This is awful, shame on Phi Mu for reacting this way. Our organizations should be supporting young women in everything they do - she was making a feminist statement, not starring in a pornographic film (which I also don't think warrants delettering unless you're literally wearing a Phi Mu shirt in the hypothetical film).

How is a female organization so offended by female body parts?

I'm sad for Lauren that this situation ended the way it did. Was there alcohol, letters, or bad behavior in this photo? No. So how did she not "emulate the highest standards of conduct" by sharing this cute, fun photo of herself at the beach on her private Instagram account?

Would I wear one myself? No, but I think the bikini is a hoot!

#freethenipple #golauren

For everyone saying "shame on Phi Mu": how is this different than women (and men for that matter) being forced to take down pictures of themselves holding Solo cups on their personal Facebook pages? You can't see anything there, either.

This young lady wanted to make a statement and she did. I wonder how her ex sisters feel about it.

Good for Phi Mu.

It was a PRIVATE Instagram account. She wasn't throwing a Phi Mu sign, or doing anything else that would reflect on Phi Mu. None of us are on "Theta/ChiO/Kappa/DG etc" time 24/7/365. Don't even go there. Please.

FWIW, 33girl, I'm of the same opinion as you on the solo cups. Ridiculous. And we all have "those sisters" who do stuff that make us groan. Whatever.

Bottom line: unless Phi Mu wants to enforce its policy on every.single.member, this was a hollow, hypocritical statement.

Personal opinion: ugly, tacky top, but she has the right to waste her $ however she chooses.

Let he who is without sin...

I think the Phi Mu chapter at this Christian school has every right to interpret their own rules the way they see fit.

Good for them.

Christian school doesn't always = conservative students. Or even Christian students.

I'm just sayin.

Jesus hung out with prostitutes, thieves, and other less than lily white folk. Just sayin'.

IMO Phi Mu, my mother's sorority, has gone waaaay too far with this one. This was private and a feminist statement.

To be clear, they didn't say she would have been removed as a member, they said she'd have to face the disciplinary committee to discuss it. We don't know what the outcome would have been.

I think discipline is not in order for something of this nature, but I do want to point out that she probably would *not* have lost her membership over this.

Don't need to add much more. I also find the top (and pretty much everything supported by Miley Cyrus) tacky to the extreme, but I would have preferred that she had seen which disciplinary actions would have resulted, rather than just throwing away a lifetime of sorority membership.

Agree, HC. Of course no one truly knows the deets, but I can't imagine throwing away a lifetime of sisterhood for a tacky swimsuit top.

PS: yay! I have my old username back. My banning was a woops.

So I have to put my advisor hat on for this on. Just because it is a private page doesn't necessarily matter. We hold our active members to standards and rules and many chapters (mine included) monitor members pages. Nude pictures or a sex video could be on a private page or account but a member involved in that situation would be called in for a meeting. I am not saying that the tacky top is the same but private is not the same as when I went to school when it comes to kids that now have to worry about technology. And the fact that it is a conservative school could make some difference. We also know nothing about the member and her relationship to the chapter. Perhaps she is constantly called in for questionable behavior and actions? Revocation of membership is a big deal. It won't happen over one incident with a tacky bikini top. Those of us who are or have been standards and personnel advisors know that there is most likely much more to this story...

It's pure speculation, but the same thought did occur to me.