Alexandra Robbins, Authoress of PLEDGED, said:

[Little32]

Originally Posted by als463

Yeah-she came to Penn State too. All the NPC sororities had to go and listen to her for some insane reason. It was weird that we saw girls in the crowd listening to her speech who didn't receive a bid from ANYONE...so, I feel like it was not only supposed to be "helpful" to the sororities it was also supposed to be an outlet for people who were rejected by the Greek System at our school...I realize that not everyone is rejected because they are losers but, at such a big campus if you were rejected by all the NPCs (when we have such a large amount of greek orgs.) it was probably because you were rude, obnoxious, etc. I feel like Alexandra Robbins speech helped piss off the sororities that much more by blasting Greek Life (which-if you read the book...and I have...you'd see she does that) and make other girls who didn't get bids have another reason to hate Greek Life instead of trying again!

You do understand what is problematic in this statement, right?

[icicle22]

Originally Posted by Little32

You do understand what is problematic in this statement, right?

What was problematic?

[Little32]

That she essentially calls women who are cut from ALL sororities rude and obnoxious (in some way inadequate) and then says that they should try to pledge again.

Not to start any arguments, but the post itself is problematic.

[icicle22]

Originally Posted by Little32

That she essentially calls women who are cut from ALL sororities rude and obnoxious (in some way inadequate) and then says that they should try to pledge again.

Not to start any arguments, but the post itself is problematic.

Wow,that is problematic. Either she was angry and furious or she really meant it.

[als463]

Originally Posted by icicle22

Wow,that is problematic. Either she was angry and furious or she really meant it.

Thank you 33girl-you truly read my mind (which is why we are PA girls)...ISUKappa, you are right about the whole Panhellenic thing...we had to send a certain number of members for the event (why?-I'm not sure) but, we could have more girls go if they were interested...I think more girls went just to hear her spew her garbage so they could actually stand up and call her out for her inaccuracies (which was mentioned during her question answer portion) than to actually "get" anything from it....

I didn't mean it like that-so, I do apologize if it came off that way-as I stated before...I was really fumed....Alexandra really tried to make us during the speech feel like we were playing into a stupid stereotype because we wanted sisterhood. I have friends who are and aren't Greek. I wasn't saying "Either go Greek or go Home!" What I was essentially trying to point out was that...some girls do "slip through the cracks" so they go back through recruitment or they COB (which is fine, by the way) to find their home. Some girls don't get into an organization because of how they treat other chapters. An Example: I knew a girl who would go to one sorority and say, "Oh-yeah....I was asked back to so and so....and I really like this sorority.....and I'm not sure how I feel about that sorority..." She bad mouthed so many sororities...Some she put down by saying they were for the nerdy or the ugly. Other sororities she would comment how they were for down right sluts....Eventually NO ONE asked her back because she had bad-mouthed pretty much EVERY Sorority on campus....Then she questioned why no one wanted her. She had a comment for everyone. So you have two ends of the spectrum. The girls that "slipped through the cracks" I would want to see go back through in hopes they would find a home. I was saying-if those same "slip through the cracks" girls went to listen to Alexandra Robbins they may be like...."To heck with this!" The girls who were "obnoxious" like the girl I spoke about earlier could use the whole Alexandra Robbins speech as a reason to validate the fact that they were too "good" or too "cool" to be in a sorority in the first place....That is what I was getting at-so, I didn't really mean to offend anyone....sorry I wasn't very clear about it earlier.....

[AlwaysSAI]

Alright....so I may be deemed the spawn of satan for saying this and I'll preface it with-no, I'm not in an NPC org

But, I found Robbins' book to be very well stated. I found her opinion of sororities and greek life in general to be unbiased. No, the things presented in the book did not place sororities in the best light, but she was writing about 4 different girls in 4 different houses and their experiences in the sororities on their campus.

If anyone has any problem with anything in the book, I don't think Robbins is the one to blame. As a journalist, it is her job to present her findings-which I believe is exactly what she did. She stated many times that drinking is not a sorority phenomenon, but a college phenomenon and should not be compartmentalized into greek life alone.

If anyone has a problem with the way greek organizations were presented in the book, I honestly believe that there is only the greek community to blame. Yes, there is a stigma that goes along with being greek, but you can't blame Robbins for that. She investigated something that has been very sensationalized in the media for a number of years--and remember she is trying to sell books.

As for the secrets, I honestly doubt she is an initiated member of a greek letter organization. She had at least 3 different org's secrets in the book and I would bet money that those secrets were disclosed by ostricized members.

I found the book to be an honest interpretation of any aspect of greek life. I found myself identifying with many of the girls in the book and I'm in a music org and an honor org--not even NPC.

