Junior League- anyone belong?

[Anonymous]

I recently was talking to a friend in another city who belongs to the Junior League there. Seems like a great way to volunteer and meet new people. Anyone belong to the DC chapter? Are there other local chapers (e.g., by county) as well?

Lately I've been feeling in a rut socially and know I need to branch out. Also, I am not going to be able to keep volunteering at the regular place I've been going for a while due to a change in work schedule. One of the things I find hard with the DC metro area is that there are just so many clubs, groups, etc. and trying to find a niche can be overwhelming.

[Anonymous]

Yep DC has a BIG chapter- like 3500 women.

Jlw.org if you're interested. They do lots of volunteering and have many ways to get involved.

[Anonymous]

I'm a member of the DC League, and there's also a Northern Virginia League.

JLW is big, which can be both good and bad. There are lots of people, so chances are you'll find some women you get along with. At the same time, though, the size can make keeping up with people difficult. We don't have all-League meetings, for example.

In whole, it's been a great experience for me. I've worked with organizations that I wouldn't normally have encountered, and it is nice feeling like you're doing something to make a difference. I've also met some great women in the process.

I don't do a lot of the social activities (happy hours, etc.), but those can be a good way to broaden your social network outside of your volunteer placement.

[Anonymous]

I'm a JLNV member. I have enjoyed some of the activities we do and I think there are a lot of members who are quite committed to community service. We are working on a new focus and it will be in place by next year.

I joined here because I thought I was going to be moving to an area with more competitive membership and transferring is much easier. We didn't wind up moving, though, and I have stayed.

[Anonymous]

Doesnt DC take anyone who applies? I thought about joining thnking I was moving back to NC and could transfer membership. When I was growing up, being JL was a very big deal and you really had to know someone to get in.

[Anonymous]

I used to be a member and they take anyone. You don't have to be sponsored.

[Anonymous]

I would not join Junior League because of its history as a racist, classist, exclusionary organization. I am white and from the south and would not want to be associated with it. Sort of like being a member of the DAR.

That said, I have heard that the DC chapter takes just about anybody. It is a huge pain the ass to be a member of Junior League. It is sort of like rushing a sorority in the sense you have all these mandatory meetings and obligations you have to do. It was invented by and for women who stayed home and had full-time maids. If you're busy with a full-time job and kids etc., I would not join Junior League. Unless you want to be really busy doing mandatory things like planning a Christmas party, organizing the clothing drive, etc., and having very little say over your schedule.

[Anonymous]

There is a long and often tendentious discussion of the JL at the link below; if you wade through it, you may find some useful information.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/105006.page#863624

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not join Junior League because of its history as a racist, classist, exclusionary organization. I am white and from the south and would not want to be associated with it. Sort of like being a member of the DAR.

That said, I have heard that the DC chapter takes just about anybody. It is a huge pain the ass to be a member of Junior League. It is sort of like rushing a sorority in the sense you have all these mandatory meetings and obligations you have to do. It was invented by and for women who stayed home and had full-time maids. If you're busy with a full-time job and kids etc., I would not join Junior League. Unless you want to be really busy doing mandatory things like planning a Christmas party, organizing the clothing drive, etc., and having very little say over your schedule.

You know how I can tell you aren't a member of the Junior League? Hint - You have no idea what you are talking about. Most of the women I know through the JL work full time outside the home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not join Junior League because of its history as a racist, classist, exclusionary organization. I am white and from the south and would not want to be associated with it. Sort of like being a member of the DAR.

That said, I have heard that the DC chapter takes just about anybody. It is a huge pain the ass to be a member of Junior League. It is sort of like rushing a sorority in the sense you have all these mandatory meetings and obligations you have to do. It was invented by and for women who stayed home and had full-time maids. If you're busy with a full-time job and kids etc., I would not join Junior League. Unless you want to be really busy doing mandatory things like planning a Christmas party, organizing the clothing drive, etc., and having very little say over your schedule.

You know how I can tell you aren't a member of the Junior League? Hint - You have no idea what you are talking about. Most of the women I know through the JL work full time outside the home.

I wasn't talking about the current population. I was talking about who founded it. Many of the same rules and obligations are from the days when everyone who was in it stayed at home and had full-time maids. They needed something to do with their time. Now the same demands are placed on women who have far more things to do with their time. I know this because I have a sister and other friends in Junior League. They "have" to spend their time doing stuff like selling cookbooks for jl. Personally I would not want to spend my time doing this, and I think women complicate their lives by signing up for these sorts of obligations and then complain about how hectic their lives are. So me, personally, no I would not do jl. I don't want some 45 year old former sorority girl demanding that I spent four hours on Saturday afternoon selling cookbooks when I could be with my kids. I'm just warning the original poster, in case she thinks this is just an informal volunteering organization, which is not. It comes with a lot of rules and obligations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not join Junior League because of its history as a racist, classist, exclusionary organization. I am white and from the south and would not want to be associated with it. Sort of like being a member of the DAR.

