Note from the Editor:
This was supposed to be a pro and con column-pairing tackling the touchy subject of hazing and pledge gear. However, the con article never came in, and in a bit of miscommunication, we received two pro articles. Take the symbolism as you will.
Recently, the four largest sororities have agreed to change things up for rush this coming Easter semester. There will be no more pledge packs or pledge gear; gone are the days of fanny packs, black lipstick, high pigtails, and bumpits. No more yelling at each other in McClurg, the library, or out at night for failing to wear tennis shoes to class or your nightgown after five o’clock.
What is it that really drives active members of sororities and fraternities to haze their new members so intensely? To even refer to them as “pledges” in the first place? Why do we beat our new members down, scold them for not wearing fanny packs, make them chug beer, milk, or who knows what else?
And why on earth would anyone ever think it was a good idea to blindfold a group of girls and make them swallow live goldfish? That’s disgusting. And some people do not eat fish. Most people do not want to eat live fish.
It seems pretty contrary to the whole sisterhood thing to thrive off of each other’s humiliation. And hey, this isn’t an argument against funny things. There can still easily be themed events, where the new members can actually bond over putting together some ridiculous outfits of their own volition. There can still be humorously awkward mixers, dance offs, etc.
But instead of harassing new members to pick us up a sandwich and the shirt we left at Trez last night, how about we invite them to hang out with us and have a glass of wine? One would expect to do more bonding with a sister over a glass of wine than over a glass of live goldfish. So let’s all build Sewanee stronger, and build our sororities stronger through hanging out with them and empowering them–not humiliating them.