hecman111 's review for:

Fraternity: An Inside Look at a Year of College Boys Becoming Men by Alexandra Robbins

1.0

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This book is dangerous. I described it to a friend as akin to writing a book called Lovers to explain that not all men are rapists and that most of them really care about women. Yup, that’s how unnecessary this book is. I’m appalled that anyone would think that there was a need to explore all the reasons why we should be championing an institution (traditional white fraternities) that only serves to promulgate a culture of white cis male privilege. Won’t someone please think of the poor white boys — they need help, too! (<— she actually says something to this effect). This book is dangerous because it will end up in the hands of those seeking a way to justify the culture of traditionally white fraternities rather than force them to confront the realities of debauchery, homophobia, binge drinking, racism, and misogyny that plague so many chapters. Brotherhood can be good, but not the way it looks in the white chapters today. This apologist approach is maddening and the author’s ample testimonials, examples, and statistical research only serve to highlight the faultiness of her central argument.