“The women of three sororities sent a message of defiance to Harvard University president Drew Faust on Tuesday, saying they will ignore the school’s new sanctions against members of single-gender social clubs,” said the Boston Globe in an article published December 12th 2017.
The policy that has been put into place, would forbid students who join single gendered organizations from holding leadership positions in other organizations as well as losing recommendations for fellowships and scholarships.
The almost year long battle that sorority women at Harvard University have been fighting came full circle last week as the women of the Alpha Phi, Delta Gamma, and Kappa Alpha Theta sororities hosted sorority recruitment, with the intention to bring in new members despite these rules.
As a message to these sororities, sorority women everywhere joined in the conversation using the hashtag #HearHerHarvard, a chant women who were a part of these organizations made May 9th 2016 during a rally in Harvards courtyard after the sanctions came into place.
Rebecca J Ramos who helped plan the rally spoke to the Harvard Crimson stating that “By removing… spaces for women, Harvard is making our campus less safe for women. The College may have discussed this extensively with the male organizations, but they have only included female organizations as an afterthought.”
On UNT’s campus we have two out of the three sororities whose sisters at Harvard are being impacted by this; Delta Gamma and Alpha Phi. Sorority Women across UNT’s campus contributed making statements saying “without my sorority I would…” This movement which countless women participated in across the country gave all the reasons why they, as sorority women had chose to join a sorority and why they were grateful they had. All these reasons ranged from friendships, support, confidence, positivity, leadership, and academic and professional opportunities. Our universities Panhellenic Council even released a statement on Instagram stated that “these groups are often the only place women can find safe spaces, where they have a home away from home, find others with their same values, and strive to be a part of something greater than themselves for the good of the community.”
Should women be punished for wanting to be a part of something that allows them to grow their character and grow as students, leaders and as overall people. I don’t believe it is fair to strip women of their right to be able to have this experience because of occurrences involving members of other organizations.
Coming into my sorority I had no idea what to expect. I knew I needed someplace I could call a home away from home. I had just transferred over from a community college and knew that if I didn’t join something I wouldn’t meet anyone at the university. I have had my ups and my downs in my sorority but without it I wouldn’t be who I am today.
The people you meet when you decide to go greek, are the people that will be there to inspire you and push you to do better. They are the people who will study with you and text you your favorite inspirational quote when you feel like your about to break down. They are the people who will hold you accountable for your goals, whatever that goal might be. They are the people you can call up anytime and talk for hours about how stressed you are or about that boy you have a crush on.
Most people come to college not knowing very many people, or anyone for that matter. The regular college student is between the age of 17 and 19 when they come to college and for most it’s their first time being away from home. It can be scary, and being in a sorority helps combat that. The friends that girls meet when they choose to go through recruitment are sometimes the girls first friends.
Being in a sorority allows girls to network, not only within their own community but they also belong to a community nationwide; between all the different chapters that make up their sorority. It gives them a second family and teaches even the shyest girl how to be a leader on her campus. It also teaches them the importance of putting others needs before your own through philanthropy.
It is so much more than just a single gendered organization, whether it be or nphc or some other type of womens only organization; everyone will agree that the girls you meet when you choose to belong to one of these organizations hold a special place in your heart. As college women we need someplace where we can be uplifted and held to the highest standard, we need someplace where we can call home even though college may not feel quite like it at times. We need the experiences that we have that mold us into better students, better people and better women.
To the Harvard women who are brave enough to belong to these organizations even though they may face repercussions, Sorority women everywhere are standing with you #HearHerHarvard.