I am not just a pretty face. I am not defined by my blonde hair or the way my body looks or what I wore this weekend.

You know what I am? I am happy. I am gullible and clumsy and forgetful as hell. I work with children. I am a writer. I believe in God. I exercise and take care of my body because it makes me feel good. I am a bookworm and a procrastinator, my favorite show is New Girl and I live for a day at the beach. When I was sixteen I worked with a youth group in El Salvador and lived in a village with no running water for a week. And my biggest fear? It is being judged or ridiculed by others and not feeling accepted for who I am.

I am an Alpha Phi.

There are so many things that are assumed of sorority girls, especially Alpha Phi's. And I can’t tell you how many times I have had to tell strangers that no, it does not hurt to pee and that nothing about me is “all for free.”

Recently, the University of Alabama Alpha Phi released a recruitment video that soon went viral and received extremely harsh and negative criticism nationwide, on the grounds that the video “oppressed diversity and individuality.”

I’m sorry but… WHAT?

The video shows members of the chapter smiling, laughing, and having fun with their sisters in different settings at their campus at the University of Alabama. I have to say, when I first watched the video, I did want to see more focus on who the girls were as people, not just videos of them smiling and laughing. But does that mean that their video is “oppressive?” NO. The girls are simply showcasing the amazing friendships that are such an important and essential part of being in a sorority.

And as for their diversity? Since when does being part of a group of happy, young women, who might all happen to be from similar ethnic backgrounds, become oppressive or unempowering? Did anyone take the time to think about who these girls are as people, regardless of their backgrounds?

This is where I find fault in the video. Without touching on the unique values and philanthropic efforts that I KNOW this chapter focuses energy on in addition to forming lasting friendships… it is easy for viewers to focus on the way these girls look, and to overlook the wonderful and diverse personalities of each individual.

I, however, would like to focus on the positive aspects of the phenomenal organization that I belong to. Being an Alpha Phi has empowered me. When I was a freshman and joined Alpha Phi, I was truly amazed by the group of girls I now call my sisters. They are each unique and beautiful and confident in who they are, and I remember wondering if I could ever feel that confident in myself. And when things in my life took a turn for the worst, it was these girls who helped put me back together when everything about me was falling apart. It was every smile, every friendly hello, every “I’m here for you” and every gentle, kind heart that lifted me out of my year-long depression, whether we were raising money for our philanthropy, forming close bonds during retreats and sisterhood events, or just walking around campus. These girls quite literally grabbed my hand and helped me stand up beside them as another confident and happy young woman.

So who are you to say that the smiles and laughter of any girl, in any video or in real life, are “unempowering?”

I will always be proud to be who I am. I am proud to be a happy, confident girl, and I am proud to say that I am stronger because I have learned to overcome my fear of being judged or ridiculed, and to simply be confident exactly as I am. I am flawed and I make mistakes, but I am proud of everything about me.

I am proud to be an Alpha Phi.