Re: Ouch
 

I like butterfly tattoos :)

butterfly tattoos are good. i have one on the small of my back, and one on my foot! :)

roxydiva

James,

I really wish that you would get off your high horse. Last time I checked, you weren't a member of the NPC, and I'm more than a little tired of your "holier than thou art" posts whenever you disagree with an NPC sorority woman's viewpoint that is more conservative than your own. :rolleyes:

Determining what is and is not appropriate behavior for its members is the job of each GLO's national council. Now, unless you've got some deep dark secret that you haven't shared, you don't sit on my GLO's National Council -- so how dare you sit in judgement of the women on GC who are doing nothing more than saying that certain actions are not acceptable in their particular organizations? :mad:

I certainly can't speak for all sororities, but I can speak for mine when I say that Delta Zeta strongly discourages tattoos -- particularly ones that include our letters. The forward-thinking women who added the text about tattoos into our national policies didn't do it because they were "uptight", "judgemental" or "vindictive." They did it because they were wise and knew what might happen if our sisters started permanently stamping their bodies with symbols relating to Delta Zeta. And guess what? Their fears have been realized! There are our letters disgracefully plastered in this month's Playboy magazine because of someone not adhering to DZ policy.

We don't force women to join our sorority. However, like any organization, we do have certain rules that we expect members to follow if they want to remain in good standing. James, you may not agree with our rules, but **surprise** your opinion doesn't matter in this case because you aren't a member of my organization. You as a non-NPC member do not have to like our policies and you certainly don't have to abide by them, but I'll be damned if I'm going to silently sit back and let you insult the women who do!

You say that you are "beginning to think less of sorority girls in general." If being loyal to our sorority and wanting to protect her good name is making you think less of us, then so be it. I have to say that after reading some of your own arrogant, judgemental and vindictive posts that I am beginning to think less of you.

I welcome the comments of other sorority women on the tattoo issue, and I certainly don't have a problem with any of the (non-DZ) GC ladies who believe that having a tattoo, and particularly one associated with their GLO, is okay. I personally don't feel that I have the right to tell a woman of another GLO whether she should or should not have a tattoo on her person. However, I have no problem telling a DZ sister that our policies discourage the practice of permanently affixing official DZ symbols to our bodies in the form of a tattoo, and stating my opinion that we should abide by those policies out of respect to our sorority.

We've had a similar discussion on tattoos on the AGD boards. Personally, I don't want a tattoo, but far be it from me to tell someone else *not* to do it.

I draw the line when my sisters start using the Greek letters and official symbols relating to ritual. Someone else--can't remember who--put it very eloquently: "Those letters don't just belong to you, but also 100,000 other sisters."

There are lots of other tattoos you can get to express your Greek pride. For instance, I wouldn't have a problem with a squirrel tattoo or one of red and buff roses. That's something a sister would recognize immediately, but doesn't necessarily scream, "HI! I'm an Alpha Gam!"

But if I see a sister with the Armorial Bearings or the letters on her...YES, I think that's disrespectful; YES, I'm going to have a conniption; and YES, that sister is going to hear about it from me.

And if that makes me judgemental, so be it. But I prefer to think of it as being respectful of my Founders, history, and ritual.

greeklawgirl,

Exactly my point. Many of my pledge sisters have rose tattoos or turtle tattoos. I like most of my sisters' tattoos and I think that they can be attractive if done in the right spot. I personally wouldn't do it myself (for the "grandchildren" reason that I stated earlier), but I don't criticize my sisters for having them. However, there's a big difference between a turtle and DZ letters, and we do have a written policy that indicates where the line between "acceptable" and "not acceptable" lies.

I think that there is another big reason Delta Zeta, or any sorority for that matter, discourages getting a tattoo containing greek letters: it could be taken as hazing. Some might think that our ritual or intiation "forces" women to tattoo or brand themselves with our letters. Kinda makes sense. As far as tatttoos in general, I have one. It is on my hip and is a turtle. I don't really care what other's stand on tattoos is...trashy, not trashy...etc. It's my body, period.

As far as the girl in playboy...to be honest, I am a little torn. Good for her, to have enough self-conifdence...however, I wish she would have considered the ramifications by using our letters. (assuming, of course that she actually is a Delta Zeta).

<Sigh> We can't win for losing, girls!!

Blaire

Who cares what people think? Delta Zeta is a great sorority! They should be proud to get pink and green letters tattooed on them if they want to. The one DZ girl who was our pledge classes coach this year for pledge battles (their philanthropy) sent them/us a nice card. They don't haze. They have a lot to be proud of and definetly should not be called EZ... I think they are classy.

Hey thanks Optimist! That was really sweet! :D :D :D

Blaire

Personally, I think that many of the men on here have no business commenting on certain issues that are strictly sorority business, such as Rush procedures and "protecting our letters." Sure, they may be in a GLO, but a fraternity's Rush and reputation guarding are very very different from a sorority's.

IMO, instead of contributing to anything, they sound ignorant & rather pompous.

Of course sorority women are judgmental - look how we got in! We volunteered to join a sorority. We judge the girls who want to join our sisterhood. So yes, that's a very judgmental culture we decided to take part in.... And I continue to judge people in all ways - just as they are judging me. So what?

Sorry if I gave the impression that I thought BUTTERFLIES were trashy........I was just giving examples of typical tattoos. I meant that I think it looks tacky to have a tattoo in a really obvious place where it might not look too appropriate later on in life when you are all dressed up or trying to be professional. To me, a tattoo is a more personal thing. When you're going out clubbing and you want to look sexy, some cute little thing slipping out above the waistband is great......when you are walking down the aisle in your Vera Wang, some big old thing plastered on your shoulder isn't so terrific. When you are giving a presentation in your tailored suit, that flower showing through your hose on your ankle isn't real discreet.

Personally, I don't mind when women get tattoos of their letters. I would have no problem whatsoever with a sister doing this.

I also think that maybe it's time for our society to reevaluate the concepts of "professional" "classy" and the like. I have two tattoos, one on my upper arm and one on the inside of my ankle. I am an attorney and I appear in court every day. Of course, when I wear a skirt, one of my tattoos is visible. Granted I work in a very liberal office, but nobody has ever had a problem with it -- one of my bosses even complimented it. I don't love the way tattoos look under pantyhoes (but then, I don't love pantyhoes at all and wish we were more like France where women know better than to wear them) but I have no problem having it in plain view. I don't understand why that is not professional. I am a professional and I do my job to the best of my ability every day. I don't see how having a tattoo takes away from that at all.

I got a tattoo of my badge tonight.

Liar.