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THE SORORITAL BODY: A SERIOUS ENDEAVOR IN THE NATURE OF COLLEGIATE SISTERHOOD

REBECCA ALISON DUGAL

December 16, 2013 Cornell University, Ithaca

FSAD 6700

This paper examines college sorority and the sisters that comprise it. They are life champions, reaching back to a time before ours when tribal connections and marital status was all that mattered. In a complex world filled with liberal and inclusive lifestyles, this classic tradition of Protestant endogamy lives on, persevering as the rest of the world progresses into the unknown. Preserving the security that comes with a homogenous, upper class, white community, sororities enable these professional sisters to learn to conform

from the expert sister alumnae that came before them.

ET us be logical in our progression, beginning from the start by defining our subject, the Sorority Girl. What is a Sorority Girl, exactly? She is a professional Sister, well versed and practiced in the art of ‘having your back.’ Every dimension of her self exists to be a fraction, nay an integral chain link, of a larger family, the Sorority. With love and support, she is guided though many an ancient ritual until she reaches full-fledged sisterhood, mastering the art of Conformity as she is absorbed into the tribe.

But it is a tight-rope she must walk as she treads the line between complete integration and maintenance of her individual self. She must simultaneously regress into a nostalgic homogeneity that revolves around familial teamwork and adjust to the time-honored coliseum of competition into which she has been dropped unwittingly, unaware of the dark side of Sisterhood. She must fight for her place amongst her sisters and fight alongside her sisters for rank in the greater Greek hierarchy.

Where does this Sorority Girl come from? She develops from a transition. From the moment she submits her first university application, she harbors worries about leaving home and being successful. However these worries pale in comparison to the ominous storm cloud of anxiety she cultivates when she frets over whether she will be accepted into her new community. She does not crave just any acceptance, but acceptance into the highest echelons of society. Nothing less than popularity will suffice. Her personal move from her childhood home to her college campus leaves her vulnerable and ripe for sorority recruitment. She will do whatever it takes, mold herself into whatever she needs to be in order to complete the glamorous image she has fashioned of her future.

She begins her Sisterly career upon her arrival to campus, the beginning of her university life. Adrift without home or family, she yearns for a community she can call her own, one filled with familiar faces akin to those she has left behind in her hometown. She longs

to find friends who feel familiar, who share her values, her religious beliefs, her tastes and preferences. She wants friends who will wear the same clothes she does, shop at the same stores, live in similar houses (or bigger), she wants friends who share her lifestyle and of whom her parents would approve. She is alone in this new college world, without a support system. Her individual self is shelved for the immediate future as she struggles to find a sense of security amongst the foreign and uncharted campus that is her new home.

Haloes shine and choirs sing when she discovers the holy grail of solutions to her problem. She lights on a shortcut. A girl neither needs to find her own friends, nor assert her own status of importance. She realizes it is all waiting for her, the friends, the parties, and the exclusive and esteemed social position. She just needs to gain admittance into a Sorority. The Sisterhood lifestyle sounds simply wonderful, wholesome, magnetic, and mysterious all at the same time. Oh! To be a Sister!

But how desirable would collegiate Sisterhood be if it were not exclusive? To be a Sister she must compete to prove that she belongs, she will uphold her Sisterly commitments, and she will promote an enviable image for the house. Before the start of spring semester, she must trudge through the ice and snow, up and down and around the slope. Into each house she must venture with her tasteful heels, her inspiring enthusiasm and her unwavering smile. At every house she must converse with Sisters, displaying her confidence and exploiting any similarities she may find. She must strike the perfect balance between unique and standard, ensuring that she is a perfect candidate, not a risky one.

