Frats do discriminate: Sexist themed parties sponsored

In response to last Tuesday’s Wespeak entitled “Stop Attacking Fraternities:”

While personally I do not take issue with the frats’ policies regarding gender housing, there was something I found very disturbing about last Tuesday’s Wespeak- specifically, the line in which the authors expressed their desire “to dispel the rumors that somehow, the residential fraternities discriminate against women.”

I would like to make it clear that in fact, institutionalized sexism is in existence at one frat in particular on campus. As long as parties exist at Wesleyan with themes involving “CEOs and Secretary Ho’s” and “Tennis Pros and Ho’s,” etc., then, to put it bluntly, the residential fraternities on this campus are most certainly discriminating against women, and they are doing it rather shamelessly.

If steps have been taken this year to eliminate these parties, then I applaud those involved in ending them (especially if they were taken by the frat). However, if the issue has not been addressed, then there is still work to be done. Also, because of the nature of institutionalized sexism I want to make it clear that I am in no way accusing individual people of being sexists, but rather, I am attempting to make salient a very important problem that I feel is extraordinarily offensive and destructive (and easily remedied).

Women have struggled for centuries to shake off the archaic notion that they are simply objects to be used sexually. On this campus, we have made strides towards acknowledging the full humanity and potential of women as well as in addressing the issues still of past, present, and future feminist struggles. This is why I am shocked that such obvious sexism has been allowed to continue without much vocal protest.

I myself am not against frats, and especially not against their parties. But this unnecessary objectification and sexualization of women must end. As a woman, I am not asking for an end to this blatant sexual discrimination, I am demanding it. There is no need to label parties in this manner; it’s only result is furthering an oppressive mentality towards women.