Glee insulting a GLO

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by LAblondeGPhi

I'm not so much concerned about the damage to DZ as an organization in particular, I'm concerned about general references that implant the notion that "Sororities = Sl*ts" in the minds of those not familiar with Greek life. Just like the average person needs to hear the name of a product 5-6 times before they remember it, it might take several independent references to Greek life to fully form someone's opinion of it. But that doesn't mean that each reference is itself so minor as to be worthless. It's a cumulative process. A lot of the stereotypes about drinking and hazing are addressed nicely by the Panhellenic community, but I just don't see much in the way of dispelling the promiscuity labels.

Now, I'm not saying that we should get all up in arms about this particular instance, but I am saying that a general intolerance about accepting these kinds of references might do the Greek system as a whole some good. Maybe that means being more active about actually preventing situations that lead to negative press and stereotypes. Maybe that means that we all make a commitment to gently push back whenever we hear something negative about Greek Life (think about the Frown Power campaign).

I realize that Greek life on a lot of campuses seems to be growing over the last several years with lots of expansion and larger quotas, but that doesn't mean that we can be complacent about negative images out there. Don't underestimate the number of men and women who aren't giving recruitment a chance because of misconceptions they or their parents have made due to media portrayals. Also, we can't be complacent about the fact that the popularity of Greek life seems to have cycles - we should use the momentum of an upswing to our advantage when we can.

Sigh...the whole point is, we will not stop this type of negative publicity until we stop doing this to ourselves. Where did EZ DZ come from? It came from the Greek community. Greek men started that and sorority women perpetuated it in an effort to compete. We are our own worst enemies. A quick mention on Glee is miniscule in comparison to the shaming and horrible things said on websites frequented by PNMs every single day in this country. The general public doesn't come up with this stuff...we do. Until we pull together as a community and say that it is not okay to use these slurs, shame women for their sexuality, abuse our members, etc, the greater world will pick up on it as if it were the norm of the Greek community. How do they know the truth if they can only see what we portray to them? They don't buy the facade of community service/sisterhood/kumbaya and why should they? We all know there is more to it than that. We just have to give them more than the ugly side to see.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by Splash

Doubt it, imho. If they remember, I think they would remember it as making fun.

You really think that 4 years later that 14-year-old is going to think, "That guy on that tv show that I used to watch made fun of the DZs and said they were easy, so I'm not going to join THAT house"?

Anyone who is thinking about Greek life that early on will most likely shrug it off, knowing that sororities aren't all about sleeping around, and anyone who hadn't had one thought about Greek life before that episode aired has surely forgotten all about this by now (if they even understood what Puck was referring to in the first place).

We could go in circles all day about this.

[LAblondeGPhi]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Sigh...the whole point is, we will not stop this type of negative publicity until we stop doing this to ourselves. Where did EZ DZ come from? It came from the Greek community. Greek men started that and sorority women perpetuated it in an effort to compete. We are our own worst enemies. A quick mention on Glee is miniscule in comparison to the shaming and horrible things said on websites frequented by PNMs every single day in this country. The general public doesn't come up with this stuff...we do. Until we pull together as a community and say that it is not okay to use these slurs, shame women for their sexuality, abuse our members, etc, the greater world will pick up on it as if it were the norm of the Greek community. How do they know the truth if they can only see what we portray to them? They don't buy the facade of community service/sisterhood/kumbaya and why should they? We all know there is more to it than that. We just have to give them more than the ugly side to see.

It's not that I don't understand your point, it's that I disagree with most of it.

I completely agree that we should always strive to better ourselves and our organizations, and to minimize any cause for perpetuating these stereotypes. I believe I mentioned that in my post above.

Where we fundamentally disagree is that I believe that stereotypes are not always based in truth, and even if they began in some kernal of truth, they typically misrepresent the vast majority of the group they reference.

I also disagree with the notion that we can't defend ourselves just because we aren't 100% perfect. What becomes the threshold of good behavior when we DO allow ourselves to fight back?

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by LAblondeGPhi

It's not that I don't understand your point, it's that I disagree with most of it.

I completely agree that we should always strive to better ourselves and our organizations, and to minimize any cause for perpetuating these stereotypes. I believe I mentioned that in my post above.

Where we fundamentally disagree is that I believe that stereotypes are not always based in truth, and even if they began in some kernal of truth, they typically misrepresent the vast majority of the group they reference.

I also disagree with the notion that we can't defend ourselves just because we aren't 100% perfect. What becomes the threshold of good behavior when we DO allow ourselves to fight back?

It's not a matter of defending ourselves.. It's a matter of accepting what is. And the fact of the matter is that as long as there's at least one story of hazing/underage drinking/sluttiness related to fraternities and sororities, someone will choose to use that against us. All of us. That's life. It's not fair. Sorry.

I guess I just don't understand why everyone's getting so worked up over this one little line in a tv show. What is it about this particular instance that has outraged people?

If you want to start a campaign to try and dispel all of the rumors and rid the media of negative Greek stereotypes, then by all means, go for it. But I'd be willing to bet you won't stop it all, and probably never will.

