DIVERSE FRATS AND SORORITIES
 

I was wondering this when I over heard a group of girls talking about rush. I over heard these girls saying that no other than "caucasian" girls are allowed to rush formal rush. I do not want to jump to conclusions about anything, so I want to know what the deal is? Are your fraternities and sororities diverse? It can be anyone, Asian,Hispanic, African American, Persian, Indian...etc...I was just wondering..let me know guys,Thanks!

Unfortunately, that is a misconception people have here at LSU. I know of one girl in a NPC group who is at least part Asian, but she seems to be a wierd exception than the rule.

I think its a vicious cycle here - the sororities are all one race, so some others feel unwelcome and that formal rush is not for them, and therefore, only the "caucasian" girls rush, thus filling the houses with new members just like the old ones.

Oh boy. I feel a can of worms about to be opened. This reminds me of a previous thread that has been closed.
Yes, no glo is supposed to descriminate. The group of girls you heard was incorrect. If any campus refused to rush anyone other than caucations, in formal rush, my guess is there would be quite an uproar. Could you even imagine the posters??? "If you're white, we want you!'. COMMON!!!! LOL. Sorry. But, AS IF any school would have such a policy.
Chapters are different. Schools are different. But chapters are only as diverse as the group who rushes.
And that's ALL I'm going to say.

Leslie

Oh ok. Well I was just wondering b/c I didnt think that was true after all...I do see pics on the internet of diverse sororities that I do not see here on campus. And please, to anyone who likes to argue, I am not opening up a can of worms, not trying to start anything. I was just curious thats all. Thankyou for the replies.

I would assume this varies by campus more than anything else. The more diverse and liberal your campus is, I would assume the more diverse your NPC and IFC GLO's are as a result. My campus was a very liberal campus, and you saw all races joining GLOs within the IFC and NPC: black, white, asian. Of course, the number of "non-whites" rushing was a bit limited because we also had Asian and Gay/Lesbian GLOs in addition to the NPHC representing.

Once again, I think the tradition and history of a campus and its chapters has as much to do with who decides to join what as anything. Like often begets like, in my experience.

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Finer Womanhood: the "Cat's Meow" Since 1920

Well, I attended a very "backwards" sort of school, where only like 400 students of the 5000 where African American. We had two African American women in our GLO, Delta Phi Epsilon. They took a lot of crap from other African American students for "selling out" and it was really sad to see them lose friends over what they wanted to do. We did have one NPHC sorority on campus, and I would think that they could've joined that group had they wanted, but felt more comfortable or whatever at our group. I was more than happy to call them sister, and still am today http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif It can happen!

My chapter is is ethnically diverse. I myself am Filipino, Japanese, Hawaiian, Hispanic, and Russian...and some of my sisters are also of mixed ancestry. Of course I go to school in Hawaii, where people have dubbed it "The Melting Pot".

I think it varies by state/region. From websites that I have seen, the chapters in the south tended to have a more Caucasian population whereas the Western region had a more diverse group of girls. Today, more and more national Multi-Cultural and Asian GLOs are expanding to campuses across the country, but there are still many minorities that choose to join NPC sororities.

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*I'm an Alpha Gam...Yes I am, Yes I am!*

At my school the greek system is constantly harassed about our "exclusivity" blah blah blah. I don't know how it is at other schools but here the claim that greeks discriminate against certain ethnicities is a joke. Why? bc I go to a predominantly white school. So like someone said earlier- sororities can only be as ethnically diverse as the school and as the group that rushes.

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DZ sisters never end!

Of all the rushees, there were two girls that were "obviously" not white. Vyshali pledged Kappa Delta and she and I are very good friends - she and I are living together this summer. The other girl was black and dropped out when she realized that none of the BGLOs did formal rush with us. There are several girls of mixed decent - Hispanic/Caucasion, black/white, ect., many asians, and several Jews. It just depends on who rushes, but there is no GLO that is exclusively white.

