As a women’s studies major, free the nipple advocate and avid supporter of crushing the patriarchy, I innately question the Greek system.
Although the Greek system is definitely a great way to make long lasting friendships, it is simultaneously maintaining the gender binary.
Dividing fraternities and sororities by boys and girls leaves no room for trans, bi, or others who don’t want to put a label on gender. Fraternities and sororities are also governed by different rules, which perpetuates the idea that boys and girls are different. Very different.
Greek House Rules
Boys are allowed to drink and throw parties in their fraternity house, whereas girls are not. Boys aren’t even allowed upstairs in sorority houses, and there is a strictly enforced “no alcohol” policy.
The Greek system tells us that boys and girls are seperate and different, and should only mix in social environments that have alcohol. The only time boys and girls mingle is at a social or at Fat Daddy’s, when they’ve consumed so much alcohol that they can barely speak.
The Greek system labels individuals and gives them a group identity, changing the perceptions we have of ourselves and others. We are no longer seen as individuals but as a member of a group, taking on whatever identity is associated with the sorority or fraternity we are a part of.
Fuckboys
I don’t know what it is about this term, but I probably use the word “fuckboy” 5 to 10 times a day.
I’ve spoken with friends who have a lot of experience with these so-called “fuckboys” and the consensus is that fraternities tend to create an atmosphere that breeds “fuckboy” culture.
(For those of you who haven’t had the joy of experiencing the “fuckboy” mentality, the all-knowing Urban Dictionary defines it as: a manipulating dick who does whatever it takes to benefit him, regardless of who he screws over; a person who will also lead girls on just for hookups, says hes really into them but doesn’t want to deal with all the “relationship bullshit”; relies on his mom but doesn’t respect women.)
Fraternity boys text other boys normally, but are taught to be sketchy when it comes to texting girls. Frat boys won’t text a girl because it will seem too “serious,” so they choose to communicate through Snapchat’s chat feature. In Snapchat chat, the messages clear right away, facilitating the sketchy behaviors of the aforementioned fuckboys.
Maybe it’s the combination of frat boys’ high levels of testosterone and strong brotherhood (that excludes girls), but it seems as though pledges learn to treat girls differently from the get go.
Announcing
I can’t seem to wrap my head around the idea of “announcing” to fraternities, or why any woman would voluntarily subject herself to it.
I don’t fancy the idea of willingly objectifying myself in front of hundreds of men. Many sorority girls get so excited to cake their faces with makeup, put on little dresses and prance around frat row in a sad attempt to get a few stares. The Greek system enforces this sexualization of sorority girls, who are so much more than their hot, little bodies. We go to the University of Florida! We are all too bright to let the system reduce us to our physical appearance.
So, why do we all conform to a system that continues to run our school, and more importantly, our lives?
Recruitment
You know it’s time for sorority recruitment when you see hundreds of PNMs (potential new members) frantically stumbling along sorority row in their high wedges, bright sundresses and faces painted with rouge, ready to start girl flirting. Girl flirting is the key to sorority recrutiment, and once you have it down, along with being pretty enough, of course, you are recruitment ready.
PNMs filter themselves during rush. They put on the charade of “good girl,” meaning no using profanity or talking about going out. The girls rushing are even told not to talk about fraternities or disclose any information about anything illicit whatsoever. Both parties want to be seen as good girls. It’s a foundation built on phony personas.
In addition to the PNMs filtering their personalities, each of them change their appearance during rush. They cake their faces in makeup, iron their hair pin straight (despite 80 degree heat) and even wear Spanx (a fat sucking girdle invented for old women)! Being judged by boys in the real world is one thing, but being judged by sorority girls who are looking to recruit you into their friend circle is something entirely different. Your nails must be polished, your tummy must be flat and your disposition must be extremely friendly.
Boys’ rush is the opposite. Boys’ rush is real. It isn’t formal or structured like girls’ rush. There are no secrets, no taboos. When a boy is cool, the fraternity gives them a bid, and the boys know what they are getting themselves into. The girls will have no clue.
Feminism is defined as equality between the sexes and the Greek system is not a place of equality. As feminists, it is our duty to rise above and change the system that is oppressing us. We can burst the gender binary by actually having guy friends, hanging out with them when we are not blacked out and putting an end to the rampant “fuckboy” culture. We must not give in to the stereotypes of group identity and as Cara DeLevigne’s Instagram bio so astutely states, we must “Stop labeling, and start living.”