We all know that for the most part, Greeks do a lot of good. The only way to make people understand that is to live out our ritual every day. Some people see it, some people don't. The latter will carry that negative idea about Greek life with them regardless of what you do.

And one of them might be a writer for your favorite tv show.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by LAblondeGPhi

It's not that I don't understand your point, it's that I disagree with most of it.

I completely agree that we should always strive to better ourselves and our organizations, and to minimize any cause for perpetuating these stereotypes. I believe I mentioned that in my post above.

Where we fundamentally disagree is that I believe that stereotypes are not always based in truth, and even if they began in some kernal of truth, they typically misrepresent the vast majority of the group they reference.

I also disagree with the notion that we can't defend ourselves just because we aren't 100% perfect. What becomes the threshold of good behavior when we DO allow ourselves to fight back?

They aren't always based in truth, but at some point they all were. We as a community have lived up to our worst stereotypes. Not all press is good press. We sometimes have to take our lumps. And sometimes we deserve it. We don't get to dictate to the public that they can ONLY report on what good we do. Fight on, but you're wasting your time. One bad apple spoils the bunch so to say. Just as you can't judge us all by the few number of reports of bad behavior, you can't get too pissed by the occasional negative Greek stereotype. You aren't going to convince everyone.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Sigh...the whole point is, we will not stop this type of negative publicity until we stop doing this to ourselves. Where did EZ DZ come from? It came from the Greek community. Greek men started that and sorority women perpetuated it in an effort to compete. We are our own worst enemies. A quick mention on Glee is miniscule in comparison to the shaming and horrible things said on websites frequented by PNMs every single day in this country. The general public doesn't come up with this stuff...we do. Until we pull together as a community and say that it is not okay to use these slurs, shame women for their sexuality, abuse our members, etc, the greater world will pick up on it as if it were the norm of the Greek community. How do they know the truth if they can only see what we portray to them? They don't buy the facade of community service/sisterhood/kumbaya and why should they? We all know there is more to it than that. We just have to give them more than the ugly side to see.

Preach.

Originally Posted by LAblondeGPhi

I also disagree with the notion that we can't defend ourselves just because we aren't 100% perfect. What becomes the threshold of good behavior when we DO allow ourselves to fight back?

The problem is two-fold: First, how can we fight back against "slurs" from outside the Greek community if they're tolerated with a wink within the Greek community?

And second, do we accomplish anything by "fighting back" other than looking like people without senses of humor or those who protest too much?

Complaining about comments like this (and I agree that likely few non-Greeks picked up on it or will remember it) only draws more attention to the comment, helps cement it in people's minds and makes those complaining look like soreheads in the eyes of the general public. The best defense is a good offense: Laugh it off and conduct ourselves in such a way as to counter the stereotype.

[DrPhil]

I agree, Mystic.

GLOs are not a power minority group so I am not buying the sobstory. If Greeks want to portray themselves in a different light, do it. If Greeks (those who actually watch Glee or its network) want to protest Glee or its network because of this, do it. If Greeks just want another reason to protest too much...yawn...same isht different toilet.

The future members of our organizations are not deterred by these references if they have enough positive images of GLOs. And, yes, some of our GLOs and conferences/councils actually have a positive presence both on and OFF college campuses. The average NPHC aspirant (of various ages), for example, is not giving a darn that a television show said anything for the same reason that most of them didn't become NPHC aspirants because of a television show.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I agree, Mystic.

GLOs are not a power minority group so I am not buying the sobstory. If Greeks want to portray themselves in a different light, do it. If Greeks (those who actually watch Glee or its network) want to protest Glee or its network because of this, do it. If Greeks just want another reason to protest too much...yawn...same isht different toilet.

The future members of our organizations are not deterred by these references if they have enough positive images of GLOs. And, yes, some of our GLOs and conferences/councils actually have a positive presence both on and OFF college campuses. The average NPHC aspirant (of various ages), for example, is not giving a darn that a television show said anything for the same reason that most of them didn't become NPHC aspirants because of a television show.

Exactly. It's like the prom queen crying because one of the rhinestones fell out of her crown. Boo hoo hoo. Deal with it.

[ASUADPi]

A week later and people are still complaining. Oy Vey.

I think I shall sit back with some popcorn and watch this thread become a trainwreck.

[melindawarren]

I just found this thread. Wasn't it "easy deezy"? Like, #2 on this page? http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=deezy

I didn't even think about it being DZ.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by melindawarren

I just found this thread. Wasn't it "easy deezy"? Like, #2 on this page? http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=deezy

I didn't even think about it being DZ.

This thread would be mass lolz if that was the case. Does anyone have a youtube clip for, you know, context?

[melindawarren]

Originally Posted by Tulip86

Well... in the scene Puck talks about bringing an entire sorority to a Valentine's day party because "they don't call them the Easy-DZs for nothing"

He then goes on about how he "ploughed through the entire house one room after the other"

Ok, this eliminates my theory, but I still didn't catch it as "DZ" the first time. I thought he was saying, "they don't call [sororities] easy deezy for nothing!"