I think that one of the reason that the chapters in the south may be more "white" than other has to do with history. Historically, there is a lot of racial tension here. I know that my grandmother is extremely racist - she was raised that way and refuses to change her way of thinking. Probably, a lot of people are raised to think "oh, we don't associate with blacks or whites" and they just never fully grow out of that frame of mind. Sometimes the south seems soooo irrational. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/mad.gif

Allie

Well I am a member of a multicultural sorority, so yes my chapter and sorority at large is extremely diverse. I attended UofMich where it has a very diverse student body, however, the greek system was not. I believe I read somewhere (I think our school newspaper) that w/in the NPC and IFC, about 1% of the members were minority. It's sad that those groups can't be more diverse, but at the same time, UofM offers a plethora of greek orgs (Asian, Latino/a, Multicultural, Indian)to join. So now, everyone has some place to fit. I'm not saying whether it's right or wrong, I'm just saying w/ all the variety, I think a lot of minorities here just aren't that enthused about the NPC or IFC orgs.
But I do agree with whoever said that it just depends on the campus as to how diverse the chapter is gonna be. In some places, minorities are (and can be) comfortable with joining NPC or IFC orgs, while others don't feel that comfort and want to be with people that they can relate to on a more cultural level. And I think that's a key factor in why there are a lot of campuses where the NPC/IFC orgs don't have a lot of diversity. It's a weird situation b/c on one hand, it can be a problem/concern (the segregation or lack of diversity amongst orgs), but at the same time, I suppose one has to try to look at it from a minority's point of view. I don't know...those are just my thoughts http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif Hope it made some kind of sense http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/tongue.gif

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A Radiant Lady of
Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority, Inc.

"Diversity: Often perpetrated, never initiated"

This issue has always been of great concern to me since 4 of my daughters are Asian and 1 is Hispanic. I've seen GLOs here in the South with members who weren't white, as well as chapters of my own sorority. However--I do worry about what will happen in rush. It doesn't take too many people to cut a rushee and I don't think a member would be so stupid to say, "Let's cut her, she's not white" but they could sure manufacture another excuse if they had to. Furthermore, the girls might not feel comfortable in AGLOs or LGLOs because they've been raised with Caucasians and other international adoptees. I can only hope that their high grades plus school activities plus being double legacies will make the sororities say, "Gotta have those girls!"

All I can say is that if the girls find an excuse to cut her just because your daugherter is not white, then I wouldn't want to be a part of that organization. What a horrible representation of their nationals! I hope that doesn't happen.

Allie

I just wanted to let you and everyone else know that JUDISM IS NOT A RACE it is a religion, there is no person who looks jewish, there might be people who look Israeli and therefore are possibly jewish (fill in the blank country) but there is no way to tell if someone is jewish without them telling you. And I really find it disturbing that people of ethnic backgrounds are being alienated from their own races simply based on the GLO they belong to, Doesn't everyone have enough problems in this world, without the people who understand you for what you are being unjust to you too. For all the people who would turn on someone just because they joined a group outside your ethnicity-3 words: GET OVER YOURSELF

I wasn't implying that Judiasm is a race. I should have made myself clearer. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif I meant that Jews in the past - and some now - have been descriminated against because of their Religion. My thoughts sometimes get all jumbled together.

I like the way you put it USF! People like that need to get overm themeselves!

Allie http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/tongue.gif

carnation--

I would hope that your sorority, nationally, does not disrespect their alums by cutting women who are perfectly fantastic just because they aren't white. Besides, isn't there a legacy policy? We have one stating that a chapter may not cut a legacy without having authorization from the Vice President of Recruitment on the International Council. Chapters are fined $500, among other things, if they cut legacies without approval. It's about respect for our members.

Hi, Shadokat--

No, my sorority would never cut girls just because of their race--but I know that individual chapters of several nationals do just because individual girls can be prejudiced and like I said, it doesn't take too many members to cut a girl! No one would say,"Let's cut her, she's not white," but they might just use the old standby of saying, "She'd just fit in better someplace else," with significant looks that might lead people to think she was wild or whatever. You know, it's really not too hard to cut a rushee you don't like; if you don't want to state your reason aloud, there are other ways.

