There were some folks on my old campus who did just that, out of pure ignorance, of course. Nevertheless, you are quite right -- neither we nor the actual Phi Mus on campus appreciated it at all.

Unlike the "analogy" we were discussing above, I think that the argument you made is the valid and persausive argument as to why the use of "frat" should be avoided, except in those contexts (such as in the NPHC) where it doesn't carry the negative connotation you describe.

The Sinfonians on my campus didn't mind it AS MUCH, because the closest chapter of Phi Mu was about a hundred miles away at UofI, but they did MUCH prefer to be Sinfonians. (I lived on a co-ed floor, and I swear half of the guys side were Sinfonians...but then again, it was the fine arts floor, so that makes sense:p ).

I'm probably particularly sensitive to it, since we did have a Phi Mu chapter and since my sister is a Phi Mu.

We're using our female powers to talk to her now... did you leave the seat up again? Tsk tsk... :p


And I agree that's a valid argument. And while most guys prefer fraternity, some don't mind "frat" thus teaching it to each class of freshman girls (because that's who the guys hang out with, right?) and it gets passed along.

When in doubt, default to fraternity.

That was our son. I've been trying to teach him.

Rules of the Toilet Seat (feel free to print out for him):

1. If the females outnumber the males in the house, the toilet seat must remain down.

2. If the females in the house do not outnumber the males, the toilet seat must remain down.

3. If there is a slight possibility a female may enter the house anytime in the current month, the toilet seat must remain down.

4. If you sprinkle when you tinkle, please be neat and wipe the seat.

Awww how old?

And remember, a man's home is his castle, it's just that he isn't the king!

I don't understand that. I worked at a local movie theater and had to clean the bathrooms... EW... How do you pee on the wall in a WOMEN'S restroom!?

Women who don't want to sit on other women's pee squat over the seat, therefore peeing on the seat themselves. Ironic, no??

But on the WALL!
*shudder*

er on-topic, peeing on the wall is something "frat" guys would do
Fraternity men never pee on walls.

/Kind of a Goofus and Gallant thing

[quote=ladygreek]He would be more offended by the word boy than the word frat. quote]

:D

It's not!!!!! I was gonna have some of my friends apply there!!! Bummer, now I guess I'll tell them about UCF!!!!:p

Every year, 100s of women join UCF sororities. They know virtually nothing about Greek Life and PC terminology. They get bids because they have good applications and they're nice people. I have no doubt that in other parts of the world, someone might be dropped from recruitment for not already knowing everything about Greek Life and the correct PC terms.

In the following weeks, they will attend their first social. Some new member will invariably use the word "frat" at said event and get a 30-minute lecture from the 5th year senior in the fraternity about word usage. Her sisters will laugh at him, but the new member will take his speech to heart. And from that point forward, the new member will use the word fraternity. To summarize-- not much of an issue if you're a newbie.

However, also in my experience, we referred to houses by name. And if you were dating a guy, the question was never, "Is he in a fraternity?" or "What fraternity is he in?" 99 times out of 100 you would be asked "What is he?"-- the response to which could be any of the fraternities or the succinct "GDI" (to which the person would respond "Ohhh" and walk away).

Wasn't that from that Highlights magazine that was always in hospital/dentist waiting rooms? Anyway that would make a hilarious cartoon.

That was the exact image I had in my head when I typed that :)