‘Bama Rush Tok and the Elitism Hiding Behind it
To gain new members, fraternities and sororities do what is referred to as “rushing” or “recruitment.” Originally, members were given invitations and initiated one by one, usually on separate occasions. Over time, as new Greek life organizations formed and got chapter houses that needed to be kept full to pay bills, different fraternities and sororities often competed for the interest of incoming freshmen. The term “rush” comes from the period when groups literally “rushed” to get to the freshman before another organization got to them first. The term “recruitment” is also used often, and it is supposed to signify the active role a chapter takes to find the best members for their organizations.
In the past few years, with the rise of TikTok, fraternities and sororities have been using the app to help recruit new members. This new trend has been referred to as “Rush Tok,” and it has taken over many “FYPs” (For You Pages), especially the University of Alabama sorority rush TikTok, aka “Bama Rush.”
Rush Tok has given insight into how rush week at major universities around the country works. You see a bunch of girls doing “GRWM” (Get Ready with Me) and “OOTD” (Outfit of the Day) videos where they show off what they are wearing and tell you where they bought everything. Videos of girls chanting and marching while wearing matching outfits have gone viral, mostly because it is funny and captivating to watch this almost cult-like behavior. Rush Tok has revealed that it is really just a popularity contest to get into these sororities, but more importantly, it gives a glimpse into the elitist ideologies these organizations promote.
Greek life has a long history of elitism, from having expensive dues that are not affordable, to policies that have contributed to racism and lack of diversity in many Greek organizations, and worst of all, nepotism.
Sororities and fraternities have a long history of not letting in non-white students. About 51.6% of college students in the US are white, and approximately 75% percent of Greek life members are white. These numbers are very disproportionate and help show the lack of diversity in Greek life organizations.
Money being the reason someone can or cannot join a group is very elitist of Greek life. Dues for fraternities and sororities can be hundreds of dollars a month, even over a thousand dollars a semester, making it something that is not accessible to most college students.
Finally, just like any other great elitist group, Greek life has a nepotism problem. Children and relatives of Greek alumni have a better chance of getting a bid for that specific fraternity or sorority because they are considered a “legacy.” Plus, alumni are known to donate to their chapters and organization after they graduate, which definitely helps the chances of relatives or friends getting into the same organization.
