Conduct Becoming of A Sorority Girl

[susan314]

Originally Posted by CZAXOTerp

After I graduated a one of the sisters of my chapter got pregnant & gave the baby up for adoption. Her parents wanted nothing to do with her- they basically disowned her. My chapter took care of her, advisors gave her maternity clothes etc. she lived in the house during her pregnancy and was very involved w/ PH. I remember thinking it was bizarre and really not
an "ideal" situation, but then I thought about how she was surrounded by women who cared for her, had people watching out for her, making sure she ate well, etc. and I know now it all worked out...

As you said, that's probably not the ideal situation. (Ideally, her parents would have stood by her. ) But how wonderful that the chapter rallied around her and provided her with the support she needed.

[CZAXOTerp]

Originally Posted by susan314

As you said, that's probably not the ideal situation. (Ideally, her parents would have stood by her. ) But how wonderful that the chapter rallied around her and provided her with the support she needed.

Actually ideally the unplanned pregnancy would have been prevented...

It was wonderful that the chapter supported her when her family wouldn't and the greek system as a whole was v. supportive as well.

[susan314]

Originally Posted by CZAXOTerp

Actually ideally the unplanned pregnancy would have been prevented...

Well, yes...I suppose you're right. Perhaps I should re-state my orignal post to read that the second-ideal situation would have been for her biological family to stand by her, with the ultimate ideal situation to be that she didn't have to go through the situation at all.

(Though I suspect that the adoptive family is grateful that things happened the way they did...)

[adrie435]

I think the way my chapter did it back in the day is a good medium..
We wouldn't kick a woman out for becoming pregnant, but we would ask her to go alum or inactive (depending on if she was planning to keep the child or give it up). I know to some of you that means the same thing but we had very involved alumnae so it would work. Our perspective on it was that she is moving on to another partof her life and would need time and money to focus on a child rather than her sorority commitments. She would still be able to have a supportive community of sisters and still wear our letters and claim affiliation, but would be able to devote herself to raising a child (if she chose). A pregnancy is a very tough experience (especially unwed) and a member doesn't need to be thinking about paying dues or attending all kinds of mandatory events during it.

As for behavior.... We signed a code of ethics stating that we would follow all sorority rules & state and national laws or we could be held accountable by our chapter-- Last time I checked, drugs are still illegal and I'm pretty sure every chapter should have a blanket no tolerance rule on that.