This commentary comes in response to the April 19 article, Sororities counteract fight for positive body image written by Alex Jabs. I'd like to first thank Ms. Jabs for presenting the Ohio University community with the traditional, generic stereotypes and generalizations of greeks and greek life that have remained intact due to the ignorant viewpoints presented by people who aren't a part of the greek system. Her narrow-minded and extremely biased viewpoint of greek life only furthers the dangerous stereotypes of greek life as an institution, giving all individuals outside of greek life the impression that we greeks are nothing more than members of an unhealthy cult.
Ms. Jabs reinforces all of her claims based off the novel of one woman's negative experience in rushing a sorority. Based on this, she asserts that sorority women counteract the positive female image that women's rights activists have tried to encourage. Ms. Jabs also comments that her assertive personality
opinionated ideas and bigger-than-a-size two body type would have left her out on the curb. There is no doubt in my mind that the sorority women on this campus take much offense to this false, misleading statement. Ms. Jabs places blame on a group of people constantly criticized because they are an easy target. Yes, greeks like to party and have a good time. Last time I checked, the majority of young people like to do the same. But that is not all that greeks do. Much like the majority of other students on this campus, we are involved in extracurricular activities, philanthropy and participate in the greater Athens community. It is extremely unfortunate that Ms. Jabs feels that a single group of people could be single-handedly responsible for creating negative body images for women. Ms. Jabs, it appears to me that you are the one creating the negative imagery. It might not concern body, but it certainly does concern the integrity and the morals of a large population of your fellow woman.
'Patrick E. Gallagher is the president of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and a junior education major. 17
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