Walking down Greek row at Vanderbilt on pretty much any sunny day, you’re going to see a few guys on their frat porch cracking open a couple of Natty’s.
On the weekends (and sometimes weekdays), you’ll see fraternity lawns littered with beer cans and empty cases, the telltale signs of successful parties and tailgates. However, you will never EVER see sorority girls sitting on their back lawn sipping some Barefoot or enjoying the true class that is Andre.
Why not? Because most Panhellenic sororities are not allowed to have alcohol on their properties. They’re not allowed to throw parties, have a wine night with sisters, or simply enjoy the same privileges that most frat bros take for granted. As a member of a sorority who has always been a competitive tomboy (my mantra is “If a guy can do it, than so can I”), this annoys the hell out of me. And I’m not the only one who’s noticing this issue. Recently the New York Times published an article discussing sorority parties as a way to lower the numbers of rapes occurring on campuses. While I’m not so sure sorority parties are the answer to the rape problem on campus, I am sure that the rule banning them is past its expiration date. If Vandy frats can throw BETA Luau and Mount DKE, then why can’t the sororities throw KATs or Pi Beyonce Phi? And who wouldn’t want to go to ADPalooza? Isn’t it time we stop following the sexist rules of the past and start making new rules? Holding young men and women to different standards simply is not fair and that’s exactly what rules like this one are perpetuating. When I ask friends about the rule, they usually give responses along the lines of “employers wouldn’t hire us because they’d think we’re party girls”. And that’s the double standard that I have an issue with.Personally, I’m not really interested in throwing a rager in my sorority house. I’m pretty sure we can all agree the frat houses aren’t exactly the comfiest. You couldn’t pay me enough to trade the comfy couches and beautiful kitchen of my sorority house for the sticky floors and puke scented bathrooms of a fraternity house. However, I would like to be able to have a wine night with my sisters or simply the option to cook recipes that call for alcohol in my sorority house. Not only that, but I want people to stop holding me to a different standard than my guy friends.
We all know that changing the well established rules of the Greek community won’t be easy, but change never is easy. That doesn’t mean it isn’t necessary. As a community, we need to work to change this rule, not because we want to see the glory that would be Srat parties (thank you TSM), but because we want to stop being seen as sexist. So get ready frat bros, you might find yourself soon competing with your sratty sisters parties.
