Weight an issue . . .

Fayissi · #1 02-12-2002, 05:32 PM

I have been told by a few people that are in various sororities, in various places that weight is a very big issue. I am not so much concerned with the overweight 'thing' but more with the underweight 'thing', if it even exists. I am 5ft 2in and (about) 95lbs. What I have heard is that girls with weight issues once a week (or on regular intervals) have to be weighed in. And then must act accordingly. Is this really an issue ?
-lea

PenguinTrax · #2 02-12-2002, 05:43 PM

This is another baseless rumor...ignore it. Visit web sites of various national groups and you will see young women of all sizes, shapes and ethnicities.

Use your own best judgement when going through recruitment - that will be your best barometer to determine which group is right for you.

dzrose93 · #3 02-13-2002, 01:54 PM

Absolutely false. Just another one of the numerous rumors that anti-Greeks like to fabricate. Sororities accept women based on whether or not they believe that they'll be active, helpful, and respected members of their organization. They don't select based on weight, and they certainly don't have a weigh-in every week!

Don't listen to those rumors, Fayissi. They aren't worth your time, trust me!

nucutiepie · #4 02-13-2002, 03:41 PM

The ONLY reason my sorority would ever be concerned with someone's weight is if we were concerned about a lack of it.

We have had one or two cases of girls with really really serious eating disorders, and when it became clear that they had a severe problem and needed medical and psychological testing, steps to intervene in the situation and get the girl counseling were taken.

Other than that sort of a situation, where it's our responsibility to look out for the health and well-being of a sister, we would never concern ourselves with a girl's weight, whether she be 95, 150, or 400 pounds.

Peaches-n-Cream · #5 02-13-2002, 04:10 PM

I can honestly say that I think your concerns are unwarranted. again, the only time that I have ever heard of weight being a problem is when someone exhibits symptoms of an eating disorder.

LexiKD · #6 02-13-2002, 06:41 PM

I never heard about the weighing in, but weight plays a part in all aspects in life and so I do think weight is an issue during recruitment at some schools.

I would look for well groomed members, size doesn't play a part in that. Some chapters would like to think that they are a bunch of thin women, but in reality we all come in different shapes and sizes so it is impossible to have a chapter of all skinny girls.

In my years in the sorority world, eating disorders or more common than being over weight, but both are important issues that should be addressed in a chapter setting.

ZTAngel · #7 02-14-2002, 11:35 AM

Do think girls would stay in a chapter where they had to be weighed in once a week? I know that I wouldn't.
It is not true. In my chapter, we have many shapes and sizes. The only girls that we are worried about are the ones who rapidly lose weight.

SAEalumnus · #8 02-27-2002, 09:01 PM

ooh ooh wait

so: "you don't weigh in my personal wannbe unrealistic unhealthy range, so you're not cool enough to be my sister anymore..."

that about right?

That's not what brotherhood/sisterhood is supposed to be about.

Optimist Prime · #9 02-27-2002, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ZTAngel
Do think girls would stay in a chapter where they had to be weighed in once a week? I know that I wouldn't.
It is not true. In my chapter, we have many shapes and sizes. The only girls that we are worried about are the ones who rapidly lose weight.

You should worry about those who rapidly gain weight too. Any drastic shift in weight/diet/intake/ or over all health should be checked out.

GreekLetterGirl · #10 02-28-2002, 07:58 PM

"ooh ooh wait

so: "you don't weigh in my personal wannbe unrealistic unhealthy range, so you're not cool enough to be my sister anymore..."

that about right?

That's not what brotherhood/sisterhood is supposed to be about."

well said SAEActive well said

SparkliiQTMTSU · #11 03-01-2002, 01:15 AM

Weight is definitly not an issue with any sorority that I've seen here or anywhere...dont worry its just a rumor..as long as youre healthy and don't have an eating disorder you have nothing to worry about and even if you did have an eating disorder your sisters would only want to be there and help you out.

Nichole

Lady Pi Phi · #12 08-08-2002, 03:48 PM

I know this is an old thread, but am bored at work so I was just reading some old threads and I thought this was a very good topic. Weight is not an issue in deciding who should be a memeber in one organization or another. To base acceptance on looks is outrageous and I know that women and men for that matter, would not want to be a part of an organization that used weight as a requirment for membership.
I think that weight should be discussed with your sisters of brothers though. I think discussing issues like eating disorders with you fellow sisters or brothers is imporatn because it is a serious problem especially among college aged women. I think people should know tha signs and symptoms and be able to recognize them in a fellow member and be able to get help for them. To have people of all shapes, sizes and ethnicities is part of what makes greek life so special.

