I think the realization has to come from that this isn't merely a sorority. It is a televised event, and the actions should be treated as such. If people have a problem with these actions, they are all recorded and out in the open. Unlike whatever hazing goes on at a Greek House, which is kept secret.

It really depends if you can make that distinction or not, between a sorority and this. I don't consider this a sorority. I consider them merely a television act. Kinda like Road Rules or The Biggest Loser.

Whether or not it's technically a sorority or not is irrelevant. Hazing goes on in many different settings (marching band, for example).

The disappointment I feel is from the fact that the U.K. is getting a very warped view of what American sororities actually are and how they function. Too make it worse, the British girls are actually bonding much like a regular pledge class would. You can see it in their reactions following the Pledge Cuts. I think it may have been Alex who mentioned how close she feels to the other pledges. As a result, these girls are developing strong emotional attachments and a vested interest in making it into the final 5. There's no doubt in my mind that this is hazing.

Your argument that they can leave at any time holds true for sororities and fraternities in America as well. It's up to the members of the GLO to make sure that hazing doesn't occur. You can't leave it up to the pledges. It doesn't work that way.

I'm old school, and I certainly experienced and participated in many activities that today are considered hazing. I think a small amount of it is harmless but what they're doing to those girls in the show is horrible. Electrocution?! Um, no.

Okay, I just have to say this because it's bothering me....
Thethe definition of electrocute is to kill by electric shock. They were not electrocuted. They were shocked.

Thank you for the clarification. You're right, they were shocked. And I think it's hazing.

The dumb Americans keep going on and on about how the chosen pledges will be representing them, held to a higher standard blah blah blah. Meanwhile they are there pretending to represent America's "finest sorority girls" and they are doing all this ridiculous hazing crap that would get them expelled from any sorority here.

Agreed, if a girl in our chapter was still an undergraduate and did a show like this, I'm sure we would pull her badge.

I'm sure that most viewers will understand this is played out like some poorly produced dating show instead of how a real sorority works. However, it still bothers me.

Some of the girls are already alumnae, and at least one has previously been involved in documentary work.

Also, there was a casting call for the five sorority members as well as the "house mother." So it wasn't like the producers scoured the country looking for the "perfect" sorority girls.

Incidentally, if you come across the original casting notice, the house mother was intended to have a much bigger role than she does on the show.

contrary to what most north americans (including the sigma gamma founders on this show) believe, i don't think all aspects of sororities are particularly 'new' to the uk. i am a student at newnham college (one of the constituent colleges of the university of cambridge and one of the only three womens' colleges left today) and a member of a prestigious drinking society within the college and from what i've gleaned from watching various films, talking to friends from the USA etc, there are a lot of parallels. my college mates are like sisters to me and the college is essentially a very large sorority house, with some catering and a couple of 'sorority mom' figures; the college and particularly the drinking societies have numerous unusual customs and traditions, including initiation ceremonies; 'swaps' are our equivalent of socials or mixers; the college parenting system ensures mixing between freshers and 2nd years who effectively act as older sister figures; and standards are painstakingly high with young women obliged to keep up with all the work of a cambridge degree, present a fun, charming and bubbly personality in order to be invited on swaps with a drinking society and make considerable contributions to sporting and society life (we've got to maintain the college's very credible reputation plus mix with boys at some point in order to make friends and suitable contacts for swaps!).

i'd be interested to hear what you guys think about this take on things! :)

Interesting, thanks for sharing! I suspect you are correct, that they are more similar than different.

I also think (hope) that the UK viewers would catch on to the contrived nature of the show, such as the fake deplaning of the 5 sorority girls with matching pink carryons, the weekly "meetings" where the five women wear identical outfits (those weird silk(?) pink blazers), the fact that the "Sigma Gamma standards" the "pledges" are being held to don't exist in reality, etc.

How about the fact that they held rush this week for absolutely no reason?

http://www.tv-links.eu/tv-shows/Soro...n_1/episode_7/

Episode 7

Tulip86-you are my HERO! Thanks for posting this! I tried to watch it online but, it said it wouldn't go through and I was unable to watch. Oh, someone commented about if these ladies (the American sisters) were still in school then they would be upset or have their badge--I checked on the website that shares where they go to college (on the site for the show) and about two or more of them are still undergraduates and haven't graduated yet. That's weird. I thought they were all alumnae.

I know for sure at least one of the girls is still an active at the campus I advise.

I don't know why, but Alanna irritates the life out of me.