When you’re a woman involved in Greek life, you wouldn’t believe the things people will say to your face about sororities. “I don’t date sorority girls.” “Girls in sororities are fake feminists.” “They just pay for their friends.” “Sorority girls aren’t smart.” “Wow did you see her? She must be in a sorority.” Yes, these are all things that I’ve actually been told. But I’m here to tell you that these stereotypes simply aren’t true.
There is just something about being associated with Greek letter that makes people think it is okay to throw their judgments freely around you. They think that just because you are in a sorority, that you suddenly fit all of the sorority-criteria that are portrayed in the movies. That just because your organization is openly made fun of in the media, it’s okay to make fun of it to your face. Most people don’t openly bring down other clubs and organizations, so why do they think it’s okay to bring to Greek organizations? We shouldn’t have to justify to every person why we’re apart of our organization, and face the rolling eyes from individuals who only know about the stereotypes. We are more than just the stereotypes. We are more than what you’ve seen in movies like Legally Blonde and House Bunny. I’ve never felt more supported by a group of women in my life to be my best self, and reach my full potential than I have in a sorority. They have given me so much more confidence to go after things in life that I didn’t think I could before.
When you are not apart of something, it’s hard not get swept up in the stereotypes. We need to learn as a society to not succumb to these pre-conceived notions. Not just for greek life, but for all other groups as well. We are better than that! Just because someone is apart of something, does not mean that is them in their entirety. We shouldn’t judge people based on things we’ve heard. We shouldn’t judge period. Human beings are complex individuals. We are more than just one thing, hobby, talent, or rumor. There are so many little things that make us who we are; a thought pattern, the way you laugh, how you treat others, who you’re trying to be, if you put milk or cereal in the bowl first, and an infinite amount of other things that you don’t know.
So ladies and gentlemen, let’s agree to stop judging others, and put our energy into something much more important like voting or saving the environment. And if you’re on the opposite side of things currently, just remember something my mother always likes to remind me of, “What other people think of you is none of your business.”