Grant Sikes, gender-nonconforming BamaRush candidate and TikTok darling, says she's been cut from sorority recruitment
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Mara Leighton
Aug 18, 2022, 03:29 IST
Grant Sikes became a viral sensation during #BamaRush 2022. Despite the fanfare, Sikes didn't receive a bid from a sorority.TikTok; @grantelisikes
Grant Sikes, a gender-nonconforming #BamaRush pledge, was cut from recruitment on August 13.
Sikes was declared a "main character of BamaRush" and garnered millions of views.
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TikTok's favorite #BamaRush 2022 pledge reportedly won't be joining a sorority.
Grant Sikes, a gender-nonconforming student who went viral on TikTok for her #RushTok videos, said in statements to Instagram and TikTok that she had been cut from recruitment on August 13.
Despite Grant's community of online fans and most of her #BamaRush TikTok's racking up millions of views each — the sort of viral marketing that's reportedly highly encouraged (albeit potentially regulated by chapters) — Sikes did not receive a bid.
In a TikTok, Sikes said, "it is extremely upsetting, and I'm sad because I wanted to be a part of a sisterhood and, more than that, a community."
"Being dropped from my last house this morning during primary recruitment at the University of Alabama doesn't come as a surprise," Sike wrote on Instagram, "considering out of the almost 20 chapters, I was dropped by every single one except two before day one ... I'm hopeful of a future where everyone is welcomed for just being themselves everywhere."
#RushTok became a viral phenomenon last year, too, and the attention served to expose a monolithic sorority culture in which members appear to be overwhelmingly white, thin, and wealthy. This year, TikTokers rallied around Sikes for her divergence from the typical potential new member, or PNM, as well as for her shared desire to join a sisterhood.
Sikes' fans lamented the decision, calling the rush process "outdated" and unfair. Supporters praised Grant for putting herself "out there."
"You deserve the most & no affiliation to an organization that doesn't recognize that is worth being a part of. I have no doubt you will find a club, an org, & a community during the next few weeks where you feel seen & appreciated," wrote Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Gigi Robinson.
"You're meant for bigger and better things," said Eli Rallo, a fellow TikTok content creator, "and I know your impact made many people wake up this week feeling a little more comfort in being themselves."
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Grant Sikes did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
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