So for those of you who have been living under a rock for the past couple of days, the chapter of Alpha Phi stationed at the University of Alabama recently came under attack by a writer for A.L.com simply known as A.L Bailey. Now call me presumptuous, but I'm assuming that A.L Bailey is a girl simply for the fact I could never picture a guy being so offended over girls in their bikinis blowing glitter that he would feel the need to write a whole article about it. After reading the article accusing the Alpha Phi sorority of being "worse for women than Donald Trump," I have to say I am personally offended, and I honestly believe every sorority woman should be too.
A.L Bailey opens the article by stating, "Remember all those bikini-clad, sashaying, glitter-blowing, and spontaneous piggyback-riding days of college? Me either. But according to a new video, it's a whirlwind of glitter and girl-on-girl piggyback rides at the University of Alabama's Alpha Phi house."
Stop right there, Bailey; as a matter of fact, I do remember those days. I remember going to the pool and lake with my sisters and "sashaying" to the wonderful tunes of Luke Bryan, in nothing other than my bikini, just like Alpha Phi. I remember when my chapter was creating our 2015 recruitment video and we were blowing, dare I say, glitter everywhere. I also remember struggling up Sorority Hill and then deciding to jump on my sister's back for a piggyback-ride, just like the ladies of Alpha Phi.
And new? What cave have you been living in, Bailey? Because even though this recruitment video can be coined "new," the activities these girls participate in are definitely not. The Kappa Kappa Gamma chapter of the University of Arizona posted their recruitment video with their sisters walking around in high wasted cut-off jean shorts, just like the ladies of Alpha Phi. One of the opening scenes of the recruitment video for the Kappa Delta chapter of the University of Texas features one of their sisters on a body of water in nothing else but a bikini, just like the woman in Alpha Phi.
A.L Bailey continues by claiming that these types of videos are "unempowering" and says "it's the kind of thing that subconsciously educates young men on how to perceive, and subsequently treat, women in their lives. It's the kind of thing I never want my young daughters to see or emulate."
First off, Bailey, please explain to me how a group of women confident enough to display their bodies is "unempowering." What we should take from Alpha Phi's video is that they're not trying "to boast bodies" but that the girls being filmed are confident enough in themselves and comfortable enough around their sisters to wear whatever type of clothing they want without fear of being judged.
Secondly, if the "euphoric hand-holding and hugging" is what is teaching men how to treat women, I can't say I have a problem with that. Bailey, did you see the video posted by the sisters of Alpha Chi Omega who attend FSU? They were laying in the grass laughing in the sun and holding hands as they walked out of their sorority house. I personally believe that the fact that one in five women are raped on a college campus with only half of those cases ending in convection effect the way men treat women more negatively than the sisters of Alpha Phi, or any other sorority, do.
Thirdly, you wouldn't want you daughter to emulate these things? Excuse me? How dare you say that you wouldn't want your daughter to join a sorority? Did you know that some of the greatest female minds have been sorority women? For example, Condoleeza Rice—you know, the former Secretary of State—is a member of Alpha Chi Omega. And Nancy Grace—the hard-hitting news reporter who isn't afraid to speak her mind—is a member of Alpha Delta Pi. Laura Bush, the former first lady, is a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. If you don't want your daughter be an outspoken, bright, well-versed woman, than by all means, Bailey, keep her from going through recruitment.
To put it simply, how many chapters of how many different sororities have posted similar videos to the one Alpha Phi posted? And why, A.L Bailey, did you specifically choose to pick on this one sorority? The point I'm trying to make here is what's so different from the video the women of Alpha Phi posted than the one that the woman of Kappa Delta, or Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, Alpha Chi Omega, or even my own chapter of Alpha Delta Pi posted? In all honesty, not that much—and that by judging Alpha Phi so harshly, you have judged the Greek community as a whole. Bottom line: No matter the letters, we're all Greek together, and by insulting the sister of Alpha Phi, A.L Bailey, you have personally insulted me.
