Does Bi-cultural = Multicultural?
 

So I was having a lively debate with another Greek this week about Afro-Latino organizations such as:

Should these organizations count as multicultural? They literally promote more than one culture in their missions, programming and their membership. But they don't promote all cultures.

Going just on word meaning alone - "multi" meaning more than one, I would say that groups that promote two cultures but not all cultures would count as multicultural. Not as precise as "bi" but that's OK.

If they were promoting all cultures, wouldn't "pancultural" be a better fit?

Here's a question to not answer your question: Do they truly promote two cultures or are they specifically promoting "Afro-Latino" culture? That is, are non-Latino African American culture and non-African Latino culture as excluded as any other culture?

That's literally the word I was thinking of.

They do not promote only Afro-Latino culture. (That would be a small-ass fraternity indeed) They promote African American culture (or even Pan-Africanism, if you will) and Latino culture. (One of them even has a strong American Indian aspect, too -- I saw it in one of their probate shows).

Bicultural and multicultural are sometimes used interchangeably.

Organizations with the purpose of recognizing, promoting, and appreciating different (races and ethnicities and) cultures would be multicultural.

This is different than NPHC organizations that were founded and currently operate for Black Americans and others of the African Disapora. That includes different cultures but only within the "African Diasporic" race and ethnicity. Therefore, even Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta, with their diversity in some chapters, are not multicultural. People who are not of the African Diaspora can become members but the purpose of the organizations do not change with increased diversity in membership.

This may be a hijack, but I do tend to get frustrated when groups that are not specifically (or non-specifically, nowadays) "White" or "Black" or sometimes "Latino/a" they get lumped into some people's understanding as a multicultural organization. I tend to like more precise nomenclature.

Which leads me to my question - do you think it does a disservice to specific racially/culturally based organizations that are not multicultural, and to multicultural organizations?

I think you got to the heart of my frustration here.

I like "pancultural" too, but although "pan" and "omni" have worked their way into discussions of orientation, we're even more uncomfortable with 'culture' than we are with orientation.

And based on your reply, yeah I'd agree that I'd include it in "multicultural." I doubt that every MCGLO includes _every_ culture, but that each org is influenced by their founders, and each chapter is influenced by its members as well.

I don't understand your question. LOL.

Multiculturalism is a relatively new phenomenon in this mainstream context. I'm still accustomed to anything that isn't NPC or NIC being called "cultural orgs" and not being included in the "awesome GLOs" category. That has always pissed me off but the majority will always do that to the minority.


I don't think that I did. LOL.

I think the purpose of multicultural isn't to have members from every single culture before considering yourself multicultural; or explicitly listing all cultures that you include or welcome. It is to be open to different cultures and to have a purpose that stresses such openness.

In that sense, biculturalism would be different than multiculturalism (despite being used interchangeably sometimes) because biculturalism implies specific cultures that are included. In contrast, multiculturalism often includes and even lists different cultures in an "including but not limited to..." fashion.

LOL I guess I better explain more:

I'm having a hard time organizing my thoughts right now but I'm going to think on this - even what's below probably doesn't make any sense (blame it on work or something, I don't know).

My question does relate, though, to the racial or cultural diversity of memberships and how it doesn't change any professed racial or cultural purpose of the group.

If I joined an NPHC organization it wouldn't change that aspect of the groups purpose. That's generally understood.

However, and this is because I'm coming from an NPC context and I think it's pretty clear that in general NPC sorority members are pretty terrible at relating to groups that are not NPC (or even other NPC groups, don't get me started), I see people lumping particularly Asian and some Latino fraternities and sororities with the multicultural groups when serving as a multicultural organization was not part of the intended purpose of the group. And I was just wondering what that means particularly for chapters of the organization that do have a relatively diverse member population, if that makes sense.

For many NPC/NIC members, it's easy to put everyone in the boxes of "NPC," "NIC," "NPHC," and "everyone else." And sometimes just "NPC/NIC" and "everyone else." It's my understanding that by not recognizing the differences between different types of Greek organizations, folks are doing a disservice to those organizations because recognition helps to understand differing points of view and approaches to functioning as a Greek Life organization.

So, basically, not understanding the general principles upon which different types of organizations were founded is poopy doo doo and I want to know if others agree and to what extent the poopy doo doo is.

Please forgive me for acting like dnall and generalizing my perceptions or those of people I know to mean that everyone views it that way.

I agree with this, but take it even further to suggest that bicultural organizations would specifically exclude anything they consider to be colonial or imperial (white) ideology. I am sure they would take a white member who was down for liberation and such, but the way that exemplify their ideals (say for example, Malik) is militant to the point of alienation.

This might be contrary to the underlying "feeling" of multicultural organizations, but I would still consider bicultural orgs to be multicultural by virtue of intentionally uniting multiple cultures and having programs to that effect.

I understand you. For the sake of clarity, let's say that I am discussing organizations who are:

1. Members of the National Multicultural Greek Council
2. Actual multicultural organizations who would generally qualify to be members of NMGC
3. Bicultural organizations not on any council at all.

I don't know about this so I can't speak on it. I don't consider the perceived militance of Malik to be indicative of bicultural organizations, in general.

Welllllllll, if an organization like Malik would be militant toward members of the white diaspora, they would not be multicultural. Whites also have a race, ethnicity, and culture. There's no multiculturalism if you aren't open to white folks joining you and your purpose doesn't include being open to the white diaspora without white folks constantly feeling like the offspring of colonialists and imperials.

I understand why bicultural organizations may specifically not want to be part of the NMGC, but would they not qualify?

Yes, they literally would still be multicultural. They would not be pancultural.

I don't know.

Also, I would imagine it would be hard to be expressly "pancultural." That's a lot of cultures, and where does it stop? How deep does it go? Is there a recognition that Canadian culture may be different than American culture?

