This is a TOTAL emergency situation-- Please read!!!!!!!

[HollisterDXiChi]

Originally posted by XOMichelle
Clearly you haven't spent any time on the unpopular side of the social spectrum.

I've seen many many people take stereotypes and run, and some people will think, wow those people who did this to them are really awful, but you can bet your bottom dollar some people will think, "gee they must be as bad as everyone says they are." Or "When I rush there's no way in hell I'm going to be a ___."

How do I know? Well! I'm glad you asked. People have teased my chapter for being large (ahem! at 5'6" and 130 lbs, I am NOT large!), and I heard alomst everyday, "you're a Chi O? You're not fat!" With astonishment. When you get that kind of treatment, people don't take the time to find out who you are and say, hey the XYZ's are really nice people, despite not having an entire chapter of barbie dolls. People run with what they hear, and if they see one nanogram of evidece for a sterotype, you are stuck with it (and the worst ones are generally in the greek system!). Stuff like this, which is above and beyond anything I have ever seen, is very harsh on any group, in addition to not supporting the ideals of our orgs.

I don't want to make this bad event worse, but this is why is sucks so much.

I second that emotion...people do not take time out to really get to know the ladies of the group that is teased or talked about. Its like, they see a member of XYZ and automatically think, OMG she's a b**ch! because of what some person said about a specific sister or the whole group. My group didn't have banners but "someone" came on our guestbook (which is often frequented) and signed the book saying that they found a flier saying my sorority was an easy lay(????-honestly how many of those types of fliers have you found on your campus????) and all that. I happened to be wearing my letters that day and I automatically thought, "who read that and saw me with my letters on?" Its not the first time but I personally am not taking it sitting down-not anymore at least.

[TSteven]

Originally posted by shadokat
Get Panhellenic to wear your letters and get them to put an ad in the school paper denouncing this behavior.

Excellent idea.

[IvySpice]

Again, in my experience, anyone who looks at "Tri-Pigs" spray-painted on the wall of a college building and thinks, "gee they must be as bad as everyone says they are" has already bought into the stereotype unquestioningly.

MysticCat81, I see what you mean, but that's not the only concern I'd have if this happened to a group I was in.

Freshman women could very well see that and think, "The Tri-Sigs I've met are nice girls, but I don't want to be attacked and insulted the way they are attacked and insulted...if that's the kind of disrespect they get on this campus, then maybe I don't want to be associated with that group."

No matter how false the rumors may be, no matter how wonderful the Tri-Sigs may be, no one wants to be spat on by their own classmates. If that's the treatment they anticipate receiving from the student body once they join, they won't join. That's why people are viewing this as an emergency.

[TriDeltaGal]

CCUSigma, I'm so sorry to hear this happened to your chapter. The fact that someone who is suppose to be intelligent enough to be in college would do such an act is outrageous! Like everyone said, wear your letters with pride and show them that you are not affected by this childish act!

Good Luck and I wish you and your chapter all the best!

[James]

But what can they do about it? If the stereotype was manifestly untrue this thread wouldn't exist.

I think mysticCat81 is correct when she says that chapters have their reps and people mostly have preconceived ideas.

Go to PHC and IFC, investigate and find out who did it, but I wouldn't suddenly go on some all out publicity spree, if for no other reaon than you don't want to draw attention to why you are suddenly generating publicity.

In the meantime, I think you guys should throw a party. A sister event or some such and just bond.

Think animal house, when the going gets tough, the tough have Toga parties . . Toga toga.

Originally posted by IvySpice
MysticCat81, I see what you mean, but that's not the only concern I'd have if this happened to a group I was in.

Freshman women could very well see that and think, "The Tri-Sigs I've met are nice girls, but I don't want to be attacked and insulted the way they are attacked and insulted...if that's the kind of disrespect they get on this campus, then maybe I don't want to be associated with that group."

No matter how false the rumors may be, no matter how wonderful the Tri-Sigs may be, no one wants to be spat on by their own classmates. If that's the treatment they anticipate receiving from the student body once they join, they won't join. That's why people are viewing this as an emergency.

[kappa2]

I am saddened and angered that this happened to you. I agree with the many that advised you to wear your letters with pride.

I would add that making tshirts/buttons available that say "I support Sigma" (or tri-sig) with your letters on them would be a way to put out some positive PR. PNMs might feel better seeing how many individuals support you, especially if your supporters are from other sororities. If I were on your campus, I would gladly wear something like that every day for your chapter and tell all of my kappa sisters to do the same!

Best wishes-

[ASTDD2002]

You know, the same sort of thing happened to my sorority last week. It was Greek Week, and the other sororities were making comments that the only reason we won egg toss & pie eating was because we liked to eat. Now, we are not in any ways fat, but we are a larger group of girls. At first we were angry about it all, but then we turned it into a little joke. Some of us made shirts that said something about food on the front, and AST Lovin' Food Since 1899 on the back. We also kept showing up to Greek Week events in full force, wearing matching shirts with our letters on them. The other girls saw that it didn't phase us like they wanted and they backed off. The best thing to do is to show them that it doesn't matter to you, and that you are proud of yourself, your letters, and your sisters. I know it hurts, and I"m sorry about the extent to which everything was brought on your campus.

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by IvySpice
MysticCat81, I see what you mean, but that's not the only concern I'd have if this happened to a group I was in.