The Sorority Girl, even before acceptance, will ensure she follows published dress protocol to the letter, for she will be judged on her interpretation of the rules for appropriate attire. Each of the five rounds of the Rush experience requires an increasing amount of

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formality. Rounds I and II are Casual Chic1, Round III is Business Casual, Round IV is slightly above Business Casual, and Round V is Cocktail. Within each of these categories are sub rules regarding acceptable fabrics, sleeve lengths, hem lengths, shoes, jewelry, makeup, and accessories. She has no questions about these rules because this myriad of stipulations is merely her everyday dress code. She would rather die than walk outside breaking one of these more important rules: no camel toe, no muffin top, no satin dresses unless you weigh less than 130 lbs and it is New Years Eve, and absolutely no frumpy.

However, she does understand that the publication of these guidelines evens the playing field, ensuring that everyone understands the expectations for each of the rounds. Though it is true that those without understanding of this reasonable code have no business Rushing. They are not in any way limiting. Plenty of room remains for individuals to differentiate themselves through tasteful mastery of self-presentation, or lack thereof. Great attention will be paid to the level of similarity candidates’ dress choices have with those of each Sisterhood. Value is often placed on displays of affluence, however homogeneity trumps all. Universally, attention is paid to a candidate’s ability to display her independence within the accepted social framework of Conformity.

In addition to dress, she will be expected to display exemplary social skills and knowledge of etiquette. A candidate must remain poised and avoid awkwardness at all costs. She glides gracefully through even the toughest of conversations. Her small talk is incredibly engaging, always leaving her partner wanting more and built to highlight as many similarities as possible between herself and her interviewer. It is recommended she come prepared with both entertaining anecdotes and a combination of comfortably easy personal questions and insightful inquiries about Sorority life, for she must always be courteous to develop a balanced rapport. Displays of relaxed confidence amongst so much judgment will be looked upon favorably as it bodes well for the Sisterhood if Sisters are perceived as successful socialites who are both comfortable and happy.

The prime indicator of ranking for any given house, in addition to affluence, is beauty. This is intimately linked to a second indicator, most closely associated Fraternities. Of course it is logical that Sororities with attractive Sisters attain close relationships with highly ranked Fraternities. Just like Sororities, Fraternity ranking is based on affluence, fitness and                                                                                                                1 Everything in Italics was taken from set of real rules published by Cornell’s very own Pi Phi Sorority in 2010. See Ivy Gate. http://www.ivygateblog.com/2010/01/update-in-ithaca-sisterhood-is-pronounced-no-muffin-tops/

handsomeness, though arguably these attributes are valued in different ratios than they are for Sororities. However, the Sorority Girl is quite aware of her own beauty, for each time she leaves the house, there is someone there to ensure she does not forget.

Once the prospective Sister successfully receives a bid, she accepts gracefully without hesitation. Though no one would ever suspect, she was indeed worried about her fate before finally receiving the esteemed envelope. Part of her charm is her hidden vulnerability. And part of the charm of a Sorority is its inherent power to validate or invalidate anyone’s self worth.

After accepting the bid, she has roughly 6 weeks before she can become a full fledged Sorority Girl. These six weeks are spent learning about her Sisters, bonding with her Pledge Class and developing close relationships with her special Big Sister. The notion of Bigs and Littles is integral to the assimilation of new members. Entire Lineages are tracked and many events are created around this relationship. The Big acts as a mentor for the Little, integrating her fully into the Sisterhood and the Greek community at large.

Bigs and Littles are paired purposefully. Those with the most in common are grouped together. The Sorority makes an attainable and appropriate role model available to each new Sister, further ensuring each Little is successfully absorbed into the Sisterhood. The Little can ask her Big questions about events, traditions, expectations and acceptable comportment. It is the Big’s responsibility to raise Littles that will represent the Sorority admirably. Most importantly, in this way each individual Little is coached toward the ideal Sister persona, a sort of unnatural selection that manipulates at minimum the facades of Sisters in order to maintain an enviable Sorority ranking.

