Re: In response
 

Indulgent,

This comment is a bit outrageous. As I said before, sexual preference is not the issue here. It seems to me that no matter what is being said here, even when it is explained and elaborated on, it is being made to seem like it's an anti-gay/lesbian issue. This is not the case.
Once again, although you seem to want to adamantly believe this is about your organization being unfairly discriminated against for being a lesbian sorority...it is not.
It is about being tacky. Bottom line. No ulterior motives, no hidden prejudices, no anti-gayness going on, just straight up people making comments on what they perceive to be tasteless based on what we see on your website.
I can only speak for myself...but again....what I personally commented on was the Smirnoff bottle and one of your sisters who had on the half open blazer.
1) I did read your explanation of the Smirnoff bottle and I want to thank you for even clearing that up for me. But, without an explanation..just looking at the picture, "Why is there a bottle of liquor on the table at the Exec. retreat?" was a question that came to mind. That in itself maybe isn't that serious. Yes,you had a birthday celebration during the same weekend. The fact that the picture was chosen to go up on the website despite the Smirnoff bottle being visible was what I considered tacky. I know I like to enjoy a drink here and there just like everyone else, but if I had a 40 ounce of Budweiser on the table in a picture entitled "Boule 2002" up on my website...I would expect my sorors and everyone else to comment on the tackiness.
2) Your soror's half open blazer...shouldn't have been. It has nothing remotely to do with being anti-lesbian.
(I believe a few of the members had on the same type of blazer...I didn't comment on everyone...just her. ) It doesn't even have anything to do with size. It has to do with wearing something unflattering...something that you know you can not fit for a picture that will be on your organization's website.

I understand your concerns about what is being said on this thread, but please take them at face value and do not try to turn it into something bigger than it really is. Some things are just straight forward without any hidden agendas behind them, you know?

Soror..you got that right!!! :D

Now...IndulgentEPP - - Welcome...We've been waiting for you. I am the person who, so eloquently, commented on your "triangle" hand sign resembling "a cooch".

My soror, Sexy Mocha, has already explained the reasoning behind some of our comments. I have no issues with a group of women organizing a sorority for lesbians. In fact, if that was all there was to it, then I'd simply say "kudos" and keep on walking. However, that is NOT what your organization has done. You have BLATANTLY adopted "something" from each of the D4 sororities...you can chalk the triangle thing up to a coincidence, but sorry, I don't buy that.

Further, your organization has represented itself on a PUBLIC website with a lack of regard for taste and class. You all put your own selves out there for public review. Sure, my sorors probably all had a drink or two at a Boule reception or some other conference. However, those pictures would surely not be on public display. It's all about representation.

I care not one bit whether or not you all are gay...though there are gay members in all of the D4 sororities. To my knowledge, none of our founding prinicples have anything to do with sexual orientation. Therefore, I'm still a little hazy as to the necessity of a new org. I am curious, however, about the reactions of your sorority sisters' mothers who are members of D4 orgs.

Also, what are your organization's community service projects? I see information regarding breast cancer awareness. What specific projects do your chapters have to promote this and other causes. Do you work with youth in your communities..and if so, are community organizations very "receptive" to your volunteerism?

Help me here...I'm actually trying to get a further understanding of your organization. Right now, I'm BLINDED by the open blazers and your sisters in MY SORORS' IVY STANCE. (though, I thank you for your explanation...the pictures are STILL on the website and need to be removed)

IndulgentEpp,

one of my wonderful sorors posted something i thought was interesting and i am going to post a couple:



1. Never apologize for pursuing what makes you happy. Even if you need to quit your job, transfer schools or move across country, always do what you really want.

4. Never apologize for being successful. Only haters want to keep you at their level.

21. Never apologize for your taste in clothing. It's your style.

22. NEVER APOLOGIZE FOR CHANGING YOUR MIND.

25. Never apologize for being you.


thank you for visiting our forum. :)

Great advice...
 

Here's another one:
(This is geared more towards everyone else)

Never apologize for expressing your feelings. When you do so, you apologize for the truth.

IndulgentEpp,

I don't think anyone on here was trying to "attack" you or your organization, but sometimes what might apprear as a personal attack could actually be constuctive criticism. My sorority is not Divine 4, BUT, we have to remain on our toes so our sorority can be the best it can be. There are a few things that we or any sorority for that matter, should keep in mind when representing their org. For one, we all want to represent our orgs. in the most positive light as well as our sisters. If we wear clothing (while representing the sorority) that makes us appear "hoochie" that is what people will associate the rest of us as. Being in a sorority, we do represent class and sophistication. As some other people mentioned, you don't want to have any kind of ambiguity between class and distastefulness. Second, with the issue of drinking, a lot of new orgs make the mistake of putting pics on their website that have "bottles". Just keep in mind that the internet reaches a ton of people everyday and a lot of people already think all Frats and Sorors do is drink, we don't want to add any more fuel to the fire and receive unwanted attention. Although there is little unity in the greek community, outsiders see us as the same. So not only are we representing our orgs. but the greek community as a whole.

