BENEATH both the perceived negative aspects and real positive aspects lies a problem with Greek life that people often overlook. Fraternities and sororities are held to different standards of behavior because fraternities are often able to do far more things and get away with far more. Many of the regulations and norms governing sororities are shaped by antiquated notions of what is appropriate for women and they should change to reflect a more contemporary reality.
For full disclosure, I am a member of a fraternity and I know many women who are in sororities. My goal is not to bash sororities or Greek life because I feel that sororities are wonderful things that have a positive influence on most? women who join them. Being part of the Greek community gives me a special understanding of the importance of sororities and this gives my criticisms a degree of legitimacy not found among non-Greeks.?
There are thousands of rules and regulations that govern both fraternities and sororities covering all topics from alcohol to insurance policy. These rules originate both from the University's Inter-Fraternity Council and Inter-Sorority Council and from each individual chapter's national regulations. The rules that govern fraternities are often more lax and allow fraternity men to do more things than sororities. For example, fraternities are allowed to have parties at their houses with many people attending while sororities have much stricter regulations when it comes to parties.
In addition, fraternities often bend and break these rules and are allowed to get away with it as long as they do not do anything too crazy. Many rules governing the consumption of alcohol in fraternity houses are often completely ignored and not enforced by a fraternity's national organization.
The problem is that sororities often have much tougher regulations than fraternities with regards to what they can do. What makes it even worse is the fact that rules governing sororities are enforced to a much greater extent than they are for fraternities both at the University and national level. In many instances, sororities cannot get away with things related to alcohol as easily as fraternities can. For example, certain sororities are not allowed to serve alcohol in containers that bear the letters of their sorority. Fraternities often do this without fear of punishment while sororities must follow these regulations because national enforcement of these rules is much stricter for them. ?
Now it may appear that what I am advocating is that sororities drink and party more, but that is a simplistic reading of my argument. As Stuart Berkeley, public relations coordinator for the Inter-Sorority Council, states, "... to focus our energies in this "modernization" area would be less beneficial to our 2000 women who might gain more from a Scholarship Area of our Council." While her point is well taken, what I am really trying to change is the mentality that holds sororities and fraternities to different standards.
The discrepancy has its origins in the early days of Greek life when fraternities and sororities were first established. We have to remember that when many of these sororities were established, women did not even have the right to vote. This sexist history is reflected in many of the constraints that still govern expectations of sororities and women's behavior.
Our society has certainly made a lot of progress since those days when women had few rights. Unfortunately, the Greek system has been slow to reflect these changes and has kept many of these antiquated views about the proper role of women in society?. For all of the positive aspects of Greek life, it is often difficult to change the long-held traditions.
Given the vast advances that women have made in our society, it is time that sororities begin to better reflect these advances. Sororities should be able to do all of the same things as fraternities and the rules that govern sororities should be enforced in a comparable manner as those for fraternities.
In almost every other aspect of life today, the ideal that we strive for is that men and women be treated equally?. There is no reason that Greek life should not reflect this contemporary goal and move Greek life into the 21st century and beyond.
Sam Shirazi is a Cavalier Daily associate editor. He can be reached at sshirazi@cavalierdaily.com.
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