Sisterhood, Spirituality, and Self: How Women Negotiate Hybrid Femininities in Sorority Selection at a Faith-Based University
Level of Education of Students Involved
Undergraduate
Faculty Sponsor
Margarita Rayzberg
College
College of Arts & Sciences (CAS)
Discipline(s)
Sociology and Criminlogy
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Symposium Date
Spring 4-24-2025
Abstract
There is limited research exploring how women evaluate the costs and benefits associated with different expressions of femininity. However, sorority life offers a clear example of a space where women actively contemplate their roles and the type of gender performance they wish to embody. Drawing on 10 interviews with women in sororities at a small, private, religious institution, I investigated how they negotiate their femininities. Replicating Ispa-Landa and Oliver’s (2020) study, I hypothesized that sororities maintain an agreed-upon tier system, where top-tier sororities are expected to adhere to social constraints and expectations to be deemed more desirable. In contrast, middle- and bottom-tier sororities have greater freedom but are perceived as less desirable for not conforming to these top-tier standards. To build on their research, I explored whether faith plays a role in women’s decision-making processes. While the interviews revealed evidence of sorority rankings and the negotiation of different ideal versions
Recommended Citation
Vela, Noemi, "Sisterhood, Spirituality, and Self: How Women Negotiate Hybrid Femininities in Sorority Selection at a Faith-Based University" (2025). Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 1364.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/cus/1364
Biographical Information about Author(s)
Noemi is a senior double-majoring in Sociology and Spanish and planning to pursue an MSW next fall. She has been actively involved both on and off campus, including leadership roles in student organizations and internships focused on youth development Her experiences have solidified her passion for advocacy and community-building, and she aspires to help underserved communities reach their full potential. Noemi became interested in her research topic after reading a study on sororities and thought replicating it at Valparaiso University, which has a unique structure, would be an exciting endeavor.