African American women in CPC, opinions, please?

[DrPhil]

That sounds like what I used to hear during new student week at some universities (before MCGLOs and LGLOs became "the thing"):

"We have (insert #) wonderful sororities and 4 history Black ones."

No, beyotch, you have (insert #) wonderful sororities which includes 4 historically Black sororities.

Originally Posted by 33girl

I read that article and I also think it's ridiculous to have an NPHC member acting as a recruitment counselor for NPC groups, whether she's black, white, or purple. The NPHC method of rush is the exact opposite of the NPC's! I guess they were trying to do something positive, but this is so misguided.

As Peggy McIntosh would say "now, now, 33girl, there aren't any purple people and we don't need to create them to get the point across."

[agzg]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

That sounds like what I used to hear during new student week at some universities (before MCGLOs and LGLOs became "the thing"):

"We have (insert #) wonderful sororities and 4 history Black ones."

No, beyotch, you have (insert #) wonderful sororities which includes 4 historically Black sororities.

Right, that's what I was thinking. Granted, one might want the NPHC to be a different tab because it includes both fraternities and sororities, but if that's the case, do CPC Sororities (or NPC), NPHC Fraternities and Sororities, and IFC Fraternities (I wouldn't use NIC because NPHC fraternities are members of the NIC, but - something).

If you're going to qualify ONE group, qualify ALL groups. It just strikes me as weird.

[ellebud]

.........gosh am I happy I live on the west coast. We may live in LaLa land but at least this issue doesn't come up in my daughter's school as far as I know. Looking through this year's bid day celebration pictures at my daughters house I know that I am correct. (And if you remember, back in the day when I went through recruitment Jewish girls could only join one house.)

[FSUZeta]

which i find interesting, because i would venture to say that we are probably around the same age, and we and many of the other sororities at fsu had jewish members.

i would have thought california would have been more progressive.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by ellebud

.........gosh am I happy I live on the west coast. We may live in LaLa land but at least this issue doesn't come up in my daughter's school as far as I know. Looking through this year's bid day celebration pictures at my daughters house I know that I am correct. (And if you remember, back in the day when I went through recruitment Jewish girls could only join one house.)

Yessss, some people's accounts of the west coast have an awesome way of making people confuse "tokenism" with real cohesion; or confuse seeing browner faces (not tan) in bid day pictures with the issue never coming up.

That's why it is no surprise when people learn "you can pledge my chapter but we can't be 'friends' or you can't really know me outside of this GLO and campus context" or "let's get some Hispanic, Asian, and/or Black members...but then let's pretend that we don't notice race and ethnicity and pretend we're in some dumb melting pot...although I wouldn't do this outside of my GLO context."

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Yessss, some people's accounts of the west coast have an awesome way of making people confuse "tokenism" with real cohesion; or confuse seeing browner faces (not tan) in bid day pictures with the issue never coming up.

That's why it is no surprise when people learn "you can pledge my chapter but we can't be 'friends' or you can't really know me outside of this GLO and campus context" or "let's get some Hispanic, Asian, and/or Black members...but then let's pretend that we don't notice race and ethnicity and pretend we're in some dumb melting pot...although I wouldn't do this outside of my GLO context."

Yeah, it's not as easy as some people make it out to be. It's not just the West Coast,either--look at composites at the NPC sororities at the Ivies, MIT, and other schools. I think people like to be like all, "we're liberal and/or 'smart'--we can handle friends of other races as long as they are just like us!" But maybe I'm jaded...or I just need a nap.

I'm kind of bored over the NPC minority thing, but I'm not 18 either. I think I cared more then.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Yessss, some people's accounts of the west coast have an awesome way of making people confuse "tokenism" with real cohesion; or confuse seeing browner faces (not tan) in bid day pictures with the issue never coming up.

That's why it is no surprise when people learn "you can pledge my chapter but we can't be 'friends' or you can't really know me outside of this GLO and campus context" or "let's get some Hispanic, Asian, and/or Black members...but then let's pretend that we don't notice race and ethnicity and pretend we're in some dumb melting pot...although I wouldn't do this outside of my GLO context."

