The College Fix

It’s only a small minority that actually cares

Harvard’s Kappa Alpha Theta sorority was recently forced to go gender-neutral by the university, opening its doors to men in order to comply with Harvard’s gender-neutral social club policy. However, the organization will continue to focus on and emphasize the social and professional development of women, staying true to its original mission of “supporting and empowering women on Harvard’s campus.”

Well, duh. It may have eluded the administrators in Harvard’s central office, but: Most students aren’t really all that into silly campus gender politics. It can seem that way sometimes, because the progressive justice warriors on campus are overwhelmingly loud, aggressive and single-minded. But for the most part it is a boutique ideology, largely confined to a few radical campus centers and organizations. Most students might express support for certain parts of gender ideology, but you can be sure they’re not going to live their lives by its insane mandates.

Which is why it is unsurprising that this sorority (renamed Theta Zeta Xi) would maintain its woman-centric mission. News flash: Women’s organizations will tend to focus on women. And more importantly: Women’s organizations will tend to stay women’s organizations, no matter if they’re nominally open to men. It is entirely unlikely that many, if any, young men will join Theta Zeta Xi, and it is even less likely that any of the women in it are particularly desirous of that. That’s not because men and women hate each other, or are incapable of working together; it’s because men and women tend to behave differently, seek different activities and organize themselves into separate groups as a result. There’s nothing wrong with that.

It is understandable why Kappa Alpha Theta went gender-neutral; they were facing stiff and punishing sanctions if they didn’t. But it seems clear that nothing about the group has changed other than the name. Harvard can attempt to artificially engineer gender ideology on its campus, but when it comes down to it, most students simply aren’t interested in it. Can you blame them?

MORE: Harvard Women’s Center to roll out ‘Gender 101’ training courses

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