Pi Phi Love and Mine,

Emily

James · #13 08-10-2002, 07:52 PM

Its kind of odd isn't it, that we aren't concerned with another person being overweight?

It is socially desirable to be thin, but we recognize the health risks both mental and physical of being too thin through a negative eating pattern.

It appears to be less socially desirable to be overweight, and we categorically refuse to think in terms of health risks both mental and physical to being overweight from a negative eating pattern. At least in terms of intervention.

And yet even being 5 percent higher than the low point average number for your body fat percentage can greatly increase your health risks.

And we won't even talk about the mental health aspects.

And the higher you are the greater your risk in the severity of the problem.

And yet we don't intervene or comment very much about that do we?

I can only imagine its because weight is as much a social issue? You can walk up to a girl and tell her . . you are much thinner than normal/average and talk about it . . . it is considered really bad to walk up to a girl and say you are much heavier than norma/average and ask to talk about.

Am I right that we allow a lot of our friends and Brothers/Sisters maintain an extremely unhealthy state because we are afraid of hurting their feelings?

It seems an odd act of faithlessness on our part not to try to help a friend who is jeapardzing their health in a way that is easily remedied. Especially when we are so quick to intervene in other health matters.

Doesn't this disregard for that person's health actually make us into bad friends/Brothers/Sisters?

Its a question I ponder.

Quote:

Originally posted by nucutiepie
The ONLY reason my sorority would ever be concerned with someone's weight is if we were concerned about a lack of it.

We have had one or two cases of girls with really really serious eating disorders, and when it became clear that they had a severe problem and needed medical and psychological testing, steps to intervene in the situation and get the girl counseling were taken.

Other than that sort of a situation, where it's our responsibility to look out for the health and well-being of a sister, we would never concern ourselves with a girl's weight, whether she be 95, 150, or 400 pounds.

33girl · #14 08-10-2002, 08:25 PM

If someone suddenly gained 60 pounds over a very short amount of time (say 2 months) yes, I would say something to them, because that's definitely a health issue.

But there are people who are heavier and perfectly healthy.

Rudey · #15 08-10-2002, 08:30 PM

James who makes the decision to start getting rid of their excess weight though? Is it turning to someone and saying "You're fat" that gives them the desire to lose weight? I wouldn't think so. Every time I'm at the gym I notice who has been there for the last 3 years and I also notice people that come and go. I think it's the people that have been there for three years that have made their own decision to improve their health. I think the guys that come and go never made that decision to dedicate time to their physical health.

I think we can push our friends and brothers into working out by saying "hey do you want to go to the gym with me?" but that's about as much as we can do and even that has its limits doesn't it?

-Rudey
--And honestly I think a lot of emphasis is placed on how your future new members look. Of course it's the overall package...everything from their grades to what they would contribute to the chapter that is what the decision is based on, but looks are taken into consideration.

Quote:

Originally posted by James
Its kind of odd isn't it, that we aren't concerned with another person being overweight?

It is socially desirable to be thin, but we recognize the health risks both mental and physical of being too thin through a negative eating pattern.

It appears to be less socially desirable to be overweight, and we categorically refuse to think in terms of health risks both mental and physical to being overweight from a negative eating pattern. At least in terms of intervention.

And yet even being 5 percent higher than the low point average number for your body fat percentage can greatly increase your health risks.

And we won't even talk about the mental health aspects.

And the higher you are the greater your risk in the severity of the problem.

And yet we don't intervene or comment very much about that do we?

I can only imagine its because weight is as much a social issue? You can walk up to a girl and tell her . . you are much thinner than normal/average and talk about it . . . it is considered really bad to walk up to a girl and say you are much heavier than norma/average and ask to talk about.

Am I right that we allow a lot of our friends and Brothers/Sisters maintain an extremely unhealthy state because we are afraid of hurting their feelings?

It seems an odd act of faithlessness on our part not to try to help a friend who is jeapardzing their health in a way that is easily remedied. Especially when we are so quick to intervene in other health matters.

Doesn't this disregard for that person's health actually make us into bad friends/Brothers/Sisters?

Its a question I ponder.