Sorority recruitment videos are nothing new to social media. They have become very popular over the last few years, because they are a great way for sororities to show off their chapter and sisterhood to potential new members. There are countless recruitment videos on YouTube and each sorority usually shares the videos on all of their social media websites in order to get more views.
However, Alpha Phi at the University of Alabama recently attracted the attention of the wrong audience and their recruitment video has gone viral. The website Al.com published a criticism of their video on August 14, that drew so much negative attention that as of August 17, Alpha Phi removed the video.
In their article, Al.com said that “It's a parade of white girls and blonde hair dye, coordinated clothing, bikinis and daisy dukes, glitter and kisses…” and that it was “racially and aesthetically homogeneous…and objectifying." The article then goes on to say that the video is “worse for women than Donald Trump."
These critical comments are eluding to the fact that by showing off how much fun the women have together, it is “making it so terribly difficult for anyone to take them [Women] seriously." While yes feminism is a very hot topic right now, how is one specific sorority video going to push back 100 years of female empowerment?
After those comments from Al.com, many other news and entertainment websites such as ABC News, Fox Sports and BuzzFeed have also picked up the story, causing the video to get even more attention.
The problem I have with Al.com’s article is that they should not be taking their frustrations out on Alpha Phi. The nature of recruitment videos has always been to show off the girls in the house, and to look as cute and as fun as possible.
Recruitment videos exist as a way for potential new members to want to be like the girls in the video. Most of the time the girls are just goofing around, dancing and having fun together. They do not really represent the sorority as a whole. Why would the media target one specific sorority, when almost all recruitment videos have the same vibe as Alpha Phi’s?
Check out Gamma Phi Beta's at the University of Arizona, and Tri Delta's at Indiana University recruitment videos here. See any similarities?
https://vimeo.com/95782393
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN2yRah9p1c
Could Alpha Phi’s video have focused more on their philanthropy and scholarship? Possibly. However, one of the aspects that was overlooked when writing the criticism, is that the girls spent a lot of time and hard work making it, and that by all being together to film it only makes their sisterhood stronger.
Last time I checked, having a strong sisterhood and the feeling of being a part of something is one of the best parts of being in a sorority.
So, be proud Alpha Phi. The Alabama Greek community is behind you.
