Concerning the sexism that surrounds Greek Life, one issue is generally looked over: the difference between fraternity and sorority leniency.

Women in Greek Life face male social supremacy in lots of regards: from the extra recruitment fee for sororities to the inability to host many sorority-led social events, the unequal treatment shouldn’t just be accepted. Our generation is making big leaps toward social justice and equality, and the status quo shouldn’t be disregarded as a non-issue just because it’s always been this way.

The obvious imbalance in leniency starts with social events. Take, for example, the laws regarding planned parties and alcohol.

“There is an expectation that all chapter housing facilities will be alcohol-free,” said National Panhellenic Conference Executive Director Dani Weatherford in an email to Washington Post. The writer goes on to say she declined to explain the rule and why it still persists today.

I don’t know about you, readers, but I have a problem following rules that have been put in place for me to follow without reasons to back them up.

Especially on campuses without a bar or club scene, this discrepancy makes fraternities the dominant social space for partying. This is legitimately structural sexism: in order to participate in a fun night with your sorority sisters, you must go to a fraternity house where you will almost certainly be put in at least one uncomfortable position, especially as freshmen.

Although our University does allow 19-year-olds into the bars, lots of other campuses do not have this privilege and are stuck joining the rest of their sorority sisters at fraternities if they want to socialize or go out.

The greater leniency for fraternities gives men an upper hand that often causes women to behave in ways that make them uncomfortable. For example, sorority women may feel obligated to impress fraternity brothers so their sororities may continue to receive invitations to fraternity mixers. And in this environment where students are often drinking, and the men have more power, woman are also much more susceptible to sexual violence.

A study done in 2014 by the University of Oregon indicated that women in Greek life experienced non-consensual sexual violence more frequently than women unaffiliated with Greek life. This makes sense because sorority woman and fraternity men so often have mixers together at fraternity houses.

“Our facilities still remain alcohol free,” Julie Johnson, Panhellenic Committee chairwoman at the National Panhellenic Conference, said in an interview with Huffington Post. “I don’t know why it started as such. It is what it is. I think it makes sense because many of the women who live in the houses are underage.”

Again, the fact that we are still following a rule because “it is what it is” should dumbfound you. This is an unacceptable way of thinking, especially considering the enthusiasm with which our generation has taken on other manifestations of injustice and sexism in society.

Beyond the ludicrous reasoning of “it is what it is,” Julie Johnson states that women who live in houses are underage anyway. Although most sophomores are underage, plenty of juniors and seniors living in sorority houses could be of legal drinking age, yet unable to consume alcohol in their homes.

Since both fraternities and sororities are supposed to be dry, the main problem stems from the adherence to that rule. While sororities are under constant surveillance, most fraternities are not. Sororities often have a live-in house director, or a house mom, whereas very few fraternities have this same position in their houses. This makes it easier to break these rules and consume alcohol.

An IFC regulation protects fraternities from alcohol surveillance unless there is probable cause to think drinking is happening inside the house. Most fraternities will host parties with sororities, but as long as drinking is not clearly evident and no public disturbances are made, the party will never be investigated.

This is a restrictive and sexist continuance of archaic rules. In fact, a movie, “Neighbors 2” picked up on this idea and created a script about girls who created their own sorority, Kappa Nu. In this situation, girls could have a good time in their own home and not feel possible outside pressures from being in a fraternity.

Gender inequality continues to be a significant issue across the country, and changing unfair systems on college campuses that grant full equality to women could make the difference. The Panhellenic Council should grant more leniency to sororities regarding alcohol legislation to restore some of the balance of power to Greek life.

Leah is a sophomore in Media.

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