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Stepford math and science students only, please
February 26, 2007

I don’t know what to make of this story, which has reached number 1 on the New York Times’ “most popular” article list: “Worried that a negative stereotype of [DePauw University’s Delta Zeta] sorority was contributing to a decline in membership,” national officers expelled every woman who is overweight, black, Korean, or Vietnamese.

The sorority is seemingly open only to prospective Stepford wives. The article continues, “The dozen students allowed to stay were slender and popular with fraternity men—conventionally pretty women the sorority hoped could attract new recruits.”

The article quotes former members as saying the sorority has traditionally “attracted brainy women, including many science and math majors, as well as talented disabled women.” Said former member and biochemistry major Erin Swisshelm, “I had a sister I could be nerdy about science with. That’s why I liked Delta Zeta, because I had all these amazing women around me.”

Of the 12 invited to stay, the article says, six “were so infuriated they quit.” Good for them.

Update: Here is a February 19 letter from DePauw University president Robert G. Bottoms to Delta Zeta national president Deborah A. Raziano, criticizing the sorority's actions.

Posted by Rick Nelson on February 26, 2007 | Comments (0)