I think that the biggest problem that people have with the book is that they don't want to believe that sisters from other schools will ostracize them. They truly want to believe that 'we are all sisters and will love each other because of that' when that isn't always true.

As for Robbins' interpretation of the National's of most orgs--it's going to be a little out of touch with the collegiate side because most of them have been alumnae for quite a while. Yeah, every org has problem--both of my HQs do--NO ONE ORG IS PERFECT.

Seriously, what's the huff all about?

PS-I do agree with her thoughts on recruitment though. It's way too superficial even at schools with smaller greek communities.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

Alright....so I may be deemed the spawn of satan for saying this and I'll preface it with-no, I'm not in an NPC org

But, I found Robbins' book to be very well stated. I found her opinion of sororities and greek life in general to be unbiased. No, the things presented in the book did not place sororities in the best light, but she was writing about 4 different girls in 4 different houses and their experiences in the sororities on their campus.

If anyone has any problem with anything in the book, I don't think Robbins is the one to blame. As a journalist, it is her job to present her findings-which I believe is exactly what she did. She stated many times that drinking is not a sorority phenomenon, but a college phenomenon and should not be compartmentalized into greek life alone.

If anyone has a problem with the way greek organizations were presented in the book, I honestly believe that there is only the greek community to blame. Yes, there is a stigma that goes along with being greek, but you can't blame Robbins for that. She investigated something that has been very sensationalized in the media for a number of years--and remember she is trying to sell books.

As for the secrets, I honestly doubt she is an initiated member of a greek letter organization. She had at least 3 different org's secrets in the book and I would bet money that those secrets were disclosed by ostricized members.

I found the book to be an honest interpretation of any aspect of greek life. I found myself identifying with many of the girls in the book and I'm in a music org and an honor org--not even NPC.

I think that the biggest problem that people have with the book is that they don't want to believe that sisters from other schools will ostracize them. They truly want to believe that 'we are all sisters and will love each other because of that' when that isn't always true.

As for Robbins' interpretation of the National's of most orgs--it's going to be a little out of touch with the collegiate side because most of them have been alumnae for quite a while. Yeah, every org has problem--both of my HQs do--NO ONE ORG IS PERFECT.

Seriously, what's the huff all about?

PS-I do agree with her thoughts on recruitment though. It's way too superficial even at schools with smaller greek communities.

My problem with the book isn't the story, it's her characterization of sorority women outside of the main story as well as her unnecessary revealing of secrets (again many of which have turned out to be false)

She huffs about a Sigma Kappa who was turned away from initiation because she had black-toed shoes. When a national officer was present at the initiation. How DARE we require our members to show up in appropriate attire for ritual events, when there's someone from HQ there no less.

And within the storyline itself, there was the girl who's boyfriend was, IIRC, verbally and emotionally abusive and the author is critical of the sorority sisters who want the girl to leave the guy. Because they "just don't understand" or some such. It is unsurprising for the girl to feel this way, for the narrator, it makes no sense. It's just a chance to be critical of those ostracizing sorority women again.

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

As for the secrets, I honestly doubt she is an initiated member of a greek letter organization. She had at least 3 different org's secrets in the book and I would bet money that those secrets were disclosed by ostricized members.


As for Robbins' interpretation of the National's of most orgs--it's going to be a little out of touch with the collegiate side because most of them have been alumnae for quite a while. Yeah, every org has problem--both of my HQs do--NO ONE ORG IS PERFECT.

Two questions/opinions.

#1 - Why did she need to reveal any organizations's secrets? It their organization, it's their choice if they should be made public or not. Did she reveal the secrets of her own organization?

#2 - Yes, most Nationals/Internationals/HQs do get a little out of touch with the collegiate groups. Times change and our HQs need to understand that and see how the changing times are effecting them. But, remember this, your HQ is made up of members of your org who threw down and partied in their day. They haven't really forgotten (or gotten out of touch) as much as matured. (Heck, I would love for Carnation, PenguinTrax, DeltAlum and many of us to start a post about some of the things we did. Or, better yet, maybe we shouldn't.)

[denimeans]

I liked the book too. I thought the parts about the girls were far-fetched, I don't know anyone who has ever slept with a professor, but I think she looked for the biggest extremes to sell books. Some of the experiences were very true....I liked the part about the girls being forced to go to the dance-off at an odd hour, reminds me of relay for life

the fact based parts were very accurate. And she got my sorority's ritual down perfectly. Even our password.

[als463]

Originally Posted by Little32

You do understand what is problematic in this statement, right?

Yeah-It was really early in the morning and I was half awake-sorry-I was just fumed!

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

Authoress?????

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I kind of like it.

he he.... it's a word that Maya says on Girlfriends.