Freshman women could very well see that and think, "The Tri-Sigs I've met are nice girls, but I don't want to be attacked and insulted the way they are attacked and insulted...if that's the kind of disrespect they get on this campus, then maybe I don't want to be associated with that group."

No matter how false the rumors may be, no matter how wonderful the Tri-Sigs may be, no one wants to be spat on by their own classmates. If that's the treatment they anticipate receiving from the student body once they join, they won't join. That's why people are viewing this as an emergency.

Point well taken, although worries about Freshman perceptions may not be as big of an issue this late in the year.

This is part of the reason I suggest that it is important to find out who the culprits are, though. This all smells of being personally motivated, not just a general pattern of attack or disprespect toward this group.

[insolita]

Originally posted by MysticCat81
Point well taken, although worries about Freshman perceptions may not be as big of an issue this late in the year.

Recruitment is a 365 days-a-year process. There is no one day that all of the unaffiliated women on campus simultaneously decide "I want to be an XYZ". A woman can decide tomorrow, or she could decide a year from now. She may have decided yesterday, or she may not know at all. The point is, this is the kind of incident that stays in people's minds, and you never know who is going to be put off by it. Now the Tri-Sigmas need to give everyone something else to remember: that they dealt with this situation with dignity and grace, and a lot of Panhellenic spirit.

[honeychile]

Originally posted by insolita
Recruitment is a 365 days-a-year process. There is no one day that all of the unaffiliated women on campus simultaneously decide "I want to be an XYZ". A woman can decide tomorrow, or she could decide a year from now. She may have decided yesterday, or she may not know at all. The point is, this is the kind of incident that stays in people's minds, and you never know who is going to be put off by it. Now the Tri-Sigmas need to give everyone something else to remember: that they dealt with this situation with dignity and grace, and a lot of Panhellenic spirit.

As I express my sorrow that this even happened, and hope that the Panhellenic will get behind y'all, I want to also agree with the above.

NO sorority should have to be mocked on ANY day of the year in such an offensive, juvenile way!!

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by insolita
Recruitment is a 365 days-a-year process.

Of course it is. My point was simply that next year's freshman aren't there and will not have experienced this incident firsthand, and this year's freshman hopefully have had ample time and opportunity to form a positive opinion of Tri-Sigma -- particularly if this is an isolated event rather than part of ongoing harrassment. (CCUSigma123 didn't say whether this was isolated, although I infer that, perhaps incorrectly, from her post.)

Now the Tri-Sigmas need to give everyone something else to remember: that they dealt with this situation with dignity and grace, and a lot of Panhellenic spirit.

Agree completely.

[maggieaxid]

After reading this thread, it reminded me about one time where an incident occured when a certain glo was being stereo-typed as the hick southern girls- one day for a greek week event they all showed up in overals with their "i love XYZ" pins. some of them even blacked out their teeth or put pig tail braids in and bandanas around their necks or wore mis-matching shoes.

It got their point across, and it was also a little funny. It made everyone realize what a stereotype can be like.

[Glitter650]

Originally posted by James
But what can they do about it? If the stereotype was manifestly untrue this thread wouldn't exist.

I think mysticCat81 is correct when she says that chapters have their reps and people mostly have preconceived ideas.

Go to PHC and IFC, investigate and find out who did it, but I wouldn't suddenly go on some all out publicity spree, if for no other reaon than you don't want to draw attention to why you are suddenly generating publicity.

In the meantime, I think you guys should throw a party. A sister event or some such and just bond.

Think animal house, when the going gets tough, the tough have Toga parties . . Toga toga.

While I agree about the TOGA... I also think that the people here aren't necessarily saying go out in a publicity spree... wearing letters isn't any HUGE thing to do ... it just shows their pride and unity.. no one told them to flier the parking lots with fliers thay say " I heart Tri Sigma" or to take out a banner in the union or anything... and this stereotype could be completely untrue... I mean Pig just happens to rhyme with Sig... (hence Phi Piggy Piggy almost across the board at schools across the country even though that chapter may not necessarily have the largest laides)

CCSUSigma... how is everything did you all find out who did it ? Did you talk to Panhell at all ? Have the culprits been prosecuted for vandasism ? I wish you a great end of the school year and hope your chapter has a great summer and comes back in fall with new strength

[Glitter650]

Originally posted by Glitter650
While I agree about the TOGA... I also think that the people here aren't necessarily saying go out in a publicity spree... wearing letters isn't any HUGE thing to do ... it just shows their pride and unity.. no one told them to flier the parking lots with fliers thay say " I heart Tri Sigma" or to take out a banner in the union or anything... and this stereotype could be completely untrue... I mean Pig just happens to rhyme with Sig... (hence Phi Piggy Piggy almost across the board at schools across the country even though that chapter may not necessarily have the largest ladies)

CCSUSigma... how is everything did you all find out who did it ? Did you talk to Panhell at all ? Have the culprits been prosecuted for vandasism ? I wish you a great end of the school year and hope your chapter has a great summer and comes back in fall with new strength

[justamom]

This is one of those times EVERYONE should get on their knees and thank God I'm not in their chapter! What would I
do? It wouldn't be pretty.

I tend to be emotional.

Sometimes I over react.

AND, I have a devious mind!

Take the high road and all the great advice on this board...safer, more mature and no bad Karma!