'I Chose My Frat Because It's the Least Fratty One,' Insists Frat Boy

Chase Cavanaugh is not like other frat boys.

"Yeah, I'm in a frat. But I'm not really into fratty stuff," he explained on a chilly Wednesday afternoon as he leaned back comfortably into the threadbare faux leather couch perched on the porch of his chapter house. A junior in the College and member of Kappa Delta Phi, Cavanaugh is irked by negative associations between fraternity houses and toxic masculinity.

"Other frats are definitely bad. But this frat? It's just different," Cavanaugh said, adjusting the collar on his pastel Hawaiian shirt. "My little is gay. We have, I think, one or two Asian brothers. So, we're not sexist or racist or homophobic. Just a bunch of boys who love to goof off and chill together."  

When asked why he chose to partake in Greek life at all, Cavanaugh responds as he always does: "I honestly only rushed because it's the least fratty frat."

"I mean, look, dude," he continued, "I'm an English major. I love 19th-century literature, watching Broad City, and ripping the bong with the boys. Other frats are so much worse. When I hear about toxic frat culture in my frat, I have no clue what people are talking about. It's all Greek to me."

To students who feel the urge to make snap judgments about fraternity members, Cavanaugh has some choice words. "I just want people to look past the stereotypes," he said. "Yeah, we like to play beer pong. Occasionally we'll bump some lines and destroy our own furniture. But we have other interests, too. I love my boys, but I'm also my own person. Here, we're all just a bunch of sensitive, chill guys. We're really only in it for the cheap alcohol and the friendship."

"I'm a boy in a frat. Not a frat boy."