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Fraternity Semi-Formal: Does Rich’s continuum apply to both genders?

Adrienne Rich, in her article, “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence,” outlines her theory about women, and how every woman exists somewhere on the “lesbian continuum.” Rich’s continuum includes all women, whether they identify as lesbian, straight, or otherwise, and accounts for both sexual and non-sexual experiences between women. As well, some women may move from one point on the spectrum to another during the course of their lives. The idea behind the continuum is that we should “begin to discover the erotic in female terms: as that which is unconfined to any single part of the body or solely to the body itself, as an energy not only diffuse but omnipresent in ‘the sharing of joy, whether physical, emotional, or psychic (650).

This weekend I attended a UBC fraternity semi-formal, and, having read Rich’s article, I believe this was a prime example of how Rich’s continuum can be applied to men as well. The Brothers of this fraternity were definitely well bonded, and fond of each other. The company of the party ranged from new members, to alumni that had come to catch up with old friends and meet new members. There was definitely a warm vibe of comfort around each other, and several acts of care between the boys, despite some of the most stereotypically ‘frat’ boys that were in attendance. This is not to say that the idea of the fraternity is in any way homosexual, although I have definitely heard that being implied by others. What I am trying to point out is that there was a definite continuum to be seen within the fraternity brothers, which demonstrates Rich’s theory of the Lesbian Continuum.

Although the boys had brought dates to the party, with whom they were conversing with and enjoying the company of, it was very apparent that a large part of why they were there was to spend time with each other. Pockets of Brothers were dispersed around the room, each enjoying the evening together in different ways. It was interesting to see the contrast of behaviour with individual Brothers when they were with their dates, versus when they were with their Brothers. Rich explains that women can move from one point in the continuum to another at different points in their lives. What was interesting about the semi-formal was to see how the Brothers were moving along different points in the continuum within one evening. Being at the semi-formal was like seeing Rich’s continuum in fast-forward.

I enjoyed spending the evening with this group. I was able to have a night out with a group of people whilst simultaneously witnessing this theory come alive. Yet one more way that I’ve learnt to incorporate sociology into my daily life!

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Bid Day a UBC Welcome to Guyland

Bid Day.

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Bid Day is the yearly UBC event in which young men discover they have been admitted in to the Greek Fraternity System.  Bid Day is the final segment of the week long RUSH process.  Students who are interest in joining a fraternity apply and go through a long interview like process with the frat’s of their choosing.  On Bid Day they gather at the Student Union Building and go through two rooms one to find which Fraternities have selected them and the second to confirm and sometimes choose their position in 1 frat, if they’ve been accepted into more than one.  If you find your name on the list, you’ve earned your “bid” and are officially admitted to begin your initiation.  The process is very quick and efficient.  It oddly resembles a sports team roster or discovering you’ve been cast the lead in the school play.

There are very few surprises on bid day.  Most of the Rushee’s have a pretty solid idea of where the stand with their first choice of frats.  From what I gathered from talking to active frat members the process is rather straight forward.  The Rushee’s find their name on the list a select few will have names on multiple lists, but for the most part this step is just a matter of formality.   However there are always a few disappointments.  A handful will walk by the lists and not see there name and will have to walk out with some inevitable rejection.

Following identifying your name on the Bid Roster for your desired frat you then make your formal acceptance in a second room where you are greeted by an active member who usually greets you with much enthusiasm and a t-shirt.  Lots of hand shakes, embraces, smiles are in the second room.  However this is not the event.  This is the behind the scenes work.  The backstage.  Bid Day is truly about what happens on the ground, or more specifically that spot in between the side of the Sub and the Aquatic Centre.  Entrance into Guyland (according to UBC Frats) happens there.

I was invited to step onto the balcony upstairs at the SUB to peer down onto the scene unfolding outside.  My perspective of the charade that is Bid Day was from above.  An eye in the sky if you will.  Below me were a lot of young men, or frat boys, congregated in to their respective packs.  Distinguished by their coordinated Fraternity t-shirts or matching attire.  They were all staring at the side door from the basement of the SUB with alarmingly eager anticipation.  Energy is high.

One frat guy comes out of the door in question and gestures for his entourage to come front and centre.  The Phi-Delts distinguished by their navy t-shirts push they’re way to the front of the crowd.  The door bursts open once again and a Phi-Delt rushes out into the mob of navy shirt frat brothers and announces a new member, who quickly follows behind the hype man and is engulfed by a sea of Navy.  The begin chanting in unison and push and shove the new member until finally hoisting him above the mosh pit of Phi-Delts.  These guys are loud.  This is the boisterous frat welcome. (Link to short YouTube clip of Bid Day 2014 t UBC)

This welcoming chanting hoisting embracing phenomenon is repeated many times over.  With each new “pledge” that comes through the door is again welcomed with a thundering chant and exclamation from his new Greek brothers.  This is supposed to mark the moment that officially welcomes them into their new community and certainly the new  dimension to their identity.  I could only imagine what a moment this would be for the newcomers.  I could imagine a whole host of reactions from “This is so awesome!”, to “What is happening!!” or even “What the heck have i gotten myself into” all could be expected.  However for most there was a quick look of shock at just the sheer volume of the chanting which was usually responded with equally excited expressions.  Some newbies cheered, some chanted along (even if they didn’t know the words), so laughed and most just gave animalistic shouts.