That said, I have heard that the DC chapter takes just about anybody. It is a huge pain the ass to be a member of Junior League. It is sort of like rushing a sorority in the sense you have all these mandatory meetings and obligations you have to do. It was invented by and for women who stayed home and had full-time maids. If you're busy with a full-time job and kids etc., I would not join Junior League. Unless you want to be really busy doing mandatory things like planning a Christmas party, organizing the clothing drive, etc., and having very little say over your schedule.

You know how I can tell you aren't a member of the Junior League? Hint - You have no idea what you are talking about. Most of the women I know through the JL work full time outside the home.

I wasn't talking about the current population. I was talking about who founded it. Many of the same rules and obligations are from the days when everyone who was in it stayed at home and had full-time maids. They needed something to do with their time. Now the same demands are placed on women who have far more things to do with their time. I know this because I have a sister and other friends in Junior League. They "have" to spend their time doing stuff like selling cookbooks for jl. Personally I would not want to spend my time doing this, and I think women complicate their lives by signing up for these sorts of obligations and then complain about how hectic their lives are. So me, personally, no I would not do jl. I don't want some 45 year old former sorority girl demanding that I spent four hours on Saturday afternoon selling cookbooks when I could be with my kids. I'm just warning the original poster, in case she thinks this is just an informal volunteering organization, which is not. It comes with a lot of rules and obligations.

I can't speak to the obligations of JLW, but I have never ONCE been asked to spend an afternoon selling cookbooks for JLNV. We have a mandatory amount of hours we are supposed to volunteer during the entire year, but it is rather small and can be knocked out with maybe 3 or 4 events through the year. You have to serve on a committee - some take a lot more time than others, but the one I am on this year takes very little of my time and we mostly do meetings over the phone once per month. I could actually tell you the exact demographics of our League as I happen to be privy to that information, but I will just leave it at the League I am in is NOTHING like the ones you describe. Our members are overwhelmingly working full-time and many have families and manage to balance it all. Lots of us even do it because we want to do good things in our community, which includes our families.

[Anonymous]

DC's Junior League (JLW) is much different than most other city's JLs. Most of our members work outside of the home. I would say only maybe 10% are SAHMs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesnt DC take anyone who applies? I thought about joining thnking I was moving back to NC and could transfer membership. When I was growing up, being JL was a very big deal and you really had to know someone to get in.

Yes and this totally changes the dynamic. Since it's not exclusive, you'll find the members are down-to-earth, normal, middle class women who want to be there because they believe in the mission. It's not like many chapters across the country where some consider it prestigious and people join solely for the social aspects. The type of women who would be into the exclusive JL chapters in other cities consider the JLW to be somewhat beneath them and instead spend their time volunteering at their kids' private schools and sitting on the boards of various charities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC's Junior League (JLW) is much different than most other city's JLs. Most of our members work outside of the home. I would say only maybe 10% are SAHMs

I was a member in Nashville. Most of our members worked outside the home. There were only a few SAHMs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not join Junior League because of its history as a racist, classist, exclusionary organization. I am white and from the south and would not want to be associated with it. Sort of like being a member of the DAR.

That said, I have heard that the DC chapter takes just about anybody. It is a huge pain the ass to be a member of Junior League. It is sort of like rushing a sorority in the sense you have all these mandatory meetings and obligations you have to do. It was invented by and for women who stayed home and had full-time maids. If you're busy with a full-time job and kids etc., I would not join Junior League. Unless you want to be really busy doing mandatory things like planning a Christmas party, organizing the clothing drive, etc., and having very little say over your schedule.

You know how I can tell you aren't a member of the Junior League? Hint - You have no idea what you are talking about. Most of the women I know through the JL work full time outside the home.

I wasn't talking about the current population. I was talking about who founded it. Many of the same rules and obligations are from the days when everyone who was in it stayed at home and had full-time maids. They needed something to do with their time. Now the same demands are placed on women who have far more things to do with their time. I know this because I have a sister and other friends in Junior League. They "have" to spend their time doing stuff like selling cookbooks for jl. Personally I would not want to spend my time doing this, and I think women complicate their lives by signing up for these sorts of obligations and then complain about how hectic their lives are. So me, personally, no I would not do jl. I don't want some 45 year old former sorority girl demanding that I spent four hours on Saturday afternoon selling cookbooks when I could be with my kids. I'm just warning the original poster, in case she thinks this is just an informal volunteering organization, which is not. It comes with a lot of rules and obligations.

The DC league hasn't put out a cookbook in over 10 years, so I have no idea what you are talking about. Most members work outdoes the home, but there is a group of SAHMs that do a monthly play date if that's your thing.