I’m going to be honest with you. When I saw previews for the sorority-based horror-comedy show "Scream Queens" as they emerged this summer, I was ready to ream the show right off the bat. From first glance, it looked like a surface-level “what Hollywood thinks Greek life is in college” program. With references to “hell week," hazing, and house parties all within two-minute trailers, I was immediately annoyed and wanted to say something. However, I thought it would be best to at least watch the first episode before jumping to concrete judgments on the show.
Within the first five seconds of the program, I was hit by a wave of every college scene portrayed since the beginning of time. #Flashback to a party in a huge house filled with red solo cups and people screaming because their song just came on, how original. Then, *gasp* someone has a causal pregnancy in the bathtub and dies mysteriously. #Flashforward to present day and the college is struck with another angsty yet comedic murder mystery on their hands just in time for rush week, how Greek.
The show then dramatically dives into the hatred of sororities from those not in them, with a direct quote from the Dean of the college in the show being, “I’m going to be honest, I hate sororities and I hate you” in reference to a chapter’s president. Let’s also not forget the trendy baristo/investigative reporter who hates sororities, as well as the sorority that the stereotypical “freshman trying to find her way in college by following her mother’s footsteps by joining the same sorority” wants to join, Kappa Kappa Tau.
I was personally struck by choice to use Kappa Kappa Tau as the brattiest, “rich b****”, only wears Chanel, has members named Chanel" sorority because it’s name is so close to my own chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma. The striking resemblance of the Greek letters KKG to KKT is just the difference between covering up the capital G of the capital T. With such a visual similarity, it is no wonder the general public connects the two. From viewers of the show reflecting what they see on this program to their conceived notion of my chapter, to questions personally asked on “Is that show based of Kappa Kappa Gamma?” it is sad that I have to defend my chapter, along with Greek life as a whole, based on a horror-comedy show.
Maybe it’s just me, but I feel as though every other article about sorority life these days is either blasting it or defending its honor. The problem with television programs, even over-the-top dramatic television programs such as "Scream Queens," is that viewers don’t know the line between what is real and what is fake. The general public then ask, is sorority life really that crazy and bad just because of what they saw on scripted horror-comedy programming? It’s not like we kill our presidents if we don’t like them, our nationals are far from stupid, and we do not scream if we don’t get our pumpkin spice lattes (well, at least I don’t).
Maybe I have a glossy, sugar-coated view on the sorority life, but I have never felt more at home, welcomed, and happy than I have been within my chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma and Greek life as a whole. That could be due to the fact that there isn’t a serial killer on the loose looking to kill sorority members like in "Scream Queens," but I’d like to think it’s due to the sisterhood I have found with these amazing women in my chapter and community. Now I know a TV show of cheery sisterhood bonding may not get the views that snooty girls and killing sprees get, but maybe if Hollywood takes the time to sprinkle in a little more accuracy when it comes to all that is Greek life, society may not have as skewed of opinions. But who knows? Maybe next episode will tell a different tale.
