Quote:
Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby
The most obvious is the emphasis on appearance, especially during recruitment. I know that some will argue that it's like a job interview, putting your best foot forward, etc., but where this is a problem, from an equality perspective, is all the stuff that women are expected to do that men aren't. Both a male and female PNM are expected, for example, to dress appropriately and be clean and well-groomed. But only the female PNM is expected to wear make-up, go tanning, etc.
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Very interesting perspective and something that I've never thought of before.
Isn't this always true, though, not just when Greek Life is involved?
I mean, I probably wouldn't go tanning for a job interview, but most women would probably wear some makeup and spend some time doing their hair. In fact, many women do this every single day. I think this is somewhat natural. For instance, women usually have longer hair than men - which may take more time to groom. Women may have to blow dry and straighten/curl/etc their hair, when men can usually just let their hair dry because it only takes five minutes to do so.
Women, in general, spend much more time grooming themselves than men. I'm sure most men who are attending fraternity rush parties haven't gone out and gotten their nails done or spent much time contemplating their outfits. However, sorority women (especially in the SEC or other competitive schools), are usually advised to spend lots of time planning outfits, possibly getting their nails done, getting their hair cut/colored, etc.
However, this is an everyday occurrence. Women, in general, are going to spend much more time getting ready for a date than men. And I think that it is somewhat of an equality issue. For me, personally, I grew up on a farm. Before I prepared for sorority recruitment, I didn't even know what a "cocktail" dress was when I was looking for something to wear on pref day. I'd love to throw my hair up in a ponytail, have no makeup on, wear jeans and a t shirt and show my true personality. However, I can't do that if I want to be judged on the same level as the girls who are decked out in Lily Pulitzer dresses and spent two hours on their hair. Men don't have to work nearly as hard to be on the same level as other men.