269 How "Bama Rush" TikTok Became a Bizarre Social Media Reality Show

At the University of Alabama, rushing for a sorority has become a cottage industry, thanks to social media. Centering on "blindingly White" college students and their influencer aspirations. "RushTok" is now a cultural phenomenon, complete with management deals, style consultants, and a massive audience of Internet onlookers who are seriously invested in whether these girls get into the house of their choice. In a way, it has become an influencer-led "reality show," distributed across the Internet, where audience perception (rather than a TV producer) decides the heroes and villains. Bama Rush fans even refer to the content as "seasons."
Alli and Lindsey talk with journalist Fortesa Latifi, who covered the phenomenon for Teen Vogue. She discusses why the trend has enraptured millions, and the problematic institutions it unwittingly perpetuates. She also explains why interviewing some of the Internet's favorite rushers lead to an unhinged backlash from the fandom.
Read Fortesa's piece here: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/bama-rush-tiktok-is-getting-more-relatable
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At the University of Alabama, rushing for a sorority has become a cottage industry, thanks to social media. Centering on "blindingly White" college students and their influencer aspirations. "RushTok" is now a cultural phenomenon, complete with management deals, style consultants, and a massive audience of Internet onlookers who are seriously invested in whether these girls get into the house of their choice. In a way, it has become an influencer-led "reality show," distributed across the Internet, where audience perception (rather than a TV producer) decides the heroes and villains. Bama Rush fans even refer to the content as "seasons."

Alli and Lindsey talk with journalist Fortesa Latifi, who covered the phenomenon for Teen Vogue. She discusses why the trend has enraptured millions, and the problematic institutions it unwittingly perpetuates. She also explains why interviewing some of the Internet's favorite rushers lead to an unhinged backlash from the fandom.

Read Fortesa's piece here: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/bama-rush-tiktok-is-getting-more-relatable

Support 2G1P on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/2G1P

Join the 2G1P Discord community: http://discord.gg/2g1p

Join the 2G1P Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2girls1podcast/

Email us: [email protected]

Call the show and leave a message! (347) 871-6548 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices