YA DAMN SKIPPY!!!

Why is this always such a big topic? I am at Tennessee State also and a female brother of APO. Our bruhs seemed to be so excited about GGS being back. It seemed to me that it was kinda kept on the hush hush (like they didnt want us females to know).To be honest I could care less who comes back as long as they are doing service and not getting stuff started. It would be nice to meet some of the GGS members but........it seems as if they are only associated with the male members of APO and not the females.:confused:

This goes to bro_strawter. U said we (females) are so cool with the GSS's. We dont even know who they are. We have never met them. I just had to put that out there!;)

Well, where you from, Brother?! Welcome to GC!

aquafina, hey sands....

That's all I've been saying. I don't have ANY problem with GSS being associated with APO, but I don't see why it has to be a gender issue. Heck, if I see a male Gamma Sig, I'ma give him a hug, just like a female Gamma Sig! (Or at least a firm handshake, ;)) The organizations have historical ties that transcend tab A and slot B, if you know what I mean.

Hey dardener, I understand that. I know how yall are tied together. I have no problem with it. I guess u would have to be on our campus to understand what Im talking bout.

I see how this could indeed be a problem at mostl HBCU's. Zeta Phi hasn't of course experience this either because we don't have a GSS colony on our campus. (by the way the plaque i was referring to is, that in the 80's student activities painted on boards all the sheilds of the organizations that were repesented at the time, GSS was one of them, and they decorate the take-out place). So anyway, I could see how because for example those organizations who are part of the pan-hellenic council aren't co-ed, so there are sororities and bruhs that are "teamed up" and those who are members are considered to be sorors and frat. At some schools the same thing is assumed but official and it doesn't work as smoothly when the organizations are co-ed and the females of GSS sometimes can not look at a female APO to be their bruh and vice versa.

PEOPLE NEED TO LEARN THEIR ROLE!!!
 

First, I am glad to see that we are all being respectful of each others opinion! Now, I will have to agree with Rashid on this, who really gives a rat's tail who is in what organization? I don't believe that it has ever been a problem, but why does it have to be a gender issue?!?! I was always taught, "whatever is good for the goose is good for the gander as well" pun intended. I mean either someone who is GSS will call all APO male and female bruhs or none of APO brothers "bruhs" and vice versa, either APO will call GSS male and female "soror" or none of them soror. But don't do it for one sex and not the other. That is not only highly offensive to the party neglected because by only acknowledging a bruh/soror you basically discredit their letters and what they worked so hard for, but you the party that allowed to happen make yourself look unbrotherly/sisterly by letting someone disrespect your bruh/soror in such a fashion.

One thing that I do notice, a great deal of this "conflict" stems from alumni. Some alumni still do not know that APO and GSS are coed and they may ask you what happened to the other organization. That is understandable and it is not offensive. Now you do have ignorant alumni (Zeta Phi has them along with TSU and JSCU) that basically say to hell with 1976, women don't belong and all that other bs despite the fact that most pledged post-1976 in addition to the fact that they don't do anything but cause headaches and trouble in their home chapters. Those are the ones mainly forcing the whole 25/52 love thing down those who are remaining in the chapters without realizing or caring that it DOES exclude female bruhs. Now we should respect the historical ties between both organizations but in the same regard it is a new day for both organizations. Some alumni need to realize that WE ARE CO-ED whether you like it or not and if you don't then either denounce your letters or you should not have joined in the first place.

In closing, you only allow people to do what you let them. If something like this is happening on your campus, you need to first check the chick who is blatanly disrespecting you and your role as a member and brother of ALPHA PHI OMEGA. Secondly, you need to pull up your bruhs like, "Yo that is foul that you would let someone disrespect your female bruhs like so." People need to put their foot down on this issue so that it does not come up time and time again or every time an HBCU gets rechartered. Either do it for everyone or do it for noone!!! And it is really as simple as that!!!

NEWS AT NINE
9-ZP-03 AI

A Phi Que till the day I'm through...
Zeta Phi till the day I die!!!

Only a Number Nine could have said it so well. ;)

Warning: Long Post
 

Well I haven't been able to post all weekend, I was just reviewing the posts since my last one. What a great conversation it has been so far. I feel that this is one way to "bridge the gap" between our two organizations. We do need to learn about one another.

