Can You Talk Politics During Sorority Rush? 6 Members Weigh In

Fall 2024 is shaping up to be a very unique time for college students. With the 2024 presidential election drawing near, political tensions are high and many Gen Zers are preparing to vote for the first time. Simultaneously, one of the biggest and most all-consuming events of the start of the semester is finally here: fall rush season. 

The 2024 presidential election and sorority rush don’t seem to have much in common besides the time of year in which they each take place, but just that simple crossover between the two can lead to some trouble. In case you didn’t know, it’s often strongly discouraged for PNMs (potential new members) and active sorority members to talk about politics during sorority rush. This has been an unofficial (and even sometimes official) rule for a long time, but with the way politics have becoming embedding in people’s personalities and belief systems, it seems more timely than ever.

Case in point: A popular acronym some PNMs have been encouraged to remember in recent years is one known as “the 5 Bs.” Each B stands for a topic that PNMs and recruiting members are often strongly advised to avoid: Boys, Booze, Bucks, Bible, and Biden. To translate, conversation topics that are generally considered no-nos include fraternities (with the exception of philanthropy involvement), drinking and partying, money, religion, and — you guessed it — politics.

But why are sorority members and PNMs not supposed to talk about politics? And what if politics are important to your decision in who you align yourself with in college, especially during such a pivotal and polarizing time in the country?

Her Campus asked six active Panhellenic sorority members from all over the U.S. to find out how young women are navigating recruitment in today’s political climate. 

Many believe recruitment and politics don’t mix.

Different sororities may have different policies when it comes to what you can and can’t talk about during the rush process. When it comes to politics, it seems like most college Panhellenic orgs and individual chapters keep their guidelines quiet, as many schools’ Panhel websites don’t specifically mention discussing political topics. It appears most guidelines about rush discussion topics may be shared more directly with current PNMs and recruiting members — likely verbally, during orientation and among rush groups, rather than in written materials publicly available. It’s almost as if even discussing discussions about politics is a bit of a taboo.

Overall, though, one sentiment is commonly shared among sorority members: Avoiding the topic of politics will probably make it easier to connect with people during rush and make recruitment a lot smoother as a whole.

“I don’t see how the discussion of politics is fitting for rush,” Alyona, a member of Phi Sigma Rho at the University of California Los Angeles, says. “The PNMs are learning about the qualities of the sorority and the recruiters are gauging whether they vibe with the PNMs or not. I don’t see how politics can play into that or add anything to the rush process for either side.”

I don’t think you should be direct about giving out your political opinions during rush. We’d rather know your personality and what makes you, you.

Jane*, who goes to school in the Northeast, agrees. “It’s not the point of recruitment; the purpose is to see what true values you hold, not what political side you’re on,” she says. “I don’t think you should be direct about giving out your political opinions during rush. We’d rather know your personality and what makes you, you.”

Some sorority members also point out the fact that there are usually many different political opinions held by various members within each sorority, so talking politics during recruitment can only give you a small sampling of how the members of each house lean. “I believe there are people in every organization who hold a variety of values,” Elizabeth*, a member of Tri Sigma in the Northeast, says. To put it simply: It’s not like an entire sorority will identify as conservative or liberal. 

Overall, many members agree: There are better uses of your limited time at each house than talking about politics. 

“[Political discussions] would take away from time that could be spent getting to know your background,” says Carlee, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta at Syracuse.

Some think it’s possible — and sometimes necessary — to respectfully discuss political beliefs.

It makes sense that people would want to avoid such a controversial subject as politics when just getting to know one another, but some sorority members think talking politics should be allowed, as long as it’s navigated carefully and respectfully.

There’s no need to absolutely ban the conversation topic, but to instead encourage respect

“I think it’s only natural for it to come up in some conversations, especially with how polarizing the values are on both sides,” Amanda, an active member of Gamma Phi Beta at an East Coast school, tells Her Campus. “I feel as though there’s no need to absolutely ban the conversation topic, but to instead encourage respect around others’ beliefs.”

With politics seeping their way into so many aspects of a college student’s daily life, it can be important to some PNMs that their political beliefs are reflected — or, at the very least, respected — within the groups they join. If you’re one of those PNMs, you’re not alone. 

According to Julia, a member of Delta Phi Epsilon at Brandeis University, the politics of the sorority she was joining was at the forefront of her mind during recruitment in the fall of 2022. She says the sorority members she spoke to during rush would gently and discreetly steer conversations away from political subject matter if they started to head in that direction — but she was still able to do a subtle vibe check to figure out where she would feel the most comfortable considering her political values. 

“I think I was partly able to understand some political alignment during recruitment [based on] the philanthropies [the sororities] associate with and raise [money] for, as well as the community service the org does,” she says. “On philanthropy night, we helped to make posters for one of [my sorority’s] semesterly events that raises money for the Eastern Massachusetts Abortion Fund, which is a foundation that obviously leans [in a certain political direction].” 

There are other ways to gauge whether a sorority is a fit for you without directly addressing politics during rush.

There are definitely other ways to help find out if a sorority will be right for you, without navigating a potentially awkward or fraught conversation during rush.

One solid way to help you gauge whether you align with the sorority you’re thinking of joining is by watching how the sisters treat each other. If the members seem genuinely kind to one another, especially in a time as stressful and tense as recruitment can be, that’s a good sign that the group is welcoming, tolerant, and respectful of others, even if they differ from those of other members. 

Also, at a lot of schools, sororities also offer spring recruitment and COB (continuous open bidding), which allow PNMs to join sororities later in the year, and therefore learn more about each sorority before going through the rush process. This gives you more time to get to know members of each sorority (without engaging in dirty rushing, of course), learn each chapter’s reputation (being mindful that not everything you read about sorority “tiers” should be taken to heart), and get to know the causes they support before making the big decision of where you can see yourself fitting in.

All in all, talking about politics is definitely still considered taboo during sorority rush, but in today’s political climate, it’s become increasingly important to make sure you end up somewhere you feel comfortable and safe — so above all, be sure to listen to your gut. 

*Names have been changed to ensure privacy.

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