Phi Mu resigned membership over 'nipple' swimsuit top

[amIblue?]

I got a slight sniff of fame whore after reading this article again. It's not like Phi Mu ran to People. It says she voluntarily resigned. What I surmise from that is that rather than go to a standards conference when school is back in session, she resigned. I don't know, but I'm sure that Phi Mu operates similarly to my org in that getting called into standards doesn't always equal consequences.

Yes, it was set to private, but most of my collegiate girls have friends/followers in the hundreds if not thousands. Questionable pics get shared around campus like the bird flu.

I think this whole stupid thing (and it is stupid and tacky) could have been handled differently, but I would have advised my VPS to call her in to have a chat about it if women in the chapter were concerned about it.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

I got a slight sniff of fame whore after reading this article again.

Personally, I needed a gas mask, but YMMV.

[zmv]

Tbh: there has to be more to this story than "wear a bathing suit -> told to go to standards board -> resign" people just don't resign over things like that. Although then again I'm surprised when people threaten to resign for any sort of things that aren't epic levels of sisterhood betrayal or a serious conflict in beliefs/values.

[robinseggblue]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

It seems like she's resigned her membership over the right to wear a tacky swim top. If I were her, I would have stood up for myself instead of resigning.

I have to believe that there are plenty of sorority women who have visited topless beaches while abroad, and who have actually gone topless.

I think Phi Mu would consider that a problem from their statement to Cosmo.

Lauren Forsythe is a former member of the Theta Chapter of Phi Mu Fraternity at Belmont University. Lauren voluntarily relinquished her Phi Mu membership by submitting a resignation letter to the Chapter President; that paperwork was processed at the Headquarters on August 14, 2015.
When Lauren was a member of the Theta Chapter, the Chapter President asked Lauren to remove a photo from Instagram because it appeared in the photo that Lauren was topless. As a (then) member of Phi Mu, Lauren was held to the same expectations of all collegiate members in representing their chapter and the organization, including, from the Phi Mu Fraternity Policy on Human Dignity/Noble Womanhood: "Members should emulate the highest standards of conduct at all times."
The National Headquarters became aware of the photo and this situation on August 12, 2015, after the Chapter President and Chapter Adviser had both addressed the matter with Lauren. The Chapter President and Adviser handled the situation appropriately.
Disciplinary matters are handled internally by collegiate chapters during the academic year. Lauren did not go through any disciplinary process prior to relinquishing her Phi Mu membership.​

If the problem was appearing topless (even though she wasn't) then wouldn't being topless also be a problem? It wouldn't fit with their standards of conduct.

[Hartofsec]

Would a tasteless instagram pic like this be problematic for a PNM going through recruitment? Probably. See stickies.

Especially at a small southern Christian college? Yes.

Why should she expect a pass on the other side as an active?

Stupid hill to die on for 5 minutes of attention, IMO, especially for someone who has never even breastfed a child. But hey, now she is free to accomplish great things freeing nipples everywhere. Perhaps she should start with her own by ditching the tacky top.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

Stupid hill to die on for 5 minutes of attention, IMO, especially for someone who has never even breastfed a child.

Yup, nobody should ever stand up for anything that doesn't personally affect them. That has always worked out well for society.

[Hartofsec]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Yup, nobody should ever stand up for anything that doesn't personally affect them. That has always worked out well for society.

So you are equating the Free the Nipple movement with what? Civil rights? Gender equality? Are women being discriminated against because their nipples are imprisoned?

Don't worry. Miley Cyrus has it covered. Or uncovered, as it turns out.

Some causes are worth a sacrifice, but this girl wasn't even committed enough to present her case to the chapter. She just ditched in favor of 5 minutes of fame.

[robinseggblue]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

Some causes are worth a sacrifice, but this girl wasn't even committed enough to present her case to the chapter. She just ditched in favor of 5 minutes of fame.

I think you're wrong.

Guessing she could tell where the wind was blowing and approx how the meeting was gonna go. And that it was prolly going to end in them telling her to take the picture down...which she didn't wanna to do because she believes in it.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by Hartofsec

So you are equating the Free the Nipple movement with what? Civil rights? Gender equality?

Well, that wasn't my point at all, but yes, it is indeed an argument for gender equality, unless we stop allowing men to show nipples in public.

[Hartofsec]

This reminded me of a situation at Bama around 35 years ago. Anyone else remember this?

Playboy published a pictorial, featuring coeds from around the SEC, and three (there may have been others) were (or had been) affiliated with Bama sororities. The Alpha Chi was photographed in regular street clothes, so nothing happened to her as far as her chapter membership was concerned (her daughter is currently at Bama but pledged a different chapter). The KD and the Alpha Gam were photographed showing breasts (plus a little more for one, actually). The KD used a different last name in the magazine, but had disaffiliated from her chapter a while before the pictorial anyway – so no chapter consequences there either. The Alpha Gam was either not very active or graduated, but supposedly her pin was lifted following the Playboy pics.

Interestingly, at the time, women who identified as feminists spoke out against Playboy and these women who posed for the SEC feature. I don’t know what perspective feminists would have on this today, but it made me wonder.

[Munchkin03]

I wonder if she was considering leaving her organization anyway, and thought this was a good way to go out.