D9 stereotyping..

[IncontRHOllable]

Originally Posted by PearlRuby

I think a large part of the reason that these stereotypical views persist is because members of the D9 help to perpetuate them. Non-greeks are getting these stereotypes from somewhere, and unfortunately, that somewhere is often from D9 members themselves. Example...just last week a member of a D9 fraternity who was standing behind me in the supermarket line and saw my Sigma keychain when I gave the cashier my price plus card, said to me, "Wow, I would have figured you for an AKA sis." I've heard many similar comments from D9 greeks, both male and female, about me and other greeks who don't fit their skewed idea of what members of certain orgs are supposed to look like.

It's sad, but I agree. Do you think some of the stereotypes are perpetuated by some of the chants that D9 orgs do that kind of put down the other D9 orgs? Or maybe the step shows where some frats clown others?

[ziasha07]

Sadly these stereotypes are out and running rampant. I got into a discussion with one of my friends in which she told me, "You can't be ABC because you don't look like ABC's even though you act like them. You have the brains of a XYZ but you look like EFG."

I just looked at her like what in the world? She said she was gonna be an ABC cause that's what everyone told her she looked like.

Originally Posted by IncontRHOllable

It's sad, but I agree. Do you think some of the stereotypes are perpetuated by some of the chants that D9 orgs do that kind of put down the other D9 orgs? Or maybe the step shows where some frats clown others?

Somewhat, but step shows from a non-greek person's perspective step shows are entertainment. They have to know not to take it all to heart.

Chants probably aid the stereotypes but they play up positive attributes of the organizations: Pretty, suave, intelligent, beautiful, illustrious, etc.

[OneBadZeta02]

This post is EXTREMELY interesting to me...because I actually have heard those same comments from my own fratand regular people in the streets! Everyone always says I look like an AKA because I'm light skinned with long hair and light eyes. The main stereotype for Z-Phi-B is that we are big, black, and burrly looking...whatever that means. I have friends in all of the D9 organizations and not one of them has the exact same make up as their frat/soror. I think that the stereotyping came in when the organizations first began ~ if you look at the pictures of each organization, most of the members displayed similar resemblance...

[GRACED2BSGRHO]

Your right the stereotypes are out there. I went to buy a jacket from one of the stores that sells greek nalia here. All they had were XL and XXL jackets. So i asked the guy why he didn't have any mediums or smalls. He said i stopped ordering them because they told me all the Sgrho's were fat. I was so hot! But when people ask me if I am in a sorority and I say Sgrho, they say you don't look like one. That burns me up! Every sorority and Fratenity comes in all shapes, colors and sizes. I'm not sure if they are gettingthe stereotyes from chants or what, all I know is it really ticks me off sometimes. Other times I just laugh and say well I guess I blew that stereotype. Either way people can be are ignorant.

[Little32]

When I told a friend of mine that I was interested in AKA, he told me that he thought that I wouldn't fit with my sorority because of all of the usual stereotypes about us. He really has internalized all of the stereotypes about the different organizations. Funny thing is that he wanted to pledge at one time, so you would think that he would know better. However, I guess the fact that he has since lost interest demonstrates the depth of his desire and perhaps his understanding of our organizations.

[PrettyBoy]

I've always been told I look like a Nupe, from greeks and non-greeks, but at the same time I have always been told my personality doesn't fit Kappa.

[Live_Wire17]

Originally Posted by PrettyBoy

I've always been told I look like a Nupe, from greeks and non-greeks, but at the same time I have always been told my personality doesn't fit Kappa.

With your "Location" post I would say it does...

But I'm not mad cause I got my own "Nupe" to love.

[IncontRHOllable]

Originally Posted by GRACED2BSGRHO

Your right the stereotypes are out there. He said i stopped ordering them because they told me all the Sgrho's were fat. I was so hot!

This is exactly what I was talking about. Who the heck is the "they" in the "they told me SgRho's are all fat" statement? Why in the world would a D9 member be making statements like "you don't look like a SGRho, Delta, AKA, Zeta etc.," unless we believe the stereotypes ourselves

[raggann03]

You know this is so funny because just YESTERDAY and "friend" of mine was commenting on one of our sorhors and was like "yes, she fits cause she's chubby, SGRhos are known as the chubby ones". I just laughed because I had never heard that before. Quickly dismissed

[bluethunder]

okay, i am probably going to be taking the less popular approach to this topic, but i go forth nonetheless:

i, like many soRHOrs, have had people tell me that i just COULDN'T be an SGRho because Sigma Gamma Rho sorors are either really big or really skinny or really nerdy or sloppy or whatever... or they will talk about how Sigma Gamma Rho is mostly older ladies...there have even been times when individuals have made the comment that i'm the "best looking" SGRho they have met...
i don't buy into the hype of stereotypes because one size definitely does not fit all. Wearing certain letters and colors doesn't make you pretty, smart, or ladylike and wearing others don't mean you are a reject or the size of a polar bear...