See, this right here is why I question AfAm women who join NPCs. I think that in theory any woman should join any sisterhood that she feels is right/best for her. But, in all reality, issues like you mentioned occur.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

See, this right here is why I question AfAm women who join NPCs. I think that in theory any woman should join any sisterhood that she feels is right/best for her. But, in all reality, issues like you mentioned occur.

Those issues may occur--BUT, you have to realize that many, many Black women who join NPC sororities are used to being the "Only" in their social contexts, in their schools, neighborhoods, what have you. Even if NPHC Greek Life is part of their family or social context, it may not be something they'll think of doing. Some of them might not feel completely comfortable around large groups of unrelated black people. Whether or not that's right or wrong isn't for me to say--I can't judge teenagers I don't know.

So, many go to college wanting to do the same thing their non-Black friends are doing. In that case, they are joining the sisterhood that feels right to them. You'll see that there are a good number of Black NPC members here who have remained active as alumnae, and had good experiences. Others might "discover" their blackness in college and regret their decision.

So, I can't "question" those young women, because they're just doing what they know best at the time.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

So, many go to college wanting to do the same thing their non-Black friends are doing. In that case, they are joining the sisterhood that feels right to them. You'll see that there are a good number of Black NPC members here who have remained active as alumnae, and had good experiences. Others might "discover" their blackness in college and regret their decision.

That's one good thing about black NPC girls who are NPHC-aware. There's this family/internalized pressure that's like "I don't care if you joined a white sorority, you BETTER be in it for life."

If that didn't come out right, shut up. You know what I mean.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

That's one good thing about black NPC girls who are NPHC-aware. There's this family/internalized pressure that's like "I don't care if you joined a white sorority, you BETTER be in it for life."

If that didn't come out right, shut up. You know what I mean.

I know what you mean, and it's true. I think I heard so many relatives/family friends dismiss NPC membership as "just a college thing" that I was like, ha! I'll be more active than any'all!

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

That's one good thing about black NPC girls who are NPHC-aware. There's this family/internalized pressure that's like "I don't care if you joined a white sorority, you BETTER be in it for life."

If that didn't come out right, shut up. You know what I mean.

This is quite true, actually.

[ellebud]

FSUZeta: Yes, my campus, at that time, was restricted religiously. (As I wrote in my recruitment story there may have been Black and Asian girls goiing through rush, but I don't remember.) The year that I pledged there was one Jewish girl, blond hair and blue eyes with an "altered" last name, who pledged a non Jewish house. We pledge one girl who was Christian and that was a first. Now, happily things are different here. My sorority closed down because Jewish girls began having options.

An historically Jewish house recently came back to campus. They are diverse. And, at the moment they are small, but growing.

I know that at the "school across town" there were opportunities for diversity, but at that time, in that place...no.

[FSUZeta]

that's too bad. every chapter missed out on a fabulous member!

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Those issues may occur--BUT, you have to realize that many, many Black women who join NPC sororities are used to being the "Only" in their social contexts, in their schools, neighborhoods, what have you. Even if NPHC Greek Life is part of their family or social context, it may not be something they'll think of doing. Some of them might not feel completely comfortable around large groups of unrelated black people. Whether or not that's right or wrong isn't for me to say--I can't judge teenagers I don't know.

So, many go to college wanting to do the same thing their non-Black friends are doing. In that case, they are joining the sisterhood that feels right to them. You'll see that there are a good number of Black NPC members here who have remained active as alumnae, and had good experiences. Others might "discover" their blackness in college and regret their decision.

So, I can't "question" those young women, because they're just doing what they know best at the time.

So my "question" is why would an AfAm woman want to join an org where she MAY be shunned outside certain contexts of her GLO (based on the implied reason of her race). I don't question to judge. I question to try to understand the reason.

Why would she purposely put herself through that? It seems that she would be cheated out of the full experience of sisterhood.

And btw, I too have been the "only one" in certain situations, so I understand what you mean.

[Senusret I]

^ sigmadiva, do you think it occurs to them that they might be shunned? Or even whether they had ever been shunned previously. Remember that rush is the first time a lot of these women have been "judged."

On another note, this also makes me consider people who ask why I would consider pledging an NPHC fraternity knowing I could be shunned as a gay man. If I put myself in their shoes, I think I can empathize with them even more.