Sisterhood and "Those" Sororities

I was reading the NYTimes the other day and found "My Sorority Pledge? I Swore Off Sisterhood." Being that I'm in a "sorority" myself, I was a little disturbed at the author's use of the words "sorority" and "sisterhood" interchangeably.

Meriam-Webster defines sorority (n) as a club of women. The definition further notes that it is a club for social purposes, that is named with Greek letters.

A sisterhood (n) is "the solidarity of women based on shared conditions, experiences, or concerns."

To use these two words interchangeably is misleading. It proposes the idea that there is no such thing as a safe space where women can meet and genuinely connect on a serious level. Untrue. I am appalled that such stigma is still prevalent. Yet at the same time, the experience of one woman in a sorority becomes generalized as the ultimate. Some women do find happiness and fulfillment by joining such organizations.

As for my "sorority," it's a Sisterhood, not a sorority. I have formed very close and loving relationships with headstrong women who, unlike the women in the article, will never put me in an uncomfortable position that would compromise my values. Instead, they continue to encourage me to be the best I can be, to be socially-conscious and to strive for a better understanding of the complexities of being a young, colored woman.

It's a shining moment. We'll all be each others' bridesmaids and godmothers.