Arizona State University's licentious reputation far precedes much of the online discourse we're familiar with today.
In 2002 Playboy Magazine named the University the No. 1 party school in the nation, an achievement determined by reader submitted stories and write-in votes from over 1,500 students around the country.
Thriving (and mostly unchecked) Greek life, an enduring party scene and a flourishing hookup culture promoted ASU's promiscuous image on a national stage. In their inaugural 2006 sexual health report, Trojan Condoms placed ASU 70th in a cumulative ranking of sexual health resources and education among 100 colleges and universities around the country.
This standing has drastically evolved over the ensuing years, as ASU President Michael Crow stepped into office in 2002, with a clear objective; legitimize the University's reputation.
Crow's New American University model came to fruition following the removal of the University's 'Alpha Drive,' the ASU equivalent of a fraternity row and a major crackdown on parties around the city.
These efforts were in many ways successful. By 2016 the University moved up to 30th place in Trojan's last collected report, and had completely dropped off of most nationwide party school rankings by the early 2010s. Despite this, pieces of this reputation carried on through to the digital age, and social media gave it a bit of a cultural revival – with a whole new kind of controversy.
Read More: The ASU reputation: Why are you so obsessed?
'Alcohol Sex University'
Search 'ASU' on TikTok and many of the first suggestions to come up will likely read along the lines of "ASU storytime," "top 10 worst things," or "effect," which all pertain to recent viral moments and movements centering the University.
In 2021 the "ASU Effect," trend swept across the social media platform TikTok, as users participated by sharing the results of their "glow-ups" after attending the school. The overwhelming demographic of these posts, being from female students.
Read more: The 'ASU Effect': Attending ASU is guaranteed to make you hotter
Beyond the pressures and exclusivity that this trend perpetuated, there was also a vivid shift in assumptions surrounding the perception of an "ASU girl." And because this trend largely garnered participation from female students in ASU's (already famous) Greek life, a certain convergence surfaced between a preexisting university reputation and deeply sexist stereotypes about the women who attended – and the scale was tenfold.
"My girl is going to ASU," soon emerged as a trending phrase among social media users, suggesting that if your girlfriend is going to ASU, your relationship is doomed. And soon the idea of an "ASU girl," became in many ways mythologized through traded stories and tales.
A sorority girl. A nursing major, in a long-distance relationship with a boy back home. She's hot (as all ASU women are), and is definitely cheating on her poor boyfriend too.
Hundreds of videos have been uploaded, captioned with variations of this gag; "She just told me she's going to ASU. Am I cooked?" one video said.
"She's so my type too. Can't wait bro," the top comment with over 7,000 likes read.
One creator made a lot of noise this summer for his unique coverage of ASU party and hookup culture, through personal anecdotes. And his account has become a central facilitator in the perpetuation of these jokes.
Tyler Stevenson, or TZSkits on TikTok, released a 10-part series leading up to the commencement of ASU's fall semester, ranking the top 10 "craziest things," he'd ever experienced at the University. The final installment (and No. 1 craziest experience) of this series garnered almost 20 million views.
"Yeah my daughter's not going to college bruh…" one commenter said.
Though Stevenson's account biography claims that his content is satire, viewers generally seem to take his stories at face value, harmful stereotypes and all.
Stevenson didn't respond to requests for a comment but went to TikTok to address many of the jokes about ASU women in a video released on Sept. 2, stating that the men of the University are undoubtedly worse in their behavior.
Many other users took to the platform in recent months, to raise concern about how damaging these jokes truly are, critiquing an immense double standard in how men and women participating in the same campus culture are treated and calling attention to the much deeper roots in misogyny that this trend has stemmed from.
According to Breanne Fahs, a woman and gender studies professor at ASU, "Women have long been stereotyped and caricatured in all sorts of media, and these stereotypes can be harmful in a number of ways. Most dangerously, women see themselves through these stereotypes and the stereotypes come to define femininity or womanhood."
The Female Condition
Sally Kitch, founding director of the Humanities Lab at ASU, explores the structures that support sexism and society's view on women in her book, Art, Activism, and Sexual Violence.
Kitch echoes this sentiment, describing stereotypes like these as a symptom of a culture that consistently reduces women to their sexual characteristics.
"Its not unique to any group of women or any particular woman. There is a culture that sexualizes young women and sexually degrades older women because women's sexuality and reproductive function are the primary identifying characteristics, and it doesn't matter who you are," Kitch said.
Although social media portrays this stereotype as applying to only ASU, Kitch argues that it reflects an older, much broader stereotype – one that reduces women to their sexual utility and ignores their accomplishments.
"Whether they're in public life, private life, your next door neighbor or a woman on campus, your sexual identity, appeal and reproductive function, in this society and many others, are your primary values and characteristics."