To say I was overwhelmed with the energy at Bid Day would be a slight understatement.  I was jaw to ground, fit a tennis ball in my mouth shocked.  More because it was almost equally as energetic and enthusiastic for every single guy that walked out of the door, and this had been going on for over 2 hours, in the middle of the day.  The whole time I was observing what was going on below I just kept thinking to myself “That’s a lot of testosterone.”  Which seems to be quite a normative response to such events because of the chauvinistic hegemonic masculine behaviors I was witnessing.  There was playful aggression, loud barbaric chanting, a sense of competitiveness to see which group could out-do the other, and of course an glorification of the Kimmel’s “guy code” also referred to as the “bro code”, as many of the frats refer to their collective groups as brotherhoods.

I believe the events of Bid Day would fit very well as a case study in Kimmel’s exploration of Guyland.  The sense of passionate unity between the Frat guys and their new recruits was evident.  They wanted to welcome them into their uniform club, not only do they dress the same (with their matching t-shirts), but the chant in unison and follow a strict hierarchy, yet instil a sense of mutual respect as they want the welcome to warm and ego-boosting before the  embarrassing and frankly humiliating initiation rituals begins.  Bid Day is about celebration of brotherhood, and its genesis in young men’s lives.  The whole process is very symbolic, with the emerging from behind closed doors into a swarm of cheering admirers and new peers.  Some would say its as dramatic of a ceremony to say that many of the frat brothers are literally entering a whole new world.  With a unique set of values.  But what Bid Day certainly reiterates is that brothers stick together, from day one.

Many of the frat brothers that I spoke to identified strongly with the Greek system.  Strongly enough to consider being apart of their frat as part of who they are as people.  I believe the electric masculine intensity that Bid Day exalts has a large part to play in the loyalty to Guyland or frats that these young men strongly identify with.

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Meanwhile at the Frat’s: TFM’s and Identity

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The Greek system (fraternities and sororities) is a massive North American college institution with strong ties to UBC.  Beta house located at Wesbrook Mall, was kind enough to allow me to spend some time visiting the house, getting to know their members, traditions and culture.  I began my investigation by attending a preliminary RUSH event, which consisted of current members meeting and touring potential recruits around the house.  My primary purpose was to build some rapport with the Beta Brothers and get to know their culture as a frat and see what such a collective identity looks like. One of the defining features of the fraternity system which I think most of its appeal to outsiders originates from, is the relationship between tradition and secrecy.  Much of the recruitment, initiation and governing traditions of Beta function only through a collective code of confidentiality.  While the brothers were very open and anxious to chat and teach me about their history and culture certain questions are never given a straight answer. However what I believe sets fraternities apart from other campus groups is language.  There is such a decisive and exclusive vocabulary within the house, I found myself constantly asking for clarification.  The whole Greek system in general works on a specified vocabulary, as well as the Beta brothers specifically use their own unique plethora of slang terms.  However while the language can easily work to alienate outsiders they held very little reservations on getting me up to speed on some of their favourite words and phrases.  What I found particularly interesting was that while their language worked to set them apart from other groups it also worked to establish their identity and provide them with a space to respond to the ever present negative frat stigma. Total Frat Move according to urbandictionary.com is an expression “used in response or to describe an action of a male who exudes all things fraternity”.  Beta house specifically described TFM’s as a response to the negative stereotypes and stigma that they feel is undeservingly projected onto them.  This stigma they feel is justified, by the greater student population, solely based on their membership to the Greek system.  If you are at a loss for an image of stereotypical frat guy, please watch Jimmy Tatro’s YouTube video.  As one brother explained to me that he could not even begin a conversation with a girl without her immediately assuming he was only speaking to her having premeditated their night would end in bed.  This was revealed to me with much frustration and even as a sort of plea.  The boys were constantly referring to me as “the snitch” or “investigator”, even though I reassured them that while the underlying purpose of my presence was for a class project I primarily had a general interest in what frat culture looked like from the inside.  There was a definitely a hint of defensiveness regarding my presence. While testosterone levels in the house are high and the language utilized is full of acronyms and exclusive slang, you could not help but admit there was a definite self-deprecating sense of humour  in everything they did.  They are far more self-aware of their stigma, then they think people realize.   They explained that as opposed to doing everything in their power to reverse this “douchey” stereotype they chose to exemplify it.  This exemplification of the frat boy stereotype is accomplished by TFM-ing.  Instead of just going to gym in tank tops with their pre-work out in hand and keep it to themselves like any other tank top wearing gym going frat boy would do, they make a game of it.  One frat brother explained to me that sometimes they’ll set up a bench press in the front yard and have guys “work out” as people walk past on their way to class or getting off the bus.  The brothers revel in the exasperated expressions, the eye rolling, and snickering they receive from onlookers.  Simply put, they find it hilarious, less out of how ridiculous they are actually acting but hilarious in the fact that people think they’re taking themselves seriously.  Such activities bring the boys together in a sort of ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mentality, or at least that helps validate the behaviour on the surface.  They’d rather spend their energy giving people the fuel they want as opposed to fighting against a deeply engrained reputation. BETA house gathers a lot of their identity from playing along with what everyone thinks about them.  To quote Goffman, “it is this against something that the self  can emerge.”  The BETA brothers to an extent have flipped this on its head.  It is a sort of acceptance of people’s assumptions and the exaggeration of what people want frat guys to be that has driven BETA’s common identity.  The find camaraderie  in being the butt of people’s jokes.  Total frat moves give them the self awareness to see what other people assume.

 

KC

References: Goffman, E. (1961). Asylums: Essays on the social situation of mental patients and other inmates. Garden City, N.Y: Anchor Books.

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