I do agree that it's the individual's choice in this...clearly there are members of BOTH orgs that recognize each other as brother/sister. There are some of my sisters who would never look at a female APO as a bruh, PERIOD. I have the same attitude as dardenr. I will at least speak to you if not hug or shake your hand (depending on your comfort level). And also, even though we're discussing it this issue is not a burning topic at Conventions :D . Somebody made a comment about this not being an issue in their area. This is because as of late, GSS/APO as bruh and soror is very common down South and not so much everywhere else. This is especially where GSS has been expanding in the last two years or so.

As far as TSU...they have been very quiet. I'm usually a soror "in the know" and I haven't heard a peep from these ladies. I think in Epsilon Psi's case (the R.C. of GSS), I personally feel it would be better if they operated as a separate sorority AWAY from Psi Phi...until some time passes and everybody is comfortable. Based on the comments from some of the Psi Phi ladies, it's important for them to feel comfortable with the sisters too. I would think it would produce a lot less drama.

In short it's all about where you feel comfortable and what you feel comfortable doing. We're both separate orgs with similar interest in mind...so I think we shoud at least try to work together.

Let me clarify myself. The female brothers at TSU who have met the sorors are cool with them. You know most of them on personal levels, you just don't know they are Gamma Sig's.

That's my LB
 

Well said News @ Nine....That's my nine, but nine times two is what? Ok
I feel as though if this is a problem for you as far as the sorors of GSS is concerned demand respect...I've seen many a people say" dang soror, no love." It ain't that difficult, personally i don't care if you don't speak at all, just don't be on my yard being disrespectful.
I think the hardest problem for a lot of female APO bruhs is not the respect of GSS sorors, but the lack of respect from fellow bruhs. Nuff Said.

Rashid...

Holla at a bruh when you see me on the street!!! I had to get a new cell phone in early April and I lost everybody's number including yours!!!

9-ZP-03
AI

Bro. Strawter,

Thats good others have met them. I probably never will. Maybe they will be at the picnic! U say I know them on personal levels?! Thats odd. Since u know them so good tell them BBSA said we wish them well. lol:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

another commentary by the nine o'clock news
 

Ditto with #18 (although 9 * 2= 18, 1+8=9!!!)

That is the larger issue at hand!!! To me that is just like someone slapping up my real brother!!! No matter how I may feel or what I say about him, I wish a n!99@ would say or do something to him and I am going to put a clappin to someone. You know why, cause he is all I have in this world!!! And that is how bruhs should treat each other cause you did not cross those sands by yourself!!! I am a neo as of APRIL 26, 2003 yet I feel like this issue has been a thorn in both orgs since I began the quest to uphold the torch and trefoil!!! Trying to divide bruhs like a foster home, sheesh (double crossings, different calls, can't trust some of the bruhs {shinning and grinning in my face and whispering something else in my male bruh's ear} etc...I have never heard of any other co-ed organizations, Greek or not doing such!!!) Luckily, I have not experienced the whole disrespect issue and hopefully I never will! HOWEVER, I have been told that I or 17 of the other females in my chapter can't even wear my letters at other HBCU's because of male bruhs may not acknowledge me. That is just plum dumb. Members of both organizations need to shape up and remember that you don't pledge APO or GSS to be out wearing 'naila or to fraternize with bruhs/sorors or to step, chant or be out on the yard/quad nor should students at your respective college/university only associate your organization with such. Those are perks upon receiving a membership into your respective organization. You join/pledge because you are about the cardinal principles of Leadership, Friendship and Service for APO and Service, Friendship and Equality for GSS (courtesy of GSS national website). That is what people should know us (APO and GSS) for.

In closing, this is becoming a cancer and I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. And by putting a band-aid on the issue year after year only makes it worse. People need to nip this in the bud once and for all!!! While we are arguing about who acknowledges who and whatnot, we could spend the same energy doing joint service projects with the other (thus showing unity but remaining separate entities). I am pretty sure that most organizations, (I know that APO does) have to already deal with being a minority in a predominately white organization, do we (black people) really need to divide ourselves because I have an innie and you may have an outie?!?! Give me a break!!!

News at NINE
9-ZP-03 AI

A Phi Que till the day I'm through...
Zeta Phi till the day I die!!!


P.S. And who is fooling who, men may have a problem with women in the frat but a. the women hold the chapter and the frat down (especially at ZETA PHI: paying dues, holding leadership positions (National V.P. is Maggie Katz), making sure that pledges know info (holla back lb's;)) and b. men nowdays are not really into pledging, in saying that some chapters of APO would still be inactive if it were not for women.

P.P.S. This is NOT intended to disrespect anyone from GSS but to make my bruhs think: I only know of two organization that is constitutionally bound to the other and that is Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (a BGLO) (Rashid, they made me take it there!!!) Think about it!!!