HOWEVER, i think we have to acknowledge that stereotypes do come from somewhere...whether or not they hold true is another issue. keep it real, y'all. look at some of these photogalleries--and i mean this for ALL of us orgs.--and you'll see some stereotypes "appear".

[tld221]

Originally Posted by BlueReign

I'm glad you told her Soror!

I'm pretty, smart, AND confrontational. I wonder what that makes me.

Honestly, I am told by mostly stupid men (who mainly perpetuate this nonsense stereotyping) that I fit the stereotype of AKA.

The only comments I hear from women -- and other greek women in my local NPHC chapter at that -- is that we are so small we all know each other. My pet peeve is other greek women in my area (DC/Baltimore) who are surprised that we have so many graduate chapters in this area. I even had one neo Zeta ask me if I was able to "find a chapter"? Whatever?

My response: For the record, there are 6 graduate chapters in the DC area alone, not including the Baltimore area chapters. This is a greater metropolitan area with a large black population, what did you expect?

i hear that soror - NYC has 3 grad chapters, with another nearby in Westchester and in LI. dont tell me about some "finding a chapter" cause we got this!

Originally Posted by bluethunder

okay, i am probably going to be taking the less popular approach to this topic, but i go forth nonetheless:

i, like many soRHOrs, have had people tell me that i just COULDN'T be an SGRho because Sigma Gamma Rho sorors are either really big or really skinny or really nerdy or sloppy or whatever... or they will talk about how Sigma Gamma Rho is mostly older ladies...there have even been times when individuals have made the comment that i'm the "best looking" SGRho they have met...
i don't buy into the hype of stereotypes because one size definitely does not fit all. Wearing certain letters and colors doesn't make you pretty, smart, or ladylike and wearing others don't mean you are a reject or the size of a polar bear...

HOWEVER, i think we have to acknowledge that stereotypes do come from somewhere...whether or not they hold true is another issue. keep it real, y'all. look at some of these photogalleries--and i mean this for ALL of us orgs.--and you'll see some stereotypes "appear".

i've gotten that too! i mean i cute and all, but i aint no model chick either! so dudes, greek and non-greek, really get me when theyre like "damn you are a fine SGRho, do you got other sorors who look like you?"

another greek dude said to me "man yall are like the AKA chapter of SGRho cause some other chapters - dayum!"

but word, i feel like ive perpetuated some stereotypes (physically and mentally, within my org and other orgs) and i shouldnt. bad soror, bad. (slaps myself on the hand)

[NinjaPoodle]

Originally Posted by bluethunder

okay, i am probably going to be taking the less popular approach to this topic, but i go forth nonetheless:...

HOWEVER, i think we have to acknowledge that stereotypes do come from somewhere...whether or not they hold true is another issue. keep it real, y'all. look at some of these photogalleries--and i mean this for ALL of us orgs.--and you'll see some stereotypes "appear".

I agree soror.

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by bluethunder

okay, i am probably going to be taking the less popular approach to this topic, but i go forth nonetheless:

i, like many soRHOrs, have had people tell me that i just COULDN'T be an SGRho because Sigma Gamma Rho sorors are either really big or really skinny or really nerdy or sloppy or whatever... or they will talk about how Sigma Gamma Rho is mostly older ladies...there have even been times when individuals have made the comment that i'm the "best looking" SGRho they have met...
i don't buy into the hype of stereotypes because one size definitely does not fit all. Wearing certain letters and colors doesn't make you pretty, smart, or ladylike and wearing others don't mean you are a reject or the size of a polar bear...

HOWEVER, i think we have to acknowledge that stereotypes do come from somewhere...whether or not they hold true is another issue. keep it real, y'all. look at some of these photogalleries--and i mean this for ALL of us orgs.--and you'll see some stereotypes "appear".

I hear what you're sayin' but I've met far more sorors and seen far more websites and pictures of sorors who do not fit the so called negative stereotypes at all...and this goes for all of the NPHC orgs. So while stereotypes do come from somewhere, they're just not fair to use...especially if they are negative.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by bluethunder

HOWEVER, i think we have to acknowledge that stereotypes do come from somewhere...whether or not they hold true is another issue. keep it real, y'all. look at some of these photogalleries--and i mean this for ALL of us orgs.--and you'll see some stereotypes "appear".

And sometimes it slips into the selection process. We want folx who look like...

[Luckie1922]

I look like a Soror

I walk like a Soror

I talk like a Soror

I can achieve anything like a Soror

I work hard like Soror

Therefore I must be a Soror