I'm sure we--and and my oldest daughter's sorority-- have the general NPC policy about legacies that says all legacies will be asked back to at least one set of invitationals and if they're asked back to prefs, they have to be put on the first list. To the best of my knowledge, neither sorority has to report to anyone when they cut a legacy, although it's a good idea. I think many actives don't realize the preciousness of a legacy bond...and therefore, that cutting those girls should never be done rashly or lightly.

It'd be great if my girls pledged one of the groups they're legacies to, but more and more I just want to see them happy with the sorority they pledge.

Thanks.....

As a minority in an NPC sorority, I have to tell you it's not too often you see a minority go thru NPC rush. If you do, she already knows the potential hard time she will get, but has resolved that her desire to belong to one of these sororities is stronger than her "fear" of retaliation or comments from those in her own race. I feel I am a trailblazer and, truthfully, couldn't give a damn about others' opinions. This was one of the best choices I have ever made!

When it comes to cutting a legacy, it's my nationals policy that the member is called by the chapters rush advisor and told that her daughter/sister/etc will not be invited back. However, if the rushee cuts us, we don't have to do anything! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif Which is really great, because I've heard of advisors that have broken down crying at the thought of having to make that call.

Carnation--I'm sure your daughters will be just fine. Let's face it, if a chapter does want to cut her based on her race, would you really want her there?
When you mentioned your daughters were adopted it made me think of one of my sisters. She's is Korean and was raised by a white family. But before I found that out I was shown a pic of her blue eyed blonde white sister. It took me forever to figure out that they weren't blood sisters at all! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/redface.gif I just thought to my self, "huh, I didn't realize she was mixed. It sure is odd that her sister doesn't look Asian at all though." http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/redface.gif http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

As an Asian-American in a Southern chapter of an NPC group, I can personally say I don't feel a bit out of place in my sorority. (Valdosta State)

I went to a primarily all white high school in the Atlanta 'burbs and feel very comfortable where I am in the sorority. I can say I would feel really uncomfortable in AGLO. My sisters do not view me as an "asian girl" but just another active loving sister! If there are NPC chapters that exclude according to race, they are missing out...big time! Your daughters sound like a great asset to any chapter! :0)

http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/mad.gif
Allie --- PEOPLE sometimes seem so irrational -- NOT THE SOUTH! The "South" cannot be blamed for every ill in society just because situations can be made to fit stereotypes! Freedom of speech is yours -- I just wanted to point out what IMHO is another slant on the south. I have no problems with you now or ever, I just wanted to call it to your attention that people are irrational -- not a region.

As far as the original topic goes, I am sorry, BABELSUSA that you would have heard such a statement from these girls. Obviously they were not clued in as to what true sisterhood/brotherhood is and should be which is their loss.

I stand corrected. People in the South can be sooo irrational. And in the North, and in the West, and in China! But I don't have much experience with that. All I know is that the irrationality of the people in the south seems to perpetuate itself into a regional attitude that seems ro permeate the air. I've lived in the south all my life. Born and raised here! I'm just going off what I know and have experienced.

I agree that I should have said that "some people in the south" rather than "the south." I humbly apologize to my fellow southerners. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/redface.gif

Allie http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/tongue.gif

Well, we have to face the fact..and we obviously all have, that "race factors" will probably never end. It will always be around. However, we can stand mature about something liket this, respect other people's opinions, and not try to preach to someone to make them change their minds..because sometimes no matter how hard you try to change someone's mind to what YOU think is better, we all have different views. I am hispanic, dark skinned...and when I wear my letters, I have to admit I do get some strange, confused looks.:eek: But that doesnt really bother me anymore because I know for a fact that a sorority is not made up of girl's looks. Its mostly about how they get along with each other, and how close we are to one another. Sometimes, I just wish everyone felt that way. But until then, good luck to everyone!!!! With school, uh,.....boyfriends..:rolleyes:um..potential boyfriends....errr...and careers..etc.

