Facebook/Shannon WorkmanTinder is throwing its support behind a university student who was kicked out of her sorority for displaying the organisation’s letters in her Tinder profile photo.
Shannon Workman, a student at the University of Nebraska Omaha, posted an innocent picture of herself and two of her ‘sisters’ wearing shirts that read ‘Sweet Home Chi Omega’ on her Tinder profile.
But Chi Omega told Workman that the photo was ‘risqué’ and ‘provocative’ and that it violated the sorority’s ‘Human Dignity’ – a rule that says members can not post photos wearing their letters on any platform that would bring ‘disrespect to the chapter’, Workman told NY Daily News.
This is the photo:
FacebookHowever, Workman disagreed, saying that she does not use the platform for hookups and did not understand what she did wrong. When asked to remove the photo, she did immediately.
The 20-year-old was asked to come to a meeting, anyway, however, and after claiming she was being disrespectful, combative and had a bad attitude for disagreeing, the sorority began their ‘membership revocation’ procedure. Workman decided she had enough, though, and quit.
While it’s disgraceful that a student can be forcibly removed from a school organisation for next to nothing, every cloud does have a silver lining, and after hearing her story, Tinder has offered her a full year’s scholarship in support of the student.
Listen to her full story here:
Tinder co-founder and CEO Sean Rad told BuzzFeed News:
It’s easy to give in and give up.
We think what Shannon did sends a very empowering message to young women and college students, which is actually one of Tinder’s largest audiences.
Don’t conform, don’t let people tell you your beliefs are wrong just because it’s not the same as their beliefs.
And other people agree.
Lacey McPhail, a former member of Chi Omega Zeta Delta sorority, said in a Facebook post: “This sorority is not run by the active members but instead by the advisors, they have a complete dictatorship over what the girls can wear, post, and say.”
FacebookTinder has also offered Workman a paid internship, and Rad says it’s the first time the company has reached out to someone who has inspired them. He said: “Her actions showed a depth of leadership and courage that is admirable and something we value as part of our company culture. We always want to stand up for our users who stand up for us.”
Workman was (understandably) surprised to hear from the social platform. She told Buzzfeed: “I do stand up for Tinder because I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. Some people use it for hookups but I don’t, and a lot of great things happen through Tinder.”
Here’s to hoping the sorority that kicked Workman out will think twice before doing the same to someone else.