Eventually, all Sisters grow from Littles to Bigs, and receive their own new Littles. As the Sorority Girl matures through the ranks of Sisterhood, she becomes more and more responsible for the outward appearance of the Sisterhood. Not only is she responsible for her own presentation, but also the impression left by each of her Sisters on the campus as a whole. It is these impressions that determine the rise and fall of Sororital status. Thus, over time, the Sorority Girl has become a master of Conformity, conforming so precisely to the enviable images cultivated by traditional values and contemporary luxury brands that they stand out as beacons of unattainable perfection.

The main method through which this image of perfection is propagated, is through public sightings. When the Sorority Girl adds her letters as an accessory to her desirable image, the university campus notices. What better way to advertise how covetable her life is than to make sure everyone associates her fashionable character with her Sorority? Fashion is a key tool for

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the Sorority Girl. Combined with a refined and confident bearing, the Sorority Girl’s attire can communicate quite effectively to any casual admirer everything that makes her life sought-after.

A Sorority Girl understands that she represents her Sisterhood at all times and therefore understands as well that she must abide by the Rules of Presentation. Hallowed by all Sisters, the rules are for the good of her Sisterhood’s reputation, as well as her own. The Sorority Girl knows she must pay attention to her appearance upon leaving her house. This is especially crucial during class hours. A breach of these rules is punishable by social ostracism as well as extra chores and a temporary ban from social events.

These guidelines are highly coveted, as they are the secret to the time-honored success of all Sororities. Should the secret get out, any student organization could eventually attain a similar status to the Sororities. These rules were obtained at a high cost. They are to be treated with caution.

THE RULES OF PRESENTATION

1. Belongings should be carried in a shoulder

bag, most preferred is a Sisterhood-monogrammed tote.

2. Whilst laughing, project amusement beyond the immediate conversation.

3. The only machine for cardiovascular exercise is the elliptical.

4. The face must always be adorned, at the minimum, with mascara and lip gloss.

5. At no point ever should there be any evidence of frizz upon the hair.

6. Accessories of any kind must be of designer quality, including and especially phone and pencil cases.

7. Trousers must be exceptionally tight across the buttocks.

Each of the above propositions is of the utmost sanctity, applicable and sacred to all Pan-Hellenic Sororities. Though some chapters do indeed find they have added others over the years.

In stark contrast with this Sororital Body, stands another sect of students. One could look at them as reactionaries, forming in response to the far-reaching breadth of Greek Life. Strung together in disorganized groups, they are often looked upon as the antithesis of the revered Sorority Girl. With far less uniformity, but perhaps no less panache, this converse group takes

different shapes at each University. At Cornell University, these people are known as Dragonheads.

What is a Dragonhead? Belonging to a sect subscribing to a value system quite different form that of the Sororities, it originated in a basement coffee shop by the name of Green Dragon, located along the northern tip of the Arts Quad. Over the years, the shop has catered to those who find it most convenient. This primarily includes students studying Architecture, Fine Art and Comparative Literature.

If a Sorority Girl is a professional Sister, specializing in Camaraderie and Conformity, a Dragonhead aspires to Originality, sometimes to the point of Peculiarity. Where the Sorority Girl cultivates traditional values, Dragonheads spend their time at school questioning them and, at times, tearing them to pieces.

Though values do not necessarily determine visible disparity, there is no question that the difference between Greek Sisters and Dragonheads is visible. The Dragonhead is a manifestation of counterculture, often appealing to individuals who struggle to meet Sorority standards, for not everyone can measure up to the high expectations of a Sister’s presentation, decorum and poise.

A Dragonhead has an interesting style of declaring his/herself, and it is Style with a capital ‘S’ that is now being discussed. The Dragonhead has mastered the ability to include in his/her wardrobe everything that Sororities are not currently wearing. Either the Dragonhead’s dress resembles that of ages old or is so revolutionary as to be striking. This is not to say that this faction of students is not Fashionable per se, for a Dragonhead is often enviably skilled in their aesthetic tastes. As stated before, many are Artists and Architects. Perhaps it is more accurate to say they are indeed especially fashionable.

