Greek life is an institution that has long existed in colleges across America. Fundamentally, sororities and fraternities are meant to bring students of similar values and interests together.

However, an idea that once was considered to be revolutionary, is now being criticized for its rigid standards and outdated attitudes surrounding gender and college life.

For students at Syracuse University, being a part of a sorority or fraternity can mean finding a community and contributing to social movements. But for some, these institutions can negatively affect students’ most sincere morals, reinforcing damaging gender stereotypes and behaviors.

Sara Burke, an assistant professor of psychology at SU’s College of Arts and Sciences said that the way Greek life is organized could have implications for how its members view gender.

“Setting up a structural system that positions male to male friendships and female to female friendships as a result of proximity through living together might have consequences for how people think about gender in their day-to-day lives,” Burke said.

Perhaps, it could be that instead of promoting the celebration of shared interests among like people, Greek life works largely to push socially accepted ideals of femininity and masculinity onto students within its organizations.

 

The pressure to conform to social standards can be dangerous. It can result in insecurities, toxic masculinity and, at its worst, cases of sexual assault and serious injuries or death from excessive drinking.

An example of this is the story that came out in April 2018 about the now expelled Theta Tau fraternity. It’s hard to forget the obscene language in this video — the racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia and xenophobia.

However, when reconsidering this story in the context of broader gender expectations, it’s interesting to think about how the events portrayed in that video could be manifestations of a certain kind of culturally accepted masculine behavior.

“If you strongly think of yourself as a member of that group, like being in a fraternity is important to you, then there is going to be pressure to behave in a way that is consistent with the expectations of that group,” Burke said.

Syracuse junior Breyden Ford, a member of Alpha Phi, said Greek life can affect the minds of young women entering their freshman year.

“I think the younger you are, the easier it is to be influenced,” she said. “Freshman year, you can be pressured by guys to look hot and also from girls within the Greek community to fit in and do what everyone else is doing.”

These pressures to “fit in” are not a joke. Hookup culture, binge drinking, drug usage and eating disorders are all effects of peer pressure that are typically reinforced by Greek life.

The Greek system’s fundamental structure also leaves little room for less rigid and culturally entrenched views of gender.

“Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the concept of the Greek system, as being gender exclusive, leaves it a little ambiguous where people of nonbinary gender identities fit in,” Burke said.

Greek life is undoubtedly problematic. But those problems are fixable if fraternities and sororities commit to embracing a more encompassing understanding of what makes a community.

Emily Cerrito is a junior television, radio and film major. Her column appears bi-weekly. You can reach her at ercerrit@syr.edu.

Published on September 24, 2019 at 3:31 am