:: Running from the Thought Police ::

:: Wednesday, May 05, 2004 ::

The No-Shit Award Of The Semester Goes To...

The Board of Sorority Affairs for banning Serenades because they denegrade sorority women.

The women wear short jean skirts and tight white shirts, ripped just enough to flash their red, lace bras. They gyrate on chairs, on the floor and on each other while a crowd of men, many of them drunk, laugh and cheer them on.

It could be the opening act at a strip club, but it's a modern-day sorority serenade ? the biannual performances where sorority members bare their wares to entice hosts for the semester's parties....

Greek leaders at the University and at other Big Ten universities said efforts to monitor performances aren't working. The results, they said, are too lewd to overlook.

"They've evolved into women basically prostituting themselves for social events," said Dan Bureau, assistant dean of students and director of Greek Affairs.

This has been going on for YEARS. Even though I'm male, I consider myself a feminist and was often appalled by the dress sorority women wore to serenades. As I'm not greek I was not privileged enough to see one, but I heard all I needed from my gf who will be moving out of her non-greek pseudo-sorority house (yes, that's a mouthful) after finals. Serenades furthered the objectification of women and promoted stereotypes about sororities. That this is only being addressed now not only speaks to the basal nature of sorority culture but also does nothing but confirm the stereotype that sorority women aren't the most perceptive people.

Of course, frat guys interviewed by the DI reveal themselves to be male chauvinist pigs...

Several fraternity members said they don't want to lose a tradition they love. They argued that serenades in their current form are fine.

"I don't think the girls appeared degraded, and serenades were fun," said Mike Mueller, sophomore in LAS and fraternity member.

Many sorority members said they agree.

"I think it's unfair that they are getting rid of serenades without asking us what we want," said Brittany Knott, sophomore in business. "I think serenades are both a way to show talent and to impress guys."

And the sorority women both don't understand what they themselves are doing and, this one at least, enables herself to be further objectified.

Apparently Serenades are supposed to be replaced with something, but I'm not sure how the new activity or some other currently benign greek social activity will be kept from degenerating into a lewd display of drunken debauchery.

UPDATE: Interestingly, the online DI has a different headline for the article than the print DI. The online version reads "Serenades revamped at Illinois" which is both overly positive and an outright lie, as no replacements have been put forth yet. The print version has something along the lines of "Board abolishes Serenades." Once I get a DI in front of me I'll put in the correct headline.

Me thinks that the DI is trying not to alarm the greek alumns with lots of cash. Why they're playing favorites I don't understand, though.

UPDATE UPDATE: The title on the physical paper reads "Greeks [sic] leaders stop serenades."

:: The Squire 2:43 PM :: email this post :: ::
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