Much of this can be attributed to the Dragonhead’s willingness to take risks with their appearance. Daring new haircuts, a conspicuous piercing, or possibly a coat of unique cut make the semblance of a Dragonhead all the more unrepeatable as this is precisely their goal. The Dragonhead is willing to make his/herself vulnerable in their search for originality. If one dons a garment unheard of by one’s peers, this person invites the community at large to come to their own conclusions and opinions about its effect. When the community is undecided about such things as a new hairstyle, undoubtedly there will never be unanimous approval.

It is this level of comfort with disapproval from the community at large that sets Dragonheads apart from Sorority Girls. However, that is not to say Dragonheads do not seek approval from each other. When a Dragonhead arrives at college, before his/her Dragonheadom has been established, the student’s level

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of vulnerability and insecurity is not dissimilar to that of a budding Sorority Girl. All incoming students seek acceptance as well as security. Those students that solicit welcome into the Dragonheads instead of Sororities have different priorities compared to the beloved Sorority Girl. Firstly, they have chosen to forgo a formal process. For these students, the desire to belong to any of the Sororities is not worth parading themselves before a jury for formal judgment to gain access. For the very reasons the Sorority Girl chooses that life for herself, the Dragonheads reject it. Secondly, having a life with friends and a community prepared and waiting can have its drawbacks. The high amount of Conformity necessary for each Sorority to function tends to create a low tolerance for those who place greater import on individuality.

But if not for a formal process, how does one become a Dragonhead? It begins with a student’s major. If the student’s classes are all close to the Green Dragon, the student is likely to spend time in the café. If the student’s major includes Architecture, Art or Comparative Literature, the student has a talent to offer.

Dragonheadom is so steeped in culture, it is necessary not only for Dragonheads to belong to a major that requires a wide amount of reading, but one that also requires a certain amount of talent, a base connection to inner creativity. The readings required by these humanities majors provide a deep understanding of the status quo and the events leading up to it, why traditional values are the way they are. The readings often record the academic dialogue of those that have questioned the status quo in the past. Intellectual debates of this kind are of the utmost importance to Dragonheads. The ability to partake in a discourse about both historical and present issues, particularly those pertaining to the student’s major, is a prized one.

These discussions, more often than not, reveal another esteemed quality of the Dragonheads, that of Open-Mindedness. Whether or not one is actually Open, a Dragonhead prides his/herself on his/her Openness and lack of prejudice. If presented compellingly, a Dragonhead will always at least pretend to consider other points of view. In fact, Dragonheads have been known to be distinctly Open to radical positions. The more extreme, the more seriously a Dragonhead will consider the pros and cons of a belief with the sole purpose of proving their mind is not merely Open, it is entirely left ajar.

So are these Dragonheads open enough to befriend Sorority Girls? Ironically, this is where their tolerance ends. There is a certain amount of enmity between the two groups. Both groups find themselves to be above the other and both groups resent each other for it. Their conflicting values prevent any lasting

relationships and diminish chances of common ground between them. Where the Sorority girl places great importance on Conformity, the Dragonhead is the complete inverse, cherishing individuality to the point of denial of his/her own Dragonheadom. A Dragonhead belongs to no one but his/herself.

There are times when the two must interact. Though it is a rare occasion, as the majors do not often overlap, these sects cannot avoid each other forever. The most likely of interactions between the two is in class. Upon sitting next to each other, there is an awkward avoidance of eye contact. However, this does not preclude looking at the other’s garb. Each judges the other according to her own rules, which of course differ greatly. There is a large chance both students will leave the encounter having confirmed their own sect is superior. But every so often, two students will meet, judge each other silently, not talk and leave the encounter with a begrudging sort of respect for despite their different criteria for success, each can’t help but admit the other looks fab.