Westhampton College traditions challenged

For all who don't know, Proclamation Night and Investiture are ceremonies that first-year students and seniors partake in together. (Proclamation Night being for the women and Investiture being for the men.)

At Proclamation Night, the women supposedly get dressed up in white, take a class picture and enter the campus chapel with a candle.

As the senior women read their letters that they wrote to themselves four years ago, the new freshmen write their letters. At Investiture, the schedule is similar: The men dress up in business suits, take a class picture and enter the chapel with a candle. Then they listen to some speakers.

Though I personally have not partaken in this "traditional" event, I have a few concerns about the ceremonies:

1. Why are the two ceremonies separated? Besides the titles, the only differentiating factors seem to be what is between the attendees' legs and how they express that through gender identity.

Though simple, this fundamental differentiation alone is extremely exclusionary and problematic. What about the tomboy? What about the intersex individuals? What about the third, fourth and fifth genders?

2. The American Heritage Dictionary defines investiture as "the act or formal ceremony of conferring the authority and symbols of a high office."

It defines proclamation as "the act of proclaiming," which is simply "announc[ing] officially and publicly." Problem? Yes. Why is it that the title of the men's ceremony is symbolic of a rise to political power while the women's is synonymous with an announcement?

3. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the women write letters to themselves while the men don't. Why? Is it not a "manly" activity? Do the men not have some reflecting and growing to do?

4. Let's put aside (for a moment) the aforementioned issues regarding sex and gender expression.

The strict dress code sets clear expectations for what women and men ought to strive to be: cute little housewives and strong businessmen. But on top of that, the women wear white.

Yes, white. Images of bridal virginity and white supremacy are quickly conjured -- the expectations for women and our society that, for your sake, I won't get into. So what? Then just don't wear white. What are they going to do? Along with social ostracization, you are not allowed to be in the class picture.

Yes -- that strict.

5. Why at a chapel?

All in all, I think the idea of such a tradition is absolutely excellent. Having the opportunity to bond with my classmates and being able to see my growth over the years are memories that would stay with me forever.

But I cannot sleep at night knowing that I had the opportunity to participate while other University of Richmond students did not.