The toxicity of Greek life

Brut America

Hazing, sexual abuse, racism.  These people are speaking out against what they've experienced in a college sorority.

Transcript

00:00Do not join a sorority. So you would think that hazing doesn't happen anymore

00:04Organizations founded on being exclusionary can never be inclusive

00:13Sorority that I was formerly a part of

00:16horrifically hazed

00:18Lots of abuse several sororities got shut down during recruitment because of hazing practices

00:23You're telling me that I could pay money to a historically racist

00:27Organization so that I can be found naked on the front lawn of a frat house

00:31This is unbelievable at my school

00:34My friend rushed a sorority and one of their hazing things where they had to strip down naked. This is a common thing

00:41Sit on a piece of newspaper on top of a running washer and watch lesbian corn

00:48If there was anything on the newspaper after you got dropped as we know a lot of these sororities and fraternities

00:55Are deeply embedded in racism classism and white supremacy

00:59In fact, it's the reason why african-americans had to create the divine nine all of the black sororities and fraternities

01:05No smiling. We were never allowed to smile

01:09We also were not allowed to tell sisters

01:11No, if they told us to do something that none of these rules were in place to keep us safe

01:15They were all in place to manipulate us control us and just have total power over us

01:21Rumor had it that many girls got herpes as a result

01:24Another one forced girls so drunk so much alcohol that a handful got alcohol poisoning had to be sent to the hospital

01:31So choose between do either doing hard drugs or hooking up with somebody that you don't even know

01:36The incidence of sexual assault is insane in Greek life one time in chapter

01:40We did an activity where you have to stand if either you or someone you knew had ever been sexually assaulted

01:45There were a hundred and eighty people in that room and every single person stood up this involves again

01:49women stripping down naked for a hockey team and

01:53Entertaining them and the hockey team has to approve of the new pledges

01:57I just were also not allowed to sit on couches or chairs

02:00We had to sit on the floor because we were literally and physically beneath them bonding through excruciating experiences

02:08it's almost like

02:10Trauma bonding. I had to literally hire a lawyer because my sorority tried to scam me

02:17We had a chapter meeting where they said if you plan on studying abroad, don't sign a full lease sign a half lease

02:24Perfect. Beautiful. Gorgeous fast forward. I'm studying abroad. I'm thinking all as well when I get hit with a

02:31$3,000 fine from my sorority and at my university the sorority is allowed to bill your

02:37University bill what this means is that if I don't pay my sorority charge, I'm not allowed to sign up for classes

02:45Yes, the slideshow thing is absolutely real

02:47they literally show pictures of these girls like it's tender and they stand up and say I don't like this girl because of this and

02:51If some girl stands up doesn't like you you are out would rip girls apart with those slides. It was inherently sexist

02:57We slut-shamed a lot of people there was even a code word for it

03:00Well traveled so that way we could say without nationals getting upset. I don't care people say it is totally determined by looks

03:06Yes, you could meet a girl and really vibe with her

03:08But they are looking for pretty girls that will make their chapter look good

03:11I just saw a tik-tok comment. That was like, well if your whole sorority went to a

03:17plantation party

03:18What are you gonna do not go? Yes

03:21Yes, I'm not gonna go

03:23There are plenty of organizations that have it written in their statutes that black people weren't able to join that anyone non-white

03:28Was not able to join

03:29I felt like a lot of the girls were just not seeing me because I wasn't white

03:32We remember being in a rush meeting and seeing every single woman of color be called aggressive

03:38You know what?

03:38You can just tell that they're not interested in you and they didn't really care about what you had to say

03:42That's kind of how I felt. So I guess my question is why choose a white one for me?

03:48I would feel extremely unsafe, especially if I was living in the sorority house

03:51We hear horror stories all the time about black girls being racially attacked by their white roommates and so on

03:57I felt like I was trying to prove my whiteness to them versus some girl who's from the middle of nowhere

04:02They had no problem giving their time of day

04:03I used to live in the house

04:04Which is decorated with all of the composites since its founding and in the almost 30 years

04:08There has not been a single member of color at all

04:11I think I just currently classes because it costs so much money to be a part of it dues are expensive

04:17Dues when you don't live in the house or like $700, which is also like what you're paying for friends

04:23They only exist so that rich people can network more efficiently as a result

04:28You don't see a lot of economic diversity in a panhellenic or IFC organization. I don't give a flying

04:34If your sorority was the best thing that happens to you reading these types of stories

04:39Hearing this type of it. There is a clear problem

04:44I personally don't think it needs to exist for the purpose of making friends because you can make friends in clubs

04:48Not everyone's sorority or fraternity experience is bad

04:52There can be good that comes out of it, but I believe that the system as a whole is corrupt

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