Quote:
Originally Posted by Abm91
I think a large number of girls enjoy the system, but a larger amount find it unfair, cruel and wish women could stand up for other women. I have hope.
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All the angst over tiers - Why do women do this to themselves?
I was an active at a large state university well before Greek Rank invented the concept of tiers. But even back in the Stone Age we kinda knew what was what. My fraternity was well known, very visible and well regarded, with about 35 actives (low average for the campus). Each school year we tried to have mixers/socials with every sorority - from those generally considered (using today's terminology as a shorthand reference) "top tier" to those considered "lower tier."
Here are my observations. Please note that I do not believe my experiences and opinions are unique and many fraternity members have had similar experiences.
1) The women in the "lower tier" sororities generally shared an important and desirable trait - THEY SHOWED UP. At that time, mixers were funded 100 percent by the fraternity hosting the event. When we held a mixer with a "lower tier" sorority they would show up in numbers and stay for hours. Overall - we thought they were more fun and generally had better social skills than the "top tier" groups. We could always count on them for a fun evening. This was the general opinion and experience of other fraternities as well.
This was not true with some (not all) of the so called "top tier" sororities. It was always hit or miss with them. We never knew how many would be showing up. (Some of these groups had 100+ members.) Sometimes only their pledges/new members would show up. Believe me, we remembered and bore some resentment towards the group because of this. Other fraternities also experienced this and felt the same way.
2) When I became an upperclassman, the upperclasswomen in the upper tier sororities became MIA. Many of them simply stopped going to Greek stuff. (Might have been before the concept of levying fines for non attendance became a thing.) Or they would go for only 10 or 15 minutes, then leave. Not true for the "lower tier" girls. Their upperclasswomen would stay the duration.
I'll leave it to someone else to explain this. All I can say is that, in general, most fraternities like groups that like them. They do not like snobs - even pretty ones. They like women to show up and expect to have fun and do their part, regardless of their "tier." To most of them, the "tier" system is absolutely and solely about looks - and that's as deep as their analysis goes.