This can happen to anyone, and Kitch points to past presidential elections as an example.
"It happened when Hillary Clinton ran for president and when Kamala Harris ran for president, it happened to them. There was vulgar and hateful commentary by men about them as women, as sex objects."
Kitch argues how these beliefs are supported by centuries old religious, legal and cultural institutions that tie women's value to her reproductive role. Historically, institutions like these have viewed education as a threat to that role. Kitch points to an example in the 19th century, where men claimed if a woman pursued an education, her reproductive organs would shrink.
"Because God forbid their reproductive organs would shrink…because a woman would be worthless if she didn't have her reproductive organs. Because that's what she's there for."
Today, Kitch says these beliefs are supported by social media, which provides a platform for people to say anything without impunity.
"It's just a brute expression, and in many cases, to be as offensive as possible."
According to Kitch, the vulgar nature of these posts reflect a broader issue: the constant need for men to prove their masculinity, often by rejecting femininity.
"Men have to prove their masculinity in a way that women don’t have to prove their femininity. It’s historically the case; it's cross-culturally the case…For cisgender men, the worst thing you can call him is a girl."
Kitch describes these dynamics not as just stereotypes, but as a machine that is humming in the background, manifesting itself in every aspect of women's lives.
"It's a constant engine that is purring in the background. It's not just a fixed idea like a stereotype can often be…You can assume it is present in all mixed society."
What does this mean for women at ASU?
Many students are familiar with the "My girl's been asleep for 22 hours," and "My girl got into ASU, she's going to be a nurse," jokes. They all have the same message: ASU women are promiscuous and cheaters.
Leyna Nelson, a freshman studying sports business, felt the effects of the ridicule online before coming to ASU. She said her peers always made similar jokes about her college decision, which she felt undermined her accomplishments.
"I'm a first gen, so it's a big deal, and it's annoying that the majority of people who see that I'm at ASU or know that I'm going to ASU from high school, the one thing they can take away from it is, 'Oh, good luck to your boyfriend,'" Nelson said.
The discourse has far transcended generations and online spaces as well. Nelson said her father received odd comments about her attending ASU as well.
"My dad told me like he had people in his life tell him, 'Oh, are you okay? Are you sure you're gonna be okay with your daughter going to ASU?'" Nelson said. "Which is like so weird to tell someone's dad, but my dad was just like, 'I trust her to make smart decisions.'"
The jokes often specifically target nursing students. Ashlyn Cathey, a sophomore studying community health on the nursing track and a member of Pi Beta Phi, said the comments online are dehumanizing.
"We go to these classes about how to treat other humans and how we all respect one another, and then for these people to go online and… they laugh at us and they joke about us, and it's just like it's very off-putting," Cathey said. "It makes you feel like you have a big target on your back wherever you go."
Similarly, jokes about cheating at parties and promiscuity often target sorority women. Cathey said her sorority experience has been about finding her community and serving their philanthropy, children's literacy, not what is described online.
"We go up to the elementary schools, and we read books to kids. It's really sweet," Cathey said.
That begs the question: what is 'promiscuous' about saving lives, seeking sisterhood and volunteering for a charity?
Nelson said the comments have made her hesitant to join a sorority or predominantly female clubs on campus.
"It feels like you can never get away from not being taken seriously as a woman at ASU with all the jokes that go around," Nelson said.
Cathey said the men who joke about sorority women are intimidated by the large network and leadership opportunities sororities and the National Panhellenic Conference offer women.
Coming from a marketing background, Nelson said she wonders why ASU has not done any damage control to filter the online perception of female students, especially under the University's social media posts.
"You can have certain words not be said in comments. I don't know why they don't do that because as a university, I feel like they would want to be taken seriously and want to create a safe environment for all the women who are coming here to study," Nelson said.
To Kitch, attacks like these are more than just humor, but a tool to intimidate– putting women on trial before they even step foot on campus.
"I think that anybody who's bringing that up to you is sending you a message, and that message is, you need to prove yourself in a different way, or else people are going to include you in this stereotypical view," Kitch said.
She argues that, over time, these comments can grow deeply personal.
"You're not guilty of anything," Kitch said. "You just exist, and your existence is offensive … and that's a pretty hard burden."
Sydney Voorhees is a Senior Reporter at The State Press. She is also an intern at Arizona PBS and a member of Delta Gamma Fraternity. This is her second semester with The State Press, working previously as a part-time Sci-Tech reporter.
Lucia Zettler is a Magazine Managing Editor for The State Press. She is a junior studying Business (Law) and Journalism at ASU. This is her second year working at The State Press, with her previously holding the position of part-time magazine reporter.
Keyanee Walls is a magazine managing editor at The State Press. She is a third-year student at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School. This is her third semester with The State Press, working previously as a magazine reporter.
