Sweetheart Orgs

[rezilient]

Oh my God! I saw one once and I almost Fainted!!! I couldn't believe it!! And he had the nerve to TRY to call me SOROR!!!! OH MY GOD!!! At my undergrad we had a Rhomeo..........he was the biggest joke on yard!!! HOWEVER, my l.s., D.P. and a prophyte were Blue Stars (Sigma's little sister). Actually they were L.S.'s get it?, but all this was done freshmen year and they did not carry on with the affiliation into their sophomore year. It kinda just ended after that. Being in this sweetheart org actually made their journey into Zeta quite DIFFICULT! Where i'm from (GA) I would not recommend anyone joining a sweetheart org if they wanted to be taken seriously by any sorority in the future.

[shadokat]

Wow, I had no idea the NPHCs had banned sweetheart orgs. Our Kappas still have their sweethearts and the Q's have their Ques.

Interesting!

[_Lisa_]

I've read this whole thread & still didn't pick up on what the hell a sweetheart organization is/was...help!

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by crzychx
I've read this whole thread & still didn't pick up on what the hell a sweetheart organization is/was...help!

It can probably be defined differently, depending on the organization and campus. We had a sweetheart group in my chapter in the 80s, and it was basically a little sister program. We called it our "Sweethearts" because our national fraternity banned little sister programs. We were being cute with semantics.

We never charged dues, and this could have been a big issue. If you charge dues, then you could be sued for full membership.

Many of our chapters do select a single sweetheart, but this is not the same thing.

[valkyrie]

I'm not sure I'm fully understanding the concept either, but it seems really outdated to me -- like it would've been appropriate in the 1950s but isn't now.

[Diva06Sweet]

Originally posted by deuika
*Finger Raised*

My friend is an Alpha Angel, she told me that it was a "Stepping Stone" as well to the group of her choice. *Shrug*

But my Greek friends tell me that being involved in these groups actually hurt your chances of being picked up by an org.

Thoughts?

really depends on the campus your on

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by valkyrie
I'm not sure I'm fully understanding the concept either, but it seems really outdated to me -- like it would've been appropriate in the 1950s but isn't now.

One of the reasons that most GLOs (Phi Mu Alpha included) now prohibit them -- there is too much risk of bad feelings with sororities and perpetuation of unnecessary stereotypes.

Risk management is another big reason little sister/sweetheart groups are now prohibited.

[TheEpitome1920]

Originally posted by rezilient
Being in this sweetheart org actually made their journey into Zeta quite DIFFICULT! Where i'm from (GA) I would not recommend anyone joining a sweetheart org if they wanted to be taken seriously by any sorority in the future.

I think this varies from place to place. My sister, who is also a Soror, was an Alpha Angel and she said that it didn't hurt her when it came to Zeta. But then again she became a member in '93 @ an HBCU so things may have been different. I know there's a school up here where the majority of the women who go through intake were sweethearts the year prior.

While I agree that in the past they were viewed as stepping stones to greekdom, but aren't there other ways to achieve that goal now? But to each their own. I love you all...good day!

[deuika]

I don't know if I'd feel comfortable being someone's "sweetheart" but that's just me. I know a lot of people who do...More Power To You!

[PrettyPoodle95]

My question is why does this topic keep creeping its ugly head? I became a Kappa Sweetheart in April, 94. Then a sexy beautiful lady of SIGMA GAMMA RHO SORORITY INC in October 95. Being a Kappa Sweetheart helped me make it through the process of becoming a SGRHO. The main focus that my experience of being a Kappa Sweetheart taught me to realize the importance of community service. Having this knowledge drew me to Sigma Gamma Rho. Many organizations say that they do community service and it is vital to their organization. But I only saw 2 that were ready doing things in the community and I picked one out of the 2 that best fit me. Many don't understand that there are requirements to get in and there are requirements to stay active just like in the National Pan-Hellenic Council orgs. (I can only speak for NPHC sweethearts)

This conversation is useless. If it is a person's choice of wanting to be a little sister, that is their business. I was made on the campus of Clark Atlanta University, Gamma Kappa Chapter. We received the utmost respect from the men whom where in the chapter at the time and the Kappas in the Atlanta area. I knew that when I became a sweetheart I was going to take another step and become Greek. But I am not going to fault those who did not choose to make that next step.

WHO REALLY CARES???????????? IT IS THEIR DECISION ON WHY WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO DO.

[Tom Earp]

LXA did away with what we called Cresent Sisters a back not sure when.

It usuall was members of Soroities or even indepents who helped with different events as hostesses or what ever was needed.

It was decided for Risk Magement and Women want to join as I understand it.

Sweet Hearts is a designation usually given at Home Coming to Ride on the Float and is someone dating a Brother. Some times not.!

Last one wqs a Soroity not lady and was a skank when it came to having a few toddys. Unbeleiveabley bad in Her decorum

I was embarresed along with The Brothers, thier Wives, and Her Sotority Sisters!

Oh, and her intensions were towards me! Oh, on a dance floor!

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by MysticCat81
One of the reasons that most GLOs (Phi Mu Alpha included) now prohibit them -- there is too much risk of bad feelings with sororities and perpetuation of unnecessary stereotypes.

Risk management is another big reason little sister/sweetheart groups are now prohibited.

I don't recall sterotypes being a reason.

The main reasons to abolish little sister programs were:
* Potential to lose single sex status
* Increased liability

National sororities also pressured fraternities to get rid of them, because they provided competition to sororities.

[dakareng]

Russ hit the nail on the head there. Having Little Sister or Big Brother subgroups jeopardizes the single sex status of the organization and is a potential liability risk....

For those who wonder what they were and why they existed, I can tell you what I experienced. I was a Phi Kappa Psi Sweetheart of the Shield in the early 80s. We would help the guys with rush parties, help set up and clean the house for open parties and get in free for the parties (frat parties were different then... no guest lists but you did pay $1-$5 to get in) We also would support the guys during campus events. Yes, I did it while being in a sorority. I would guess that about 50% of the fraternity little sisters on my campus were also in sororites and those who weren't were rushed constantly so it was their choice not to join a group... not that they weren't ladies. The Sig Ep's little sis group was as large as most of the sororities on campus and as well organized. They DID participate in campus events competing with sororities. I suppose you could call it a '50s concept and the fact that it disappeared doesn't bother me. Even though I was one, I do think it was competition for the other sororities.

[abaici]

Originally posted by TheEpitome1920
Yeah I believe Sigma Doves are now Dove, Inc. BOOOOOOO

Tell us how you really feel! LOL

[AGDee]

We had Lambda Chi Crescents and TKE Little Sisters on my campus in the mid 80's. I agree that they were banned when there were challenges to the single sex organizations.

On my campus, those two groups supported the fraternities. They cooked for them for special banquets (like after Initiation). They were their cheerleaders during Greek Week, they cleaned their house before and after parties, etc. They had private parties with the guys. They wanted to participate in Greek Week as their own team but the College Panhellenic never let them. Our Lambda Chi Crescents decided to form a local sorority and eventually contacted AST and as an interest group, re-colonized their Alpha Chapter. I'm not sure if, by the time they became AST, any of the original Crescents were still around because they were a local for a while before changing to AST.

I think the TKE little sisters just kind of disappeared. I don't remember them being around, but I was engaged to a Lambda Chi so I knew more of the women who were Crescents.

Dee