Southern Mississippi: Diversity in NPC Sororities

[Low C Sharp]

Oh, honey, unfortunately not. The South still has a lot of work to do.

So do some northern campuses. The campuses I'm aware of with the most thoroughly diverse NPC chapters are private schools in the North...but there are also northern and western campuses where the NPC chapters are virtually all white, or all white and Asian on a campus with lots of unaffiliated black and Hispanic women.

The South is also not the only region where you'll find systems where "lower-tier" chapters are making all the diversity progress, while the "elite" chapters remain very white. The same is often true when it comes to diversity of body type, disability, and economic background.

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

So do some northern campuses. The campuses I'm aware of with the most thoroughly diverse NPC chapters are private schools in the North...but there are also northern and western campuses where the NPC chapters are virtually all white, or all white and Asian on a campus with lots of unaffiliated black and Hispanic women.

The South is also not the only region where you'll find systems where "lower-tier" chapters are making all the diversity progress, while the "elite" chapters remain very white. The same is often true when it comes to diversity of body type, disability, and economic background.

I wasn't making my comment re the south in the context that this is the only part of the country where this is an issue. My comment was made in the spirit of that's where I live, and that's where my experience is.

[winnie_tuck]

I believe the issue is that having a African American is considered being diverse. It's like all colors are the same but African American. I can name numerous Asian and Hispanic girls in the NPC chapters on campus but that is never seen as being diverse it's only when there is one African American it is seen as being open and my school has one to two in each chapter excluding KA and Sigma Chi.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by winnie_tuck

I believe the issue is that having a African American is considered being diverse. It's like all colors are the same but African American. I can name numerous Asian and Hispanic girls in the NPC chapters on campus but that is never seen as being diverse it's only when there is one African American it is seen as being open and my school has one to two in each chapter excluding KA and Sigma Chi.

I'm not trying to oversimplify things, but the reason African Americanness is has the appearance of the standard of diversity is because of the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

I'm not trying to oversimplify things, but the reason African Americanness is has the appearance of the standard of diversity is because of the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.

Add to that the stereotype of Asians as the "model minority" (e.g., stereotyped as "the good minorities" who are nonwhite enough to be a racial and ethnic minority but not so nonwhite as to pose a threat to white people) and the fact that Hispanic is an ethnicity and a culture rather than a race.

Therefore, chapters with a few Asian and Hispanic (many of whom are racially identifiable as being of the white diaspora) students will claim diversity if diversity becomes a hot topic. Otherwise, "we don't see race" will be the catchphrase. In general, the whites in the chapters see themselves as being around "minorities who are not REALLY minorities" or "they are a different kind of minorities who don't see race...they think this whole race thing is really stupid just like we do...so I am able to breathe a whitepeople-sigh-of-relief when I'm around them."

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

breathe a whitepeople-sigh-of-relief when I'm around them."

LOL at "whitepeople-sigh-of-relief."