirsty frat pledge). This can result in consent through pressure or consent through guilt. That woman may feel pressured by the actives watching her (both sorority and frat pledges) or be afraid of being labeled as “prude” or “stuck-up”. Alternatively, I’ve seen sorority pledges who engage in SHS be seen as “easy.” This can make many femme students feel uncomfortable or invalidated. Which leads to the perpetuation of rape culture. If students feel obligated to engage in sexual acts, that promotes the idea that enthusiastic consent isn’t required.
I’ve been on both sides of the letters; I’ve tried Greek life and I’ve gone GDI, I’ve kissed nervous-looking guys in graffitied basements, and I’ve pushed said guys away. What it all boils down to is that, although SHS is innately problematic, it’s up to you to take control of your sexuality. If aspects of Greek life like this make you uncomfortable, don’t partake in them. If you’ve found your family away from home, jump right in. Stay safe and consensual. Kiss away or keep your lips glued shut, but take time to acknowledge the many issues of Spring Has Sprung and how it affects our campus.