Content Warning: This story deals with topics of substance abuse, rape and hazing.
When University of Maryland alum Lucy Taylor launched her podcast “SNAPPED” in 2020, it was about her Greek life story. More than three years later, it’s grown into the story of 36 different men and women across the United States.
As of Sept. 4, the podcast had more than 450,000 downloads across 13 episodes. Taylor launched season three on Aug. 16; a year-and-a-half after season two finished airing. Season 3, likely the last, consists of eight episodes based on interviews Taylor completed with dozens of people.
“I gave my all to these episodes,” Taylor told The Diamondback. “That’s what I would want to do if I continued this, and the only way that I would be able to continue this is if it were to turn into a paid, full-time job.”
“SNAPPED” newest season opens with “Sister Watch,” an episode where Taylor discusses the false nature of sisterhood Greek life portrays. The other episodes cover chapter dues, hazing, away weekends and the idea that “Greek life isn’t for everyone.”
Former Zeta Tau Alpha sister Kirsten Hernandez was one of the founders of her chapter at California State University Long Beach. This new chapter, she said, had a genuine interview process.
The next year, when it was time for the next rush class, Hernandez felt that girls who did not fit the stereotypical sorority girl standard were being phased out.
When she left the sorority in May 2017, Hernandez instantly made 100 enemies, she said.
“I came to campus, I avoided everyone, did not participate in activities, and then I left because I felt like I had no choice for my safety,” Hernandez said.
Tori Riingen, an Alpha Delta Pi sister and former alumni advisor, described a similar mentality at the University of San Diego.
Riingen served as the recruitment chair for her sorority before graduating in 2015. At one point, she said, the sorority was divided into two factions: those who wanted their chapter to become popular and those who valued sisterhood.
As a student, she helped establish systems that promoted the former, encouraging the sorority to “up their image.”
“It took me graduating and realizing the toxicity of that to come back and really want to change things,” Riingen said.
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Reputation and connections are important to Greek life organizations, Micaela Moreland emphasized.
Moreland was in Zeta Tau Alpha at Stetson University and graduated in December 2022. She came into college searching for a community, but was soon disappointed.
“I don’t think they ever gave me a sense of belonging,” she said. “It always felt like I was an outsider looking in.”
When she was initiated into her sorority, Moreland experienced a panic attack while her “big” held her down, allowing her and other members to be roofied by fraternity members at a party.
Later, when multiple sisters were roofied at a party, the president forced them to continue interacting with the fraternity.
When Moreland reported the incident to the Title IX office at her university, they were dismissive.
“These are all real situations with real students being affected,” Moreland said. “And we’re doing nothing to fix it.”
Before disaffiliating, Hernandez also knew of 20 sexual assault cases from fall 2016 to fall 2017. Each time one would occur, her colleagues suggested that they decide as a “Greek council” to report the incident to advisors and national chapters instead of administration or police.
“I was reprimanded a lot for thinking that way,” she said.
But there weren’t many solutions outside of the Greek life system either, Hernandez said. Two girls she knew reported their sexual assault incidents to the campus’ Title IX office, and their process that took more than a year.
Riingen said there was a similar trend at her university. Many sorority sisters were mandatory reporters, so they couldn’t trust each other, Riingen said.
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Riingen believes Greek life should be abolished, and gained this mentality, partially, from “SNAPPED.” The podcast, Riingen added, shines a light on issues sororities want to keep quiet.
“SNAPPED” is a product that can be picked up at any time and continued. It will always be something people can return to.
Hernandez said “SNAPPED” has been a cathartic experience for her and helped her warn others about a “life-damaging thing.”
“There’s a chance you might have fun, you might make friends for your life, but there’s also a chance that you might see some shit that you wish you’d never seen, there’s some shit you experience that you wish you would have never experienced,” Hernandez said. “I would do anything to get that four years of my life back, to redo that four years of my life and I can’t and it’s gonna haunt me forever.”
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated that Moreland was roofied when being initiated into her sorority. She was roofied during a bid night party. This story has been updated.
