Alexandra Robbins...

[ISUKappa]

Originally posted by texas*princess
. . . I know with my sorority, no members are allowed to speak to the press concerning our chapter. Only our chapter president or the national office can do that. In that Today SHow interview yesterday she sounded all dramatic that in the beginning no members of the sororities would speak with her so she sounded so convinced everyone was trying to "cover up"

And regulations such as these went into effect way before MTV's Sorority Life. As Director of Public Relations for Panhellenic, this is what I taught to the chapters back in 2000 and it was in my "guidebook" way before then. It's not that we're trying to "cover up" anything, it's just good media relations.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by James
Wouldn't phase me much actually. I am the wrong kind of person to use that kind of counter argument on.

Although . . your example is a little extreme versus what she actually wrote.

I would like to know where she founf these absolutely marvelous sorority chapters that run around naked and have breast line-ups.

Did anyone get the impression, assuming she actually interviewed girls, that some of them maybe just made funny stuff up . .. just because?

Some of it sound slike made up stories we might have told in our . . . what was it thread? The one where we created stereotyes and rumours?

Well I guess that just means you're dead inside

[KSigkid]

How exactly did she cite GC...and in what context?

[Munchkin03]

Originally posted by James
The book doesn't bother me, more power to her.

Co-sign. I could care less if someone writes a terrible book. The people who buy it are sheep.

[IvySpice]

>How exactly did she cite GC...and in what context?

She mentions it a couple of times in the text in the context of describing Greek culture, but there are also explicit citations in the footnotes. For example, she recommends a particular thread in the Rush forum for its explanation of how the NPC quota process works (an excellent recommendation, btw...I never understood it till I read that thread).

[nyrdrms]

Here's what I don't understand.....

She keeps saying how she wants to maintain the anonymity of the four main characters...wouldn't sisters who had interaction with this woman be able to figure it out for themselves, especially considering the interviews on TV? They know what the woman looks like--they apparently spent time with her. Would it really be that difficult for them to then figure out which sister(s) assisted her in writing the book?

[kateshort]

Originally posted by nyrdrms
Here's what I don't understand.....

She keeps saying how she wants to maintain the anonymity of the four main characters...wouldn't sisters who had interaction with this woman be able to figure it out for themselves, especially considering the interviews on TV? They know what the woman looks like--they apparently spent time with her. Would it really be that difficult for them to then figure out which sister(s) assisted her in writing the book?

Not necessarily. Let's say that for the time she was researching she was in long dyed-blonde hair and colored contacts, and then when she was done she cut her hair to a short style, dyed it dark brown, and wore glasses. You might not recognize her. Especially if she also wore heavier makeup when on campus.

ETA: if she was in one of those 100+ member chapters and mostly talked to seniors, it's quite possible that those sisters currently on campus would only partially remember her, and that those who assisted her may have transferred or graduated or deactivated by now. Does she specifically say that she talked to freshmen? Or what year(s) she was on campus?

Actually, since I haven't read the book, I'm more wondering if she got bids to all four of these orgs, or did she just get all of her info from one sister from each org?

[ISUKappa]

She only shadowed two orgs--I think two women in each. She wasn't a sister and didn't receive a bid--more like she became friends with the four girls and just hung out at the house a lot.

And she said she was disguised enough to the point that the four girls would not recognize her as she is today (normally).

[AGDLynn]

So she was abnormal then??

[ISUKappa]

Originally posted by AGDLynn
So she was abnormal then??

I think so, yes.

[ivysis]

I havent been around GC for months, but I did go to Barnes & Noble to check out the book (no way am I buying it....I also propose a boycott of Hyperion Press). But how do you feel about the secrets she revealed about nearly all sororities. I mean initiation ritual, passwords, etc....?

[decadence]

Originally posted by ivysis:
But how do you feel about the secrets she revealed about nearly all sororities. I mean initiation ritual, passwords, etc....?

Ha ha ha - I don't know what book YOU read but it sure as hell is a different one to the book everyone else saw!!!

Thank you for the amusement though!!

You can bet there would've been uproar from hundreds of thousands of people weeks/months ago if your joke above had been actually serious!

[CarolinaCutie]

Originally posted by decadence
Ha ha ha - I don't know what book YOU read but it sure as hell is a different one to the book everyone else saw!!!

Thank you for the amusement though!!

You can bet there would've been uproar from hundreds of thousands of people weeks/months ago if your joke above had been actually serious!

Ummmmm... did you READ the book, decadence? She has a valid point. There is an entire chapter devoted to secrets and rituals. I'm assuming though, ivysis, that the "ritual" revealed in Robbins' book is actually part of open ceremony. It may not be common knowledge, but it isn't actually a part of their ritual. I'm not certain though, because there was nothing about my own sorority in that section.

In general though, I felt that entire chapter was unnecessary... it didn't seem to mesh well with the rest of the book, like it was thrown in there just for fun. I was sad to read that the girls shadowed in the book didn't place much value on their ritual, saying it was "just a hassle."

[33girl]

It was definitely in there just for "shock value." There were just bits and pieces, and definitely not every sorority was represented.

As I stated in the other thread what she "revealed" about ASA was completely incorrect and I'd wager that the rest of the "secrets" she published are just as far off the mark.

[sueali]

I was really concerned when I heard that Sigma Kappa was mentioned in this chapter, so I went to 4 bookstores until I found the book and read the chapter, when I got to the part about sigma kappa I just busted out laughing in relief. I found the funniest part to be about how we make our members wear white dresses for initiation.