Throwing without Knowing?

[amIblue?]

I don't even know what to think about this one. I was going to share it the other day when I read it, but I got busy with work and didn't get around to it yet.

In general, I don't like the use of (most) hand signs for (most) NPC groups. So, in that respect, I agree with the new stance from HQ. I don't think that it has anything to do with being "too refined" as Sen mentioned (although I do think that there is that element among some NPC women). The cultural appropriate aspect is bothersome as well.

For me, I think it boils down to the fact that we didn't do it when I was an active, so it just doesn't seem to be a part of my experience with Kappa. (Get off my lawn!) I also think that the hand signs that I've seen associated with Kappa look stupid because I usually can't figure out what the heck they're trying to show. (Seriously, I usually turn my head sideways a bit to try to figure them out.) There is no consistent Kappa hand sign. I've seen attempts at making letters, keys, stupid owl eyes. If we're going to have a hand sign, let's have ONE.

I also think that the message was delivered in a rather heavy handed and culturally insensitive way, but knowing what I know about how people get dramatic when changes are communicated, I can see that HQ felt that they had to deliver some reason beyond "it's not part of our ritual, so stop." They just didn't think enough about how they were sending the message. Unless it's part of the unanimous agreements, we don't need to bring in any other GLOs when making decisions about our policy.

Honestly, I think they could have just stopped using the photos with the hand signs quietly without making a big PR statement about why. It's not like they use every photo that is submitted. There will still be plenty of shots of people showing the back of their spirit shirts or beach shots, etc. When the actives see the kinds of shots that are being chosen, that's what they'll submit. It's not like these photos are usually particularly creative in composition.

[ISUKappa]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

Honestly, I think they could have just stopped using the photos with the hand signs quietly without making a big PR statement about why. It's not like they use every photo that is submitted. There will still be plenty of shots of people showing the back of their spirit shirts or beach shots, etc. When the actives see the kinds of shots that are being chosen, that's what they'll submit. It's not like these photos are usually particularly creative in composition.

Yes. The article kind of feels like someone hearing something and then going "Oh My Lands, we have to stop this nonsense!" whilst clutching their pearls and swooning without really thinking through it. To be honest, I searched for images of what they referenced and it took some time to find one. Even then, I wouldn't have connected the two.

Either the trend will die out and be replaced by something different (way back when, sororities used to have their own individual whistles that members used to recognize one another, or other hand signals that are no longer used) or it will be accepted and one singular "symbol" will be designated - though still not as part of our ritual.

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by ISUKappa

Yes. The article kind of feels like someone hearing something and then going "Oh My Lands, we have to stop this nonsense!" whilst clutching their pearls and swooning without really thinking through it. To be honest, I searched for images of what they referenced and it took some time to find one. Even then, I wouldn't have connected the two.

Either the trend will die out and be replaced by something different (way back when, sororities used to have their own individual whistles that members used to recognize one another, or other hand signals that are no longer used) or it will be accepted and one singular "symbol" will be designated - though still not as part of our ritual.

There's apparently a petition going around to get HQ to reconsider. Oh my. Glad I'm only serving on a local level.

FWIW - I think we *technically* still have a whistle. I couldn't tell you what it is, though.

ETA: I am totally cracking up at all the current actives' comments about throwing away "long-standing" traditions.

[ISUKappa]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

There's apparently a petition going around to get HQ to reconsider. Oh my. Glad I'm only serving on a local level.

FWIW - I think we *technically* still have a whistle. I couldn't tell you what it is, though.

ETA: I am totally cracking up at all the current actives' comments about throwing away "long-standing" traditions.

I think I have the melody to the whistle in one of my vintage songbooks. Let's bring back the whistle!

I'm with you - I can't figure out how to make the letters out of the hand signal used by actives. I know they're things that you generally can't show to the outside world, but our actual ritual is so beautiful and meaningful, why the need to copy/appropriate things from other groups? Because it looks good in photos? Because everyone else is doing it? I'm so glad I'm not 18-22 anymore.

I'd also be interested in seeing how well ritual is taught and used in chapters nowadays. Even 15-20 years ago, I had people in my chapter complain that it was "too outdated."

[Tom Earp]

With all of the PCNess, it could be coneyed as gang signs!

[ISUKappa]

Originally Posted by ISUKappa

Yes. The article kind of feels like someone hearing something and then going "Oh My Lands, we have to stop this nonsense!" whilst clutching their pearls and swooning without really thinking through it. To be honest, I searched for images of what they referenced and it took some time to find one. Even then, I wouldn't have connected the two.

Actually, I'll amend my first comment. When I first read it, it felt like a "convenient" excuse (to me) to shut down the whole hand symbol trend. Well intentioned or not, those who never liked the trend in the first place (for whatever reason) now had a "reason" to discourage it.

I think amIblue's suggestion of just no longer choosing those images to promote on Kappa's official social media might have been a better way to deal with it.