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I think that "health" is sometimes used as a euphemism.
We all know chapters that wouldn't be caught dead with a size-10 girl at pref, much less in the pledge class. I've never known a selective system where big women were not cut more harshly than smaller women. I'm sure all the members of those skinny chapters would deny that they are cutting for weight...they'd say they want "healthy" pledges or "athletic" pledges or "pledges who take care of themselves."
The reason I don't always buy this explanation is: Do these same sororities cut women who smoke? That's a lot more unhealthy than an extra 20 pounds, but most groups I've come across do not inquire about smoking. I find that those skinny sororities are often full of smokers--and for that matter, tanning salon addicts, another extremely unhealthy practice. This is really about looks, not health, self-respect, or anything else.
I appreciate the few actives who are honest about this, and say, "We are looking for bright, motivated, kind, ATTRACTIVE women, and we define attractive thus." But most don't admit that this is what they're doing. Heck, at my best friend's alma mater, there's a chapter that may as well have a local by-law banning anyone over size 4...and their national creed mentions judging candidates by their moral worth, not their appearance!
Obviously, sororities are entitled to pick whoever they want to be in their group; it's the hypocrisy that bugs me.
Ivy
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