Fraternity Changes Cancer Charity Event After Claims of Sexism and Elitism

Article here. Excerpt:

'In response to negative feedback from sororities about the sexism and elitism that occurred during earlier Derby Days, the Cornell chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity made efforts to improve this year’s event with a series of reforms, including the elimination of a controversial brotherhood auction.

Derby Days is an event hosted annually by Sigma Chi chapters nationwide to raise money for the fraternity’s philanthropy, the Huntsman Cancer Institute. This year’s event will take place from April 29 to May 4.

A member of a sorority — who asked to maintain anonymity since she felt uncomfortable being identified — told The Sun that she found Derby Days “disrespectful” in general when she attended the brotherhood auction event in 2015. The auction was a talent show in which girls would bid on the brothers based on their talents.'

Like1 Dislike0

Comments

... a fraternity does an auction based on a brother's talents. For example, a guy gets on stage and plays guitar. He's really good so sorority girls bid on him. Now he isn't being auctioned like a slave. The winner is bidding to give money to a charity *and getting nothing else in return*.

Not even a date.

And ONE girl in a sorority complains about it because it "fosters competition among sororities". To do what, give away money?

So it isn't the guys complaining that any kind of auction of them in any way is a problem. It's one sorority girl and she is saying it's bad *for the sorority girls*. And further it has "overtones of sexism". Yes maybe, sexism vs. men. Can an auction of men in some way be sexist against women? Apparently.

And the fraternity is agreeing.

The more cynical part of me makes me think this is simply a way to get out of "looking cheap" by not participating. Why not simply state publicly that you don't like the auction format because it's basically too pricey and something else would allow greater flexibility for potential donors, or some crap like that.

SMH.

Like2 Dislike0