where are the pix and the guestbook... am i looking on the wrong site? http://www.oepi.com

on originality and legitimaticy w/ OEPi
 

in taking Sexy Mocha's line: "Never apologize for expressing your feelings. When you do so, you apologize for the truth."
additionally, writers (anyone, really) shouldnt give their opinions a disclaimer, but here goes.

with all the joking and questioning coming from greek org members about OEPi's origins, signs, line names, etc, some of it is blatantly copying other orgs. but honestly, can you ever be original? this is how all the great greek orgs camt to exist: the first NPC org was copied by the second, the seconf by the third. even the founders of AKA had to copy the model of the sorority to SOME extent to even start an org (regardless of how different NPHC and NPC are in tradition), and then the other 2 BGL sororities followed suit in some form or fashion.

original? not really. unique by their colors, signs, symbols, philantrophies, programs, etc? yes, up to a point. would it be different if OEPi used an NPC model vs an NPHC model? what about LGLOs? everyone needs to build something on a model of something else. couldnt invent a cell phone if there wasnt a landline phone, nor a CD player without a record player, or whichever analogy you want to conjure up.

its hard enough for these women to be who they are and to be accepted in their society, as black lesbians, just as black women in college during the early 1900s were not accepted as well in their respective societies (as a black person, as a female, as a collegian).

so while those of you who are laughing and what not about OEPi's wannabe Delta pyramid or Ivy Stance, lets flip it: dont you think there were white sorority women (as well as white men of fraternities) who were doing the same thing when BGLOs were being founded? i wouldnt be surprised.

while these women didnt have any rights to the answers they may have questioned to your respective founders, in a way they still had to prove themselves as a legitimate organization (not just to them, but to anyone who was watching), which, through time, they have done a great job in doing so.

it comes down to "are they for real?" as one poster put it, which i guess would be an initial response, but i could easliy assume that NPC org members, when BGLOs were being founded, were askng the same things at their meetings and such. OEPi needs the same time to prove their legitimacy. They wanna have liquor bottles on their website? not cool if a potential member was looking for a SERIOUS black lesbian greek orgainzation. my biggest problems are 1. that they dont require you to be in college. but if they DID require that, would that be copying? 2. theres a separation between the "femme" lesbians and "butch" lesbians. so much for unity withing the black lesbian community.

i know, i know. "well youre not part of a greek org, so you wouldnt understand..." or "black women didnt choose to be black women/homosexuals chose to be homosexuals... they bring their issues on themselves" but everyone needs somewhere to feel like the belong. if a potential woman wants to join OEPi, and she feels like that should be her home, why question their motives? to each their own.

so like i said, OEPi needs to legitimatize themselves...get their exectutive board positions filled, make sure their retreat functions arent associated with drinking, get some more chapters, members, national programs, and eventually recognized by a GLO council (which i dont see happening b/c of the way the world works)...

overall represent themselves in a legitimate manner, and the only way for them to do this, in the eyes of GLO members and non-members alike, is to copy in one way or another.

*not meaning to bump, but*

:confused:

GAP/GAP

http://www.thetanuxi.org/professional.html
http://www.oepi.com/gap.htm

Am I ready WAY too much into it?

ETA: While we're on the subject...

Theta Nu Xi - founded 1997

"Theta Woman" - written 1998

Kappa Theta Lambda - founded 2001

"Kappa Woman" - written sometime after 2001

No, you're not That is hilarious! :D

That's a dam shame. I'm trying to figure out if they are trying to be funny or what or they just ran out of ideas/originality? :confused:

lol I remember when I sent you that link about Kappa Theta Lambda-I had seen a flyer on campus, checked out the site and contacted nationals...apparently one of the members was trying to set up a chapter at FSU-or at least had a flyer for an interest meeting...but what people fail to realize is that you cannot do anything officially on campus before they are officially recognized by Greek life...

I did NOT like the similarities between the Kappa Woman and Theta Woman poem...WAY too close to home...

I really think people don't realize that there are people like us out there in ALL orgs who do pay attention. They seem to think they can just get away with anything without being found out. Hmmm...

ETA: Ah the memories! Private I, remember this:

The Founding Monarchs :o of Sigma Chi Delta Multicultural Sorority - founded 2002.

lol This has happened before but in a WORD for WORD kind of way.....Private I and Preciousjeni, ya'll remember. :rolleyes:

I seem to recall that, Soror Whirlwind.

I guess they thought they were the STARS of the multiculturaL show. :D

Imitators, please read my sig.

And, many thanks to Delta Sigma Theta for the use of your forum! You ladies are very kind!!!!

All I can say on this is.........

EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH???? :eek: