‘#MeToo, Now What?’: Boston University Chapter Wants to be at the Forefront of Tough Conversations
The chapter at Boston University co-sponsored an event related to the #MeToo movement and hypermasculinity during the school’s Sexual Assault Awareness Week.
When it comes to accusations of sexual assault and hypermasculinity, fraternities are a soft target. Rightfully so, Boston University junior Matt Cron said.
That’s why Cron and the rest of his chapter at BU are standing up and speaking out.
“We need to be looking at this introspectively. How can we be better? How can we be a better part of society? How can we be better on our college campuses?,” said Cron, a finance and journalism major and his chapter’s High Alpha.
Fraternities can’t just ignore what’s happening in our country, he says. That’s not going to fix the public’s perception, and it’s certainly not going to fix the problem.
“We can show people that not all fraternities are turning a blind eye to this,” he said.
Alpha Zeta encourages all associate members to participate in Step Up Step In BU classes, which teach them how to be pro-intervention bystanders. Cron said all active members have been through at least one part of the two-part program.
The chapter also co-sponsored an event during Sexual Assault Awareness Week at the school, where they showed the documentary, “#MeToo, Now What?” and hosted a panel discussion about it.
“BU is very advanced in their ways of tackling these issues,” he said.
“Our chapter wants to be at the forefront of making sure that we too are cognizant of hypermasculinity,” he continued. “We’re doing everything we can to train our brothers to, at the very least, understand the conversations that are happening.”
When the university reached out to the chapter about co-sponsoring the event, it was almost a unanimous yes, Cron said.
“Everyone really wanted to be a part of this. Not every fraternity does this.”
These issues expand beyond BU’s New England campus, though. That’s why Cron encourages other Lambda Chi Alpha chapters around the nation to get involved, too.
“Go to your student activities office. Go to your Greek advisor. Sit down with your administration. You don’t have to have a large-scale event to make an impact,” he said. “Post on social media. Wear a T-shirt. Do whatever you can. But ignoring conversations like this isn’t going to do anything. And the thing is, people want to hear Greek Life’s opinion. They want to understand our side. You can’t fear the public. They want to see you taking steps forward and being a part of the conversation. If you do that, they will help you do it.”
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