Stop the "Baby" Talk

[KSUViolet06]

This was posted on our official blog tonight. Love it.

"Baby violet is a plant. Not a person"

http://trisigmablog.org/?p=709

It includes commentary from former consultants, actives, and actual NMs discussing why they personally feel the term is lame.

[lovespink88]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Not always. Not my lane, I know, but our probationary members cannot wear letters, and I seem to remember from past conversations about that here that at least some NPC groups may have a similar rule. I know that some have a rule (as do we) that PMs/pledges/NMs can't wear anything with the org's coat of arms.

The thing in my mind that distinguishes a pledge/NM pin from other things (like wearing colors) is that it doesn't just represent the org, it specifically symbolizes the wearer's place and role in the org. Different orgs may reach different conclusions about whether that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Right, sorry, I wasn't 100% clear. I am aware that there are GLOs that don't allow NMs to wear certain things. This is why I said letters/colors/symbols but I guess that would have made more sense if I said letters or colors or symbols. The slashes were ors, not ands. I know that different groups have different rules.

I'm with you with your second point!

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

"Baby Violet": A Plant, not a Person.

http://trisigmablog.org/?p=709

What excites me most about this is that AST's national president just posted this on Facebook

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

This was posted on our official blog tonight. Love it.

"Baby violet is a plant. Not a person"

http://trisigmablog.org/?p=709

It includes commentary from former consultants, actives, and actual NMs discussing why they personally feel the term is lame.

[NutBrnHair]

Worth repeating! (Excellent article -- I re-tweeted it!)

[wildcass]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Not always. Not my lane, I know, but our probationary members cannot wear letters, and I seem to remember from past conversations about that here that at least some NPC groups may have a similar rule.

I know that it has been ruled as a form of "hazing" at certain schools. I was not allowed to wear letters until I was initiated and knew what they stood for while the girls this year received their letters on Bid Day. Personally, I think it gave you a sense of appreciation for your organization.

[clarinette]

Originally Posted by wildcass

I know that it has been ruled as a form of "hazing" at certain schools. I was not allowed to wear letters until I was initiated and knew what they stood for while the girls this year received their letters on Bid Day. Personally, I think it gave you a sense of appreciation for your organization.

*facepalm* Because everyone should always have the same privileges all the time. It's not demeaning to not let our MIT's not wear letters simply because initiated sisters can. Frankly, I think the wait makes it more special, like you've actually accomplished something with the history you've learned and the time you've spent with the chapter.

We do, however, make bags with letters on them for our new girls so that they have something, since we don't give them shirts of any kind when they pledge.

[dukemama]

When I was in college in the mid 80s sorority women wore their pledge pins every day, not just on the days when they had chapter meetings. Not being Greek myself, I always found it fun to try to figure out which group a woman pledged just by her pin - especially since so many of the pledge pins were very different from the initiated members' pins.

Theta, Pi Phi and I believe AEPhi don't allow NMs to wear letters until initiation. Are there any other NPC groups that have that stipulation?

[NutBrnHair]

Originally Posted by dukemama

Theta, Pi Phi and I believe AEPhi don't allow NMs to wear letters until initiation. Are there any other NPC groups that have that stipulation?

What? I highly doubt that's a national rule for Theta and Pi Phi. Really?

[dukemama]

Originally Posted by NutBrnHair

What? I highly doubt that's a national rule for Theta and Pi Phi. Really?

Obviously only members of those GLOs can answer this definitively, but I know that at my school Thetas and Pi Phis were not allowed to wear letters prior to initiation.

[purpleandpearls]

I had a nice pledge pin and then one that our educators made with two color ribbons. Those HAD to be worn at all times and on your outer layer, so you'd have to move it from your hoodie to your t-shirt if you took your hoodie off. Our school wanted us to get rid of ribbons/pins for all orgs because they considered it hazing...they considered everything hazing. I don't remember anybody being called "baby" anything while I was still a student but apparently other D Phi E chapters say things like "baby unicorns".

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by dukemama

Obviously only members of those GLOs can answer this definitively, but I know that at my school Thetas and Pi Phis were not allowed to wear letters prior to initiation.

The Pi Phis that I knew could wear the name "Pi Beta Phi" or "Pi Phi" as pledges, but could not wear the greek letters until they initiated.

[RaggedyAnn]

Originally Posted by shirley1929

Actually, I believe that AJLI has gone to "New Members" as well. That's what my city was told to do. I believe it's for some of the same reasoning of pledges. We were told not to call them Provisionals any longer.

You are correct. That happened last year.

As for baby ladybugs, having recently researched one, ick! Those are pretty ugly baby bugs. I'm also not sure when it happened, but pearls is now considered a "slang" and we have moved onto new members.

The hardest part of changing terminology all the time is that it becomes difficult for the new members and alumnae to have intergenerational conversations and actually know what everyone is talking about!

[honeychile]

There are some chapters of ADPi who insist that they can only order pins with pearls and blue stones (blue topaz, aquamarine, sapphires). This is NOT an edict from EO - it's a chapter tradition. Two very different things!

[TNAuburnMom]

My daughter is a Theta and cannot wear the actual letters until after initiation. Her gifts on bid day just said Theta.

[PanseyGirl]

I do not know if this is still the tradition, but when I was a pledge, we were not allowed to wear the Tri Delta Crest until we were initiated.