I am a feminist. I believe in equal rights for women. I believe in changing gender roles. I never ask for anything because of what I wear and I sure as hell deserve to be paid the same as my male counterparts. I am also part of a sorority. I sing traditional songs. I wear large T-shirts (because they are extremely comfortable). I contribute to raising thousands of dollars for philanthropic organizations and I occasionally craft.
I am not coming to school for my MRS degree and my sisters aren’t either. The women who are in my sorority are going to be our next great government leaders, teachers, doctors, engineers, journalists and change makers. They are not coming to school to simply find a husband and get a degree they won’t use. Yes, they will be fabulous mothers and spouses someday, but those are not their only goals or aspirations. These women are going places and so am I.
There is a common misconception out there that if you are part of a sorority, you are adhering to traditional gender roles and hurting the feminist movement. I strongly and wholeheartedly disagree with this idea. One of the many reasons I joined my sorority was because of the leaders I saw in my chapter. I met incredible women who were making real change in the world with their extremely hard work ethics, educated opinions, and strength. Yes, many of them had significant others, but they were not letting their significant others control their actions or dreams. They made their own decisions and were not afraid to travel the world, get bomb internships ranging from government organizations to major companies, and were independent as can be. They were not going to let anyone or anything—especially their gender—crush their dreams. I saw passion for what they were doing and it inspired me to work harder and to fully chase what I wanted in life.
Joining a sorority was an extremely “feminist” move. I joined an organization that believes women can be leaders. I joined an organization where women come together based on similar values to be a driving force for good in the world. I joined an organization where I am empowered every day to give my all to everything I do and to not settle for just mediocre. I joined an organization where women are focused on educating themselves to get ahead and are making connections that will help their futures. I am a sorority woman and a feminist.