And programming wise, how many multicultural organizations focus on majority culture with the same fervor as minority culture?

Are multicultural organizations truly multicultural, or are they "celebration of minority cultures" organizations?

Why do multicultural organizations probate/emerge/step and not have "Presents" or other traditions from majority cultures?

These are just questions.... I'm not sure that multicultural orgs necessarily include white cultures any more than bicultural orgs do.

Okay. :)

diverse membership =/= biculturalism or multiculturalism

But is that getting into a:
Q: Why is there no International Men's Day?
A: Because International Men's Day is the other 364 days of the year.

Type of thing?

Right that's exactly what I'm saying, and exactly what I believe a lot of people (of the majority especially) don't get. And that that's doody.

Possibly. I don't disagree. But what of the white people who do join multicultural organizations? I would say there's nothing wrong with a white person wanting to see their individual culture(s) reflected in the programming of their own organization, without feeling bad about it.

(I am sure each organization handles this issue in its own way)

Bicultural and multicultural organizations contain more browns and blacks than whites. Beyond the Roberts Rules of Order and other logistics, these browns and blacks are going to do what they consider cultural and historically relevant to them.

There are reasons why BGLOs, for example, adopted some NIC and NPC traditions and not others.

Yes, we already know that whiteness is the mainstream and dominant.

However, since whites also have race, and ethnicity, and culture it would be fitting that white cultures are celebrated. Whiteness as an assimilated ideal doesn't have to be celebrated but the different cultures that have assimilated into whiteness could be celebrated. There are campus organizations and cultural celebrations that do that at some schools. Students (including first generation Americans and those whose great-great grandparents immigrated to America) from different white diasporic cultures attend cultural events in which they wear traditional attire and share traditions. This has often been reserved for nonwhites except in cities that have cultural events for white ethnicities.

I don't disagree. But since I'm not a member of those groups I don't necessarily get a say in what they do or don't do, and the reasons why they do or don't do them. They certainly won't get a "but that's not faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaair" from me, and I'm sure that they do the events and things that their membership wants to do.

We're just typing in a GC thread, right?

Yeah I'm rambling at this point. For whatever reason everything I've typed today (on GC and in work communications) has come off as rambly, whiney, or stupid.

Or all three.

I'm just copy/pasting then tweaking email responses from better days now so that the folks at work don't think I've caught a severe case of "idiot."

Beta Kappa Sigma just initiated a woman *I believe* is their first white member at Ramapo College. From my understanding, she has close ties to the members of the organization, which initially prompted her interest. I can't say with certainty what her more developed reasons are for joining. (Not that she doesn't have good reasons... just that I am not privy to that information.)

Oh, Ramapo....

lol It's a very special place.

It looks like on their website that at least one of their founders was white. http://www.betakappasigma.net/#!about

I don't know enough to know for sure, but I am certain that a big deal was made of having a white member on the SP11 line. I've been under the impression that the "Caucasian" listed on the site referred to members with Caucasian ancestry, rather than actual white members. I could certainly be wrong though.

Makes sense!

I was debating whether or not to post as a member of a multicultural sorority, but decided I would. I'm speaking only for Theta Nu Xi.

And programming wise, how many multicultural organizations focus on majority culture with the same fervor as minority culture?

Our programming largely centers around two things. 1) The cultural experience of the members at the local level and 2) Topics of import for the local campus or community. You'll find Theta Nu Xi chapters highlighting issues and topics that are relevant to whites.

Are multicultural organizations truly multicultural, or are they "celebration of minority cultures" organizations?

Theta Nu Xi's membership is predominantly African American followed by Caucasian and Latina. The next largest classification is Multiethnic, which includes women who identify as Biracial. We have a sizeable Asian/South Asian representation as well.

The majority of our membership speaks English only, but we also have a large number of women who speak Spanish (20%) as well. Around 40% of us speak at least one language other than English.

Most of us are heterosexual, but around 10% are Lesbian/Bisexual/Questioning/Other. And, a segment of our membership identifies as Gender Queer or other on the spectrum of gender fluidity.

The vast majority of our membership is registered to vote, while some are not. Of those who are not registered, many cannot register.

To ask if multicultural sororities are truly multicultural is to suggest that there is a definition of "truly multicultural," which (despite the debates) there isn't.

To answer in another way, Theta Nu Xi celebrates the particular identities of our members, whatever that means in context. We are also critically aware of the voices of those who are disadvantaged and it is inherent in our mission to speak out for them. These efforts translate into programs that tackle the criminal justice system, the sex trade, the tribulations faced by undocumented citizens, etc.

Why do multicultural organizations probate/emerge/step and not have "Presents" or other traditions from majority cultures?

Theta Nu Xi has adopted traditions from across the spectrum of Greek Life. We "probate" but with a Theta Nu spin called the "Emergence." Our Emergences tend to reflect the cultures of the line/chapter in some way. Most multicultural sororities include a cultural element to their surfacings/coming out shows.

Theta Nu Xi also has Big and Little sisters in the same way that you would expect to see in an NPC organization. These relationships have a very specific function for us.

If this is true, do I have to stop clowning organizations which sound like Shmigma Slambda Bamma for being Mlatinacultural?

*gasp*

^^ You almost said smegma.

/and that is my very 'classy' addition to this thread

ETA: Dammit, KS. Smegmahead.

LMAAAAAAAAAAAAAO! Hey...I'm just talking about a specific definition of "multicultural." It's easier to tell was ISN'T multicultural than pin down what it means to be multicultural. I can say with some confidence that mlatinacultural sororities are not multicultural.

iGagged

I stopped laughing just long enough to write this...LOL

pj I'm glad for your response.