A student at the University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA) was removed from her sorority for posting a TikTok video. The leadership of the sorority deemed the phrase “all lives matter” to be “unsisterly” and “hurtful.”
Back in August, Jaycie Barton, a student at UTSA and member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, posted an eight-second video showing demonstrations and placards reading “Back the Blue,” “All Lives Matter,” and “Trump 2020.”
On September 19, the judicial chairman of the UTSA’s ZTA sorority sent her an email informing her that she had been charged with, among other things, conduct that was “detrimental to her chapter and/ or members of the Fraternity.” The email was clear that the charges were a result of the video. It said that “the statement ‘All Lives Matter’ is extremely hurtful to our sisters and is very unsisterly.”
The judicial chairperson went on to clarify that “ZTA stands for Black Lives Matter and the statement ‘All Lives Matter’ goes against ZTA’s belief.”
Barton was later summoned for a judicial board hearing, which was held on September 21, via Zoom.
“Zeta is trying to be more inclusive, and saying ‘all lives matter’ is not being very inclusive. It’s very unsisterly and very hurtful to a lot of people,” one member argued during the hearing.
However, speaking to Breitbart News, Barton said she supports black lives.
“It’s pretty clear that I do support black lives,” Barton said. “And I don’t understand how the sorority cannot see that the word ‘all’ includes everyone.”
She continued to say that she was not informed or aware that by joining the sorority she would have to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
“I wasn’t joining the sorority to be a supporter of BLM,” she said. “I joined for philanthropy, which was breast cancer education and awareness, and to work alongside our sisters that would be open to all members, regardless of their political opinions and beliefs.”
Following the hearing, she was removed from her leadership role as the Education Chair. Another disciplinary hearing saw her membership revoked.
Barton noted that she was bullied and called out by other members of the sorority, which, according to the sorority’s policies, should not happen.
“The sorority advocates for mental health, yet they allowed all these girls in the sorority to call me racist, flat out bullying me,” she explained.
