By Smaktakula

The women of Zeta Tau Alpha made history recently when they were awarded first-place at Step Off, a prestigious step competition hosted by Sprite.  What makes this victory historic is that step dance, a synchronized dance routine typically performed by nine women, has long been exclusively an African-American tradition.   Zeta Tau Alpha is a white sorority.               

Critics of Zeta Tau Alpha’s victory say that this is just one of many instances in a long history of culture theft by whites.  Furthermore, these critics contend that while the art form’s exposure to a wider, multi-racial audience is certainly to be desired, the potential for non-black dancers to win is not.  It is an insult, they say, for a white sorority to be awarded first place.              

A brief explanation of the difference between white and black sororities.  White sororities, which by virtue of being white are more exclusionary, are open to women of all races, and include many African-Americans.  Black sororities, in an effort to preserve diversity, are exclusively African-American.              

The people who don’t want white girls in step dancing would like you to know that they are merely preserving their proud cultural heritage, and despite so many marked similarities, are not at all like the evil bigots who strove to keep Jackie Robinson out of the Major Leagues.           

WWJRD?

There was a great deal of grumbling over Zeta Tau Alpha’s victory, but the judges’ decision signalled that the art form was ready to embrace diversity and celebrate its coming-of-age in the wider culture.          

White Sororities Are Exclusionary

Black Sororities Promote Diversity

Despite the furor from groups who thought it wrong that a white sorority won, the judges stuck to their guns.  For a week.  Then they realized they’d made an unspecified scoring error of some sort and called it a tie.              

Critics of merit-based solutions hailed this as “a victory for all people who value equality and fairness above talent and hard work.  The squeaky wheel really does get the grease!”         

Bravo, ladies.

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