Grow up, frat guys
As enthralling and intellectually stimulating as my Latin American Politics class continually proves itself to be (no really, it is), on sunny September days after lunch the mind has a tendency to relax, the eyes a propensity to wander. On several occasions lately I’ve found myself casually pondering the arcane meanings of verbose graffiti scrawled on the backs of chairs in front of me.
My favorite vandal pronouncement so far is a bit too graphic to reproduce here without offending certain delicate University Park sensibilities. Let it suffice to say that it involves two messages, each one describing the members of one SMU fraternity engaging in sexual activity with the members of another, presumably rival, fraternity. The particular activities described are probably illegal in several states.
Why on Earth would I find such juvenilia even mildly interesting, much less thought-provoking to the point of being worth writing 600-800 words about, you ask? Well the whole idea of the proclamations seems a little bit contradictory. Here’s why.
My experience with fraternity members at a school where approximately 40% of the undergraduate student population is greek casts the organizations in question as pinnacles of traditional American maleness. Not only at SMU, but at universities all over the country, the image that commonly accompanies membership in collegiate fraternal organizations often epitomizes the stereotypical macho, manly, masculine, “frat guy” elements of our social culture. Beer-guzzling, woman-chasing, fight-picking, rowdy guys in white baseball caps, right? Unfair stereotypes? Perhaps. But one thing I think we can be fairly sure of– most fraternities are not generally known to be loyal proponents of gay rights, much less advertise their willful engagement in homoerotic relationships.
So what’s with the graffiti? Is the IFC working on a new PR campaign to try to actively recruit gay members to add a little diversity to the fraternity lifestyle? Have the rumors that frats are really just secret gay societies that operate under the clever ruse of ultra-heterosexist fronts been true all along? I would feel pretty comfortable betting the farm that neither of these suggestions reveals the motivation behind the colorful language on the back of a chair in Hyer 116. In fact, I foresee angry letters from frat members decrying the very ideas as blasphemy.
The point of the messages is clear. They are intended to degrade, dehumanize, and insult through the suggestion of homosexuality. Sex between two men is presented as an assertion of power and a declaration of ownership. The idea is destructive, dangerous, and downright barbaric. Not only does its tone rank homosexuality as a freakish display of human deficiency, but it depicts sexual activity in general as a method of control, a celebration of brutality. It should be noted that the fraternity members assuming a more “passive” role in the activities described were implied to be the inferiors.
I’m sure (I hope) that the author of the statements being discussed does not speak for all, or maybe even most, fraternity members. I realize that there are certainly tolerant, accepting and sympathetic men in fraternities who would welcome gay members (aren’t there?). But one overwhelming message that many fraternities seem to exude, whether intentionally or not, through graffiti or otherwise, is one of sexual violence, toward both men and women. Another is rabid homophobia. I find it difficult to envisage how these ideas fit in with fraternities’ publicly declared values of leadership, brotherhood, and public service.
I imagine that much of this comes as no surprise to many readers. Fraternity members are for the most part not oblivious to the nuances of their public image and its meanings and consequences. As fall upperclassmen recruitment continues, I challenge the SMU greek community to evaluate the messages it sends regarding issues such as diversity and healthy sexual behavior. In theory and in practice, consider what ideas about respect, equality and acceptance are being inculcated to new pledges, and reinforced by veteran members. For those who aspire to be leaders in the communities, businesses, and organizations in our society of the future, values of sensitivity and tolerance are essential.
