Sorority Sisters: A Review of the Criticism

Hey everybody!!! I am glad to be back for a minute to discuss the craziness going on in pop culture.  If you were on Twitter or Facebook on Monday night, you probably saw a lot conversations surrounding Sorority Sisters.  Sorority Sisters is a VH1 reality show following 9 women from each of the 4 historical black sororities.  Needless to say, Black Greek members and others in the black community were none too happy about the premiere of this show.

Source: hellobeautiful.com

Let me go on the record by saying that I'm not a fan of the Mona Scott Young franchise.  Mostly because her shows bore me.  Every show (Love & Hip Hop ATL, Love & HIp Hop New York, Love & Hip Hop Hollyood) is about wannabes clubbing and fighting.  Ain't nobody got time for that. But when I heard she was going to do a show about sororities, I was like "Wow.  Mona Scott Young will stop it nothing to get these coins."  So yea, I already knew that I was going to watch the first episode at the very least.

The only review I have of this show is that if I had it on mute I couldn't tell the difference between this or Love & Hip Hop or Basketball Wives.  Same weaves, same over contouring make-up,  same Forever 21 outfits, same leopard pumps : the formula for showcasing basic chicks.  Honestly, I'm not sure I'm interested enough to tune in next week.

However, what I'm more interested in is the criticism the show is receiving.  Black Greek life can be a very touchy subject.  Mostly, Black Greeks don't like non-Greeks discussing it unless you are praising their organizations.  Don't discuss the at time tragic hazing incidents or the elitist attitudes that some of them  carry.  Just praise them for the good community service work they do.  Okay...

On Twitter, some tried to start a boycott of VH1 and the companies who advertised during the first episode of Sorority Sisters.  So I can't get my pasta bowl from Olive Garden because they had a commercial during Sorority Sisters?? Or I can't rock comfy Fruit of the Loom underwear because you mad that VH1 put your sorority on front street? Don't blame Fruit of the Loom cause your sister showed up to the auditions.  Not one gun was put to the head of these women to join the show.  The producers are not holding them hostage to show out in front of the cameras.  All 9 of them, willingly, chose to participate in this show.  It sounds like you need to be finding them on Facebook and giving them a stern, but respectful, DM and leave me to my never-ending pasta bowl.  

My face when people want me to boycott food and underwear

Another part of this criticism that is confusing to me is how people are acting like Black Greek Life is too sacred to be  showcased in this format.  Last year, I wrote a piece on my disgust of how Preachers of L.A. was turning Christianity into a cheap spectacle that was misleading people about what the Bible really teaches.  Even though I heard a few objections to the aforementioned show, it was nowhere near the belly aching I have heard about Sorority Sisters.  Am I to believe that people are more upset about their organization being embarrassed than at Oxygen for mocking God whom they claim to owe their life to?

I don't believe that some Black Greeks are mad that they are being exploited.  I believe they are more upset that they are being knocked off that high pedestal they have put themselves on for so long.  As I mention earlier, Black Greeks don't like you talking about them unless you are praising them.  This makes them feel special, like they are a special breed.  However, this show is doing every thing but praising them.  So now we are seeing that they can be just a loud and brash as the rest of us. Fancy that...

As a blogger and someone who will be starting another business soon, I get wanting to protect your brand or reputation.  I also understand that these organizaton have years of history of sisterhood and service.  But I have a feeling that this particular situation is more about keeping up appearances than brand protection.  

What were your thoughts about the first episode of Sorority Sisters?