[23463] in APO-L
Re: [APO-L] Gendered toast Song
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Carrie Edwards)
Sun Jan 19 10:43:55 2003
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 10:43:46 -0500
Reply-To: WVCareBear@aol.com
From: Carrie Edwards <WVCareBear@aol.com>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
As someone who never speaks up on issues on here, I thought for once I would play devil's advocate on this one. I have heard many arguments for and against changing the toast song, one thing that unites all chapters and is something we all should have in common is our toast song. I thought I'd share some ideas... whether or not they are my own, they do offer another viewpoint.
Think about this: Are you upset that it is said "All Men Are Created Equal?" What about women? Does that statement mean that only men should be treated equally in America. How about "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Does that mean that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon only for the benefits of men and mankind, not women. There are many historical references calling Americans or groups of people (other countries included) "men," not meaning it to be gender specific. Should we press our legislators every year to re-write the Declaration of Independence, Bill of rights, US Constitution, or have Neil Armstrong fly back to the moon and re-tape his first steps and quote to make it gender-neutral? Some things have the same significance no matter which words are used to describe.
As for the sorority versions of the toast song... they might have been acceptable if:
1) men and women as a group had ever been referred to as "sisters"
2) the fraternity had been founded by women, as a sorority
Carrie Marcum
Alumnus- Lambda Omicron
