For those of us still in high school or not part of a big university yet, things like sororities and fraternities can be exciting to some and nerve-wracking to others. For some, those might bring back some good (or bad) memories from their young adulthood. ?However, members?of the Alpha Chi Omega chapter?at the University of Southern California just received a rude awakening in their inboxes. In order to remain in their sorority, they must wear Spanx!
Above, you’ll see the handy-dandy picture included in the email that shows why Spanx are so “essential” to living.
First leaked on?Jezebel, this 2013 email gives the girls clear instructions on how to do their hair and makeup to ensure that they don’t make themselves “less beautiful than they actually are.” This requires?that members not only wear the “essential” Spanx but also not to change their hair color, hair style, eyebrow shape, and requires them to wear at least eight different items of makeup or else the sorority chair will “stop you and apply it myself,” regardless if you’re running late or not.
Here’s a section of the email regarding hair:
“Note: if you have straight hair and you want to wear it curly, don’t. Your hair needs to be able to hold for 15 hr days and hairspray crunchy or limp hair is not acceptable. Also, get some heat protectant and shine spray. Damaged, frizzy hair is not going to attract PNMs [potential new members]. If you have bangs, they need to be styled correctly. If they’re long and you’re afraid they’re going to be in your face the whole time, get some bobbi pins that match your hair color (except on house tours day/door chant, obvi). We don’t want to look ?emo? or like we’re actually trying to flirt with PNMs by touching our hair all the time.”
Yes, because I’m sure what will scare potential members away from this sorority is something as horrifying as flirty hair fingering…
Also, in case you were suffering from low self-esteem because of your bushy eyebrows, the sorority chair doesn’t hesitate to make you feel worse about them and how you should stop being “less beautiful than you actually are!”
“Eyebrows shape your face. Bad eyebrows will make you look less beautiful than you actually are! Your eyebrows need to look neat (as in not messy) for recruitment. I know ?full? eyebrows are in style right now, but ?full? does not mean ?BUSHY? or ?WILD.?? Alternatively, if you have SPARSE eyebrows then you need to fill them in.”
Okay, okay… this obviously leads us to ask some serious questions. Why is this type of attitude allowed on a campus environment? Who taught these girls that this is the meaning of “beautiful”? Why does society’s attitude towards women completely support the content of the email? Is this what we want to teach the children of tomorrow as the adults of today?
College can be a place full of wonders, nightmares, and every little bit?in between. It’s supposed to be a period of adventure and growing. I’m sorry (not sorry) Alpha Chi Omega, but sisterhood should be determined by the content of the sister not the content of their makeup bag.
