It is no secret that body standards today are out-of-hand, and that self-esteem for young women seems to be at an all-time low. When you’re young and female, it can be hard to love your body, especially with magazines, actresses, and Instagram models showing us how we are supposed to look. Unfortunately, that struggle can potentially be worsened by getting involved in Greek life.
It is a sad truth that society has created certain expectations for what a “sorority girl” looks like. This stereotype has manifested into the idea of a beautiful, skinny, and more often than not blonde. And if you don’t fit that model, then you are somehow an inferior sorority girl. Of course, there is far more that goes into a sorority than just outward appearance ,but you can’t ignore that being surrounded by so many girls, not just in your own house, but in your entire Greek community, the opportunity to compare yourself to other women becomes way too easy.
In this situation, you can find yourself worrying about crazy things like “what if they don’t think I am skinny enough to be in a sorority” or “what if that frat guy I have been obsessed with since freshman year thinks my sister or that random girl from another house, is hotter than me”. If you aren’t involved in Greek life, then some of these fears may seem silly, but for many young women, these fears are all too real.
I don’t know why being in a sorority makes body confidence more difficult. Maybe it has to do with the lingering, and unfair, stigma that Greek life is just some shallow and archaic practice that insists upon expected looks and behaviors. Maybe it’s the fact that Greek life is inherently competitive and that pins us against each other. I don’t know the answer, but what I do know is that there is no beauty requirement to be in a sorority.
Don’t let the fact that you are in Greek life dictate the way you are supposed to feel about your body. Sorority girls, ike all women, come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You don’t need to fit the unrealistic stereotype of a sorority girl. You just need to find the organization that shares your values, and is filled with women who accept and support you no matter what you look like.
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