Let the case of the final clubs caution those who would cheer on the administration that seeks to dismember them.

FIRE reports.

I Condemn the Harvard Club I Almost Joined, But It Has My Support

One brisk fall night, my friends and I donned ties and blazers in anticipation. An all-male final club had invited us to an event and dictated our evening’s attire. Dozens of young men populated the small backyard of the turn-of-the-century club house. Food, beer, and handshakes fueled the buzz of nervous socializing. The Club wanted me, and it felt good to be wanted.

Over a year later, I have difficulty fathoming the thought of having been so excited at the prospect of membership in the exclusive Club. The culture I encountered repelled me, overwhelming a strong predisposition to embrace the group. Now, the Club finds itself in Harvard University’s crosshairs, one of the many “single-gender social organizations” whose members the university will prohibit from leading other campus organizations and athletic teams and refuse to recommend for prestigious scholarships. I’m with Harvard in believing the Club and others like it don’t represent the best of Harvard’s culture. But I stand with the clubs when it comes to supporting their members’ right to free association, no matter my own judgment of the clubs’ merits. I must, if I want to stand up for my free association rights as well.