Well, we have to face the fact..and we obviously all have, that "race factors" will probably never end. It will always be around. However, we can stand mature about something liket this, respect other people's opinions, and not try to preach to someone to make them change their minds..because sometimes no matter how hard you try to change someone's mind to what YOU think is better, we all have different views. I am hispanic, dark skinned...and when I wear my letters, I have to admit I do get some strange, confused looks. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/eek.gif But that doesnt really bother me anymore because I know for a fact that a sorority is not made up of girl's looks. Its mostly about how they get along with each other, and how close we are to one another. Sometimes, I just wish everyone felt that way. But until then, good luck to everyone!!!! With school, uh,.....boyfriends.. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gifum..potential boyfriends....errr...and careers..etc.

I sent you email

Wow! Can of worms was right! The whole issue can never be fully explained, and if everyone wants to just keep venting their frustrations through this forum, hey... I suppose more power to ya! But, just remember, actions speak louder than words. Invite someone different than you to rush, have an exchange/social event with a multicultural group like Black Student Union, or Latinos Unidos. Have mixers with the NPHC groups.

As a matter of fact, my sorority is trying to figure out when we will have an exchange/event/social with one of the black fraternities on campus....ANd just to add something, they look nice when they get all decked-out.... http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/eek.gif We were thinking about some event themes, but cant think of any good ones...anyone..advice??? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/confused.gif

I've talked to a lot of girls of all races regarding this topic. What I found is that a lot of girls like to be around people that are more like them. Rather they go by race, personality or interests, people want to have something in common with the sorority they belong to because it is a lifetime commitment. Also there is a lot of history involved in sororities and girls want to be able feel their "peoples" history within the sorority they join. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by CarmelTreat (edited February 19, 2001).]

Well Duh! People might be more comfortable around people of their own race, but that is due to their own predjudices and stereotypes. Chapters with no variety, no diversity are breeding grounds for racism. We should chose NOT accept that, to encourage women to rush organizations that they wouldn't normally. I share something with all my sisters just in that we chose to become sisters for life.

Whoever told you that only "caucasian" girls are allowed to rush is just flat out ignorant.

The motto of my sorority is "unity within diversity" and we would never not let someone in our sorority because of their skin color. I would say at the school that I went to African Americans chose to join the historically BGLO over the NPC organziations. Some of my friends are members of BGLO and they say that those groups offer things that NPC organziations don't. It's kind of like rush, why would you want to join an organization that you don't fit into or won't get anything out of?

Just a reminded to all...diversity doesn't just revolve around skin color, it also means different personalities and their ability to interact and get along with one another.

Hey...thats a good point.... http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/tongue.gif

prdlocal,

Maybe you didn't read my comment properly because I didn't say that people just want to be with people of their own race, I said that they want to have something in common with their sorority be that intrests, personality or yes even race. And I also never said anything about people being "comfortable" around people of their own race. Before write me off as writing a stupid or obvious comment by saying (very rudely I might add) "Well Duh" please ACTUALLY READ what I wrote.

CT



[This message has been edited by CarmelTreat (edited February 20, 2001).]

Caramel Treat, nothing I said was directed towards you, so don't worry so much! I was just stating my own opinion, and didn't mean to attack you in any way!

Prdlocal

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"For every lie I unlearn I learn something new..." Ani Difranco

I agree with an earlier post that a sorority can only be as diverse as the campus it is on and the group that goes thru Rush. As a member of a sorority from Univ of Southern Cal in the early 90's, there were many women of Asian and Hispanic descent in the NPC chapters, and quite a few African Americans in the NPC groups as well. There were many rumors at USC of certain houses discriminating based on certain factors such as money, car driven and beauty, but never, never, never did you hear of a house discriminating based on race. USC is a very diverse campus, and so were the women going through Rush.

http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif
Amy

Well, I'm glad you discrimite on all the right things lol http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif

they don't call it the University of Spoiled Children for nothin' ha ha ha LOL. JUST KIDDING, I love my alma mater!
Amy

Amy, you crack me up! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif