“ACB Does Not Represent Me or KD”: Kappa Delta’s Response to Amy Coney Barrett and the Dobbs Decision

In June 2022, Kappa Delta Headquarters experienced a public relations paracrisis following its refusal to engage in conversations surrounding the Dobbs v. Jackson decision. Discourse surrounding the Supreme Court’s decision was especially relevant to Kappa Delta Sorority, as Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett is an active alumna. We analyzed 1998 Instagram comments on all posts made by Kappa Delta Headquarters between June 24, 2022, and August 24, 2022. Through inductive analysis, we identified three key themes within the data. We find that by ignoring the Dobbs decision and its stakeholders’ calls for the sorority to engage with them in some meaningful way, Kappa Delta Headquarters found itself at a unique intersection between corporate social advocacy and crisis communications. This study advances strategic communication scholarship by demonstrating that stakeholder comments on social media provide valuable feedback that can shape communicators’ decisions about silence, engagement, and advocacy. Our findings offer practical insights for communication practitioners who must balance organizational values, stakeholder expectations, and reputation management in controversial situations, demonstrating that strategic silence can work as a short-term solution but may threaten long-term organizational reputation.