Actually...my dad is an IBEW brother and he's not an electrician. One may join IBEW if one is employed by a company in the electrical/power business. My dad is a fleet mechanic for Duquesne Light...never touches the wires, just the cars. ;) Sorry for the hijack.

Incidentally, at Otterbein we usually use GDI to describe people who AREN'T greek and we wish they were. Example..."Oh man, Joe's Girlfriend is so cool, I wish she would not be a GDI anymore and join XYZ, she'd be a kick ass sister."

Most non members I know refer to themselves as this -- some even go so far as to call it "Gamma Delta Iota"

This nickname has been around a long time and it isn't going anywhere. If it makes you uncomfortable, don't use it. And if you think it is a big enough deal, if you hear others using it, tell them it offends you when people say it and why.

I know a lot of people that are really proud to be GDI's. They have friends that are Greek but they are not.

I don't think there is anything wrong with using it.

It is my first time hearing of it. There is something wily and disingenuous about any stereotype in which a group or individual is viewed as both lewd and conservative at the same time.

You know, I always thought that greeks might be considered conservative by some because there is a lot of tradition involved in greek life -- I don't mean the traditions of our organizations -- I mean the stuff about greek life that, in my opinion, conforms to very traditional ideas of, say, male and female roles in our society. Maybe people assume that those who choose to be involved with such things are conservative -- I'm not sure.

I could be totally wrong, but who knows. I think here on GC there's a pretty even split between people who are generally conservative and people who are generally liberal, but I haven't been keeping track.

Greeks have a tendency to hang onto things long after they've become acceptable (discrimination policies, hazing, stereotypical gender roles). That is the definition of "conservative," in the sense that we're trying to "conserve" things from the past. Of course, there are a number of positive traditions from the past that we've held onto as well, but we DO have a history of not being able to let go of things that more progressive organizations have moved past.

While I agree that the split on GC is pretty politically mixed, on my own campus Greeks DO trend toward the conservative. I'd guess that at least 60 percent of Greeks here are conservative, whereas the campus and city as a whole are closer to 70-80 percent liberal.

Re: It's not just you...but..
 

I'm exactly the same way. I don't say JC or one or the other of those either.

I saw some dude on campus the other day wearing a shirt with the letters "Gamma Delta Iota"--I thought that was pretty funny. But then I also so a guy wearing very tight jeans coming out of the dance department with letters "Phi Alpha Gamma"

For the slow ones:

Gamma Delta Iota = GDI
Phi Alpha Gamma = FAG

I thought that this was kind of funny...

Gamma Delta Iota

If you're GDI (God Damned Independent) and don't need the greek system, show your Lack Of Fraternity or Sorority Pride.

http://http://www.cafepress.com/rtshirts.15242296

I like the thong myself. I know that's where I want to proudly display my letters the most! :rolleyes:

This thread is as old as dirt. Why has it been resurrected?

Sigh.

I was talking to my friend about the term GDI, and she thought it was to insult the greeks, not the non-greeks, saying we have no independance. shes now a proud GDI and cant shut up about it

I've rarely heard the term GDI used in a derogatory manner. I hear Greeks use it simply to identify people. They'd say "Oh that guy is a Sig Ep, that one's a Pike, that guy's a GDI." I also hear alot of independents use it with pride, "You bet, I'm a GDI!" kind of like "Hell yes, I'm a Bama fan!"

Plus I know alot of people that would never say GD by itself, yet use the term GDI. I don't think I've ever asked them what they think it stands for, probably gosh darn. I need to ask one of these folks next time I hear it.