“How hard would it have been to throw a physics textbook or a copy of “Hamlet” into the background of one of the scenes? The only book I saw in the video was a yearbook with a magnifying glass laid across it.”
I joined a sorority to have fun and friendship, not to study physics and Hamlet. That I could do on my own time in class.
I do find it interesting, though, that these videos don’t talk about supportive sisterhood in the context of campus activities. That was such a big deal for us - a) you got “prestige” by being able to brag that your members were campus leaders in various clubs and activities, and b) if your sister was, say, performing music or raising money for orphans or acting in a play, you’d all support her by showing up to the performance or passing out flyers for her group. These were points of pride to be engaged in campus activities and it’s interesting to me that their portrayal of sisterhood is very internally-focused - we support each other internally - vs externally - we support our sisters as they do “public” external activities.
South lander, that’s a non-sequitur. The process can be both large AND unwelcoming to outsiders. As a Greek outside the south, I think it’s ridiculous to have a focus on recs and to have it necessary for girls to have to “prepare.” It’s fundamentally unfair to first gen students and internationals. That bothers people of conscience.
Wow, that FSU video has nearly 250,000 views. Hanna, alh and Cardinal Fang are going to have fits over that one. Oh well, each generation shocks the last with its edgy and (relatively) scandalous portrayals; our generation did the same to our parents. As many have said, it isn’t hurting anyone and they certainly look happy.
After watching 5 or 10 of these I have to say that I am totally over glitter blowing and bubbles. Not to mention hair flipping and Rockette-like graduated row posing.
Clearly this style is all the rage at the moment. I wonder what will be next.
I still think the Girls Just Want to Have Fun one is the best. Not only is it more visually interesting because of the long tracking shot (or whatever the term is, but it’s like going through the restaurant kitchen in Goodfellas), but the lyrics repeatedly say, “After the day’s work is done, girls just want to have fun.” At least implying that they actually do something other than romp around some of the time.
I don’t object to the FSU video. I keep telling you I don’t object to skimpy clothes and bouncing.
They all dressed alike to meet their new sisters on bid day. It’s how they dress. It’s not my style, but that is unimportant if it is their style. They are so excited about their new sisters. There is a lot of energy.
I couldn’t watch all of the second FSU video, but I did note a definite difference in push-up-bra-wearing and amount of cleavage in tank tops between the two groups of girls.
Some of the girls in “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” had push-up bras. One unzips her pjs and does a shimmy. Some of the girls are quite busty in very low cut tanks, but others have on higher cut sleeveless tees. All types there.
midwestdad’s comment in #681 led me to think he noticed:)
As a close relative of an 4.0 GPA, nationally ranked athlete and Alpha Phi member at a top New England university, all I can say is that the critics here don’t know these young women. Enthusiasm, excellence, team work. A fun silly rah rah video to attract new recruits.
I thought I might be overreacting to the video so I showed it to my D (heading to college in a few days) and simply asked, “Would you join this sorority?” Her response was “I’d rather blow my brains out with an Uzi.” This from a girl who loved living in a dorm with all girls for 4 years at boarding school.
I think her reaction and mine are colored by not having a family tradition of Greek membership, and thus being largely ignorant of what Greek life is really like. All I can say is that to an outsider this video makes these girls look brainless. I know they’re not, which is one reason I find the video depressing.
I’ve seen other sorority videos where the girls talk or sing about how their sorority has the smartest girls or the best athletes and how involved they are in campus life in addition to being beautiful and fun. No objection from me there. It’s the glitter, bubbles, matching outfits, kiss blowing Stepford Junior portrayal of any young women I find shallow and demeaning.
I could see one of my D’s being interested in this house. She was busy in high school, but hung out with a big group of girlfriends who went to the beach and football games together, made matching shirts for homecoming and got ready together before school dances. I think all of the girls ended up joining sororities in college, including at Cal, Penn and Yale.
I showed the video to my daughter, and also the 2014 Arizona Theta video. She didn’t like either of them, but liked the Theta one much more because it showed more diversity of body types, wasn’t as focused on appearance, and had the message of the house as a fun place to live. (She thought the room with all the bunk beds looked awful, though.)
It finally occurred to me to google the sorority videos of my one remaining college age niece, who attends a private southern college. What a contrast. She (5’ 10", waist length natural dark blonde hair, very slim athlete) and her sorority sisters look pretty much the same as the women in the FU and Alabama videos, (with the addition of a few tall, slim, long haired minority members) There are absolutely no bottom or cleavage shots. There is no jiggling anywhere. The recruitment video is organized around explaining their philanthropy, but has scenes from parties and so on. You get a sense of what the members do in the larger university community. They had clearly taken the one bathing suit shot while on a beach trip, lying on their tummies, in front of the surf. The camera is far enough back, there is no visible cleavage. I couldn’t even tell if they were wearing bikinis or one pieces. There are sunglasses. There are scenes where they are in short summery dresses, (like in the Alabama video) but it comes across as a Duchess Kate look, albeit with a little more skin and longer hair. There is no glitter or bubbles. In the bid day video, they wear matching outfits like the girls in the FU video, although their jean shorts are hemmed (I don’t think anyone is hanging out in back, but there are no back shots) crew neck, short sleeved sorority tees and matching cowgirl boots. The tees are tucked in. They have the same sort of figures as the FU and Alabama women, but much more covered up.
So then, with trepidation, I looked at the videos from my own chapter of the same sorority, at a large public southern university. The general themes were the same. The women looked the same, but even fewer minority members. No bottom or cleavage shots. There was an outing involving water sports. They wore matching gym shorts and crew-necked, sleeveless sorority tees-- it almost looked Victorian compared to what I’ve been watching. And there were shots of them actually doing water sports. Most impressive to me was a dance clip from a campus wide talent show of some sort. The production rivaled many Broadway shows I’ve seen, but no one could call it racy in any way. And once again, no glitter or bubbles.
These videos are definitely aimed at a different audience than the Alabama and FU, and maybe even the AZ Theta “Girls” video. These young women aren’t trying to look “hot.” To be honest, I found the one from my chapter a little bit intimidating. It is clear from the videos, these women are really accomplished in a way we weren’t in our day. That may just be generational. My nieces would all fit into that environment easily. The “Girls” video is still my favorite.
I am not linking to the videos. I am sure there are many others out there from other sororities that look more like these than the FU or Alabama ones. There are not many views. I am guessing that was not the point. Both my chapter and my niece’s chapter have always made quota for as long as such a concept has existed. I am not sure how much advertisement is necessary merely, because of all the legacies coming along.
It has always been fascinating to me to watch the dynamics at play between women when a younger, fitter, more attractive woman walks in. It feels like all the air has been sucked out of the room. When she leaves the critiques begin. Kind of sad, but it always seems to happen.
@LOUKYDAD, that has definitely NOT been my experience as a woman. That is the view of a person who regards the primary concern of all women to be competition for male attention. Either you have a warped view of women, or you are hanging out with the wrong people. The women I know do not behave that way, and never have.
^^That is certainly not my experience in real life, or what I interpret having happened on this thread.
Of course we all bring different experiences and perceptions to the discussion, which is what makes it interesting to me.
crossposted
eta: The most critical comments towards those participating in the videos, rather than criticism of the video itself, and perhaps the whole genre, seem to me to have come from men. If I get real bored later on today, maybe I’ll make a spread sheet.
