Hazing is probably one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. It's a stupid concept and a weird word. Hazing. Makes me think of fog and heat.
That being said, I am proud to say that hazing does not occur in my Greek community and definitely not in my sorority. One of my new sisters approached me and told us she heard of rumors that our sorority and another sorority on campus hazed. What she had heard was absolutely ridiculous, including putting smiley face stickers on naked girls "fat bits" and duct taping naked girls together and making them go to a party like that.
I'm sorry, who thinks of this stuff? Like...what? Hazing was never something I worried about during my pledge process. OK, yes, I was a founder, but I'm sure something could have happened. I mean, obviously we had people leading us right? But even when we had new girls, it was never something that was ever fathomed or tolerated because IT IS SO STUPID. What the hell is the point of ridiculing someone? I know some have argued "trust." But hey, guess what? Making people look like assholes has absolutely nothing to do with my values. Pretty sure it is the exact opposite.
I know hazing has happened. I know it still happens. I have heard the stories. My dad was in a fraternity back in the '70s. Yeah, they did weird things back then. I know people who were hazed just a couple years ago. But I am proud to say that I am apart of a Greek culture that does not tolerate it. It is pretty dumb.
Wait a second.
Why do sport teams get away with it?
Nobody finds it odd that sports teams do forms of hazing all of the time and the news media reports it and laughs at it?
I understand that Greek hazing has been dangerous to lives and really messed people up. But hazing in any form is wrong. I don't care if you're being forced to wander naked in the woods, chug beer, or imitate the "Naked Cowboy" in Times Square as the San Francisco Giants rookies were forced to do recently. I know what some of you are thinking. "But wait! People could get sick or hurt or die from fraternity/sorority hazing. The sports teams are just having fun." I don't care. Think of the message it gives. These are grown men (although the fraternity men and sorority women are grown adults as well and JUST as responsible) making complete fools of their coworkers.
In any other industry, would this be accepted?
And what about all of the little kids that look up to ball players? How would you explain that? I'm not being sarcastic here, I'm curious. Please explain to an eight year old why adults can bully their "friends" into doing stupid things. How would you do that?
As Greeks, we are constantly being reminded of the stereotypes that were forced upon us by the choices of others and sometimes have to work twice as hard to prove that we are not these stereotypes and that we treat those who wish to join our brotherhood or sisterhood with the respect and guidance they deserve. I feel that in my Greek community, we do a pretty damn good job of proving the stereotypes wrong. Greek life here is growing at a ridiculous rate. We have good grades overall. And we constantly have someone doing a community service program. We are leaders in our communities, educational, extra curricular, and more.
This is National Hazing Prevention Week. I find it in poor taste that while fraternities and sororities across the nations are trying to prove that they don't take part in this, media outlets decided to highlight the hazing of grown men who make themselves look like assholes.
It may be harmless, making them dress ridiculously. But it is the message behind it. It is in poor taste.
I know that I could never haze my sisters. I just couldn't. I am too proud of my sorority and too respectful of my values and sisters. Just saying.
EDIT: To clarify, when I say sports teams I am talking about the pros. I've heard of plenty of college teams get in trouble including at my campus, where a hockey team got in trouble for making the rookies wear their helmets all day. Professors noticed.
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