Things to Never Say to Anyone in a Greek Organization
I am a proud sister of Sigma Gamma Rho, Sorority, Inc. That is one of the Divine 9 Greek organizations.
However, I happen to be inactive this semester. I spent the last year having health scare after health scare, and I had to put money towards my medical care. My sorors (D9-word for ‘sisters’) completely understand that I had to take care of my health and, once I am in grad school, I hope to be able to participate with a graduate chapter since my health is much improved.
Divine 9 Organizations offer a ‘for life’ membership while some other Greek organizations are only for the time while people are in college or afterward. Regardless, all of us Greeks have earned our letters and feel very welcome with our sisters or brothers.
No matter the nature of the organization, here are some things to never say to anyone in a Greek organization.
1. “Are you the token?” (or any comment about race)
I have gotten this since the first day I was officially able to call myself a sister of Sigma Gamma Rho, Sorority Inc. I have even gotten, “So, Ellie, because you’re white and Hispanic, you count for two tokens, right?”
Sigma Gamma Rho is a traditionally black sorority. It is one of the organizations that emerged during a time when ‘exclusively-white’ organizations were discriminating against people of color. However, that does not mean that SGRho is or would at all be discriminatory.
Many organizations were created by people who were excluded by others. Their goal was to be inclusive. Acceptance of others no matter what they look like is a recurring theme throughout Greek organizations.
Much as people like to perpetuate this hurtful and very wrong idea: No one is a token within their organization.
2. “You paid for your friends, right?”
This is completely wrong. Joining a Greek org of any kind is not ‘paying for my friends’ a la paying for Barbie or G.I. Joe’s friends since you’ve got to buy the other dolls and figures to accompany them.
Dues are paid in order to keep the name and the vision of the organization alive. Even the best machine needs some grease.
3. “You can’t wear letters in whatever color? That’s dumb …”
No, it is not. That is out of respect to our founders. Some organizations, particularly D9 orgs, do not want their members wearing Greek letters in any colors besides those of the organization. Non-D9 orgs have less strict rules about letter colors. But, what of it?
The letters someone is rocking is their business and their business alone. They are the ones to have earned those letters, not anyone else. Therefore, haters have no business commenting on what color the letters are to begin with or how a different color might ‘look better.’
4. “All anyone in Greek Life does is drink and party.”
To be polite, not everything you see on television or in movies is real. Granted, of course, we all do a little bit of partying, but college students don’t party non-stop. The media only shows you the easiest parts to digest.
It is harder to digest hours of community service and paperwork in trying to make the world a better place.
And, in order to have the opportunity to participate in humanitarian work and our organizations at all, we must maintain a certain grade point average. Greek organizations do all have personal goals, but no Greek organization wants its members to outright ignore their education in favor of anything else.
5. “Oh, you’re a/an [insert fraternity name] Sweetheart or ‘Mr. [insert sorority name]’? So, you weren’t good enough to be a real Greek?”
NO. No, no and no.
Some of the coolest people I know are Iota Sweethearts and Sigma Rhomeos. Other organizations have special men and women who they consider a brother or sister within their orgs. That is not a reason to insult them and attack them.
And let’s get one thing straight: ANYONE who has earned the right to wear certain Greek letters across their chests is a real Greek and will forever have a family behind them.
From Alpha Tau Omega to Omega Psi Phi, it’s all Greek to me! Whether you wear your letters across your t-shirt around the quad or on a pin during your next job interview, one organization is not more or less ‘Greek’ than the other.