We've all heard horror stories about sororities hazing during rush — it ranges from verbal abuse and ridicule to physical abuse, like forcing members to consume pills and vomit. A lot of hazing cases are never addressed, but it's hard to ignore the most recent news: According to Jezebel, Kira Kazantsev, Miss America 2014, was kicked out of her sorority, Alpha Phi at Hofstra University, for abusive hazing.
According to a close friend of Kazantsev who tipped Jezebel, the pageant queen was merciless during pledge period.
Under Kira's supervision, according to the source, pledges in the incoming class were called names, berated for their perceived physical flaws and imperfections, and made to perform physical tasks to the point of bruising and exhaustion—standard sorority pledge stuff paid forward by a person who our source says was herself brutally hazed upon entry into Alpha Phi.
The Miss America organization claims that Kazantsev had, in fact, been candid with this information, and despite it was awarded the crown last Monday. A representative issued the following statement to Jezebel about Kazantsev's win and past actions:
Kira has been fully transparent with the Miss America Organization about her termination from the Alpha Phi sorority. It's unfortunate that this incident has been exploited to create a storyline that distracts from what we should be focusing on: Kira's impressive academic achievements at Hofstra University, including earning a triple major from the Honors College and her commitment to serving her community. Kira is an exceptional ambassador for the Miss America Organization, and we are excited to be a part of her journey as a force for good across our nation, promoting education and service and working to empower young women.
While this may be unfortunate for the Miss America Organization, it's also unfortunate that Kazantsev (and surely many before her) didn't comply with Hofstra's hazing policies and was exceptionally abusive during the hazing process, according to a former pledge. Though I understand that not all people and role models are perfect, the ironies here are glaring — especially because her campaign of choice for the pageant was "Love Shouldn't Hurt: Protecting Women Against Domestic Violence." Shouldn't sororities work to empower your fellow sisters and other women, not abuse and degrade them in order for them to prove loyalty? At least that's what I learned from House Bunny.
Head over to Jezebel for more details.
Images: Giphy
