Homosexuals in BGLOs

[Dr. Parks]

My follow-up book to African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and the Vision (www.legacyandvision.com) will also feature a chapter--based on a qualitative study--on homosexuals in BGLO fraternities. If you would like to share your thoughts--confidentially--on this issue, please visit: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Alan_DeSantis/

Your comments will only be sent to the main researcher on the project, and your name and organizational affiliation will not appear in the book.

Thanks!

Gregory Parks, PhD

[SOLOMON_1906]

No offense DOC....however, I wish researchers would not waist time on such a topic. Why not research success stories related to our continued service to the community? Why not highlight certain national projects that have made a huge difference in the community or with individuals.

If they do a chapter on homosexual Greeks...they might as well include a chapter on Greeks that commit adultery, or Greeks who fornicate, or Greeks who lie alot...or Greeks who beat their wives....seems like useless info.

[IOTA-4A'88F]

I concur with my Brother Square:
Who (should) care about a man or woman's sexual preference, all of these organizations are about service and not about what's going on in someone's bedroom.

[starang21]

http://www.greekchat.com/gcforums/sh...t=64216&page=2


again, i'm going to be the dissenting voice...

Originally Posted by me

i don't want a gay brother of mine promoting homosexuality and my organization at the same time. he can do that on his own time. my organization wasn't founded in order to promote homosexuality, therefore the two should be separate.

gay members know that the majority of the membership does not share their lifestyle, and many of them look down upon it. right or wrong, ignorant or whatever...that's the way it is. they know this prior to joining. therefore, they have ample warning on how they are going to be percieved or whether or not they're going to be accepted by the general membership. if they truly love what we symbolize, then harsh words on the net shouldn't break their spirit.

to answer the question...would i vote in an interest who was openly gay?


NO.

i don't agree with the lifestyle, so why should i want this person representing me and my principles? we're human, and we're hypocrites. we choose what we want to follow. this is one of those things that i don't cast a blind eye to.

would i accept a gay brother?

YES. a bruh is a bruh is a bruh. period.

i don't agree with what he does, but as long as it's on his time and not frat time....then i won't have a problem.

[SOLOMON_1906]

Mr. 21,
I think I see where u are going...BUT

Even though people "claim" they would not vote an openly gay person in their organizations, it still doesn't make it worthy for research.

I wouldn't vote an ex-con in my frat or a wife beater or a drug user for that matter but neither of those groups are worthy of research or publicity.

[Dr. Parks]

Thanks for the commentary about what is and is not worthy of study with regards to BGLOs. Let me comment. If you look at my last book and my blog, which lays out the next one, you will see that the success stories are and will be told--community service, philanthropy, civic action, role in international affairs.... But are we so one dimensional that all we can talk about is how wonderful we are? As a scholar and one who hopes other scholars will take the study of our groups seriously, I can't paint a one-sided picture--mainly because it is inaccurate. Also, however, if someone does not bring serious issues with which we wrestle to the fore, we will never effectively address them.

On another note, to say that since I address homosexuality in the book, I should also address lying, stealing, fornication, etc... is false logic. I addressed date rape, substance abuse, and hazing (all crimes) in the last book. However, I don't think I need to address homicide, pedophilia, and extortion among BGLOs. The issue for me is what are relevant issues for BGLOs, and what topics are currently researched re: fraternities and sororities generally, and how does that research relate to BGLOs.

The issues that the chapter addrssses is are a lot broader than simply why members won't vote gay members into their chapters. I wouldn't tackle a topic so narrow. I edited the chapter last week, and it says a lot about the stereotypes associated with several of the fraternities, notions about black manhood, hip hop culture, etc...

Seeing will be believing.

Dr. Gregory Parks

[starang21]

Originally Posted by SOLOMON_1906

Mr. 21,
I think I see where u are going...BUT

Even though people "claim" they would not vote an openly gay person in their organizations, it still doesn't make it worthy for research.

I wouldn't vote an ex-con in my frat or a wife beater or a drug user for that matter but neither of those groups are worthy of research or publicity.

oh well hell, lol...i wasn't commenting on whether or not it was research worthy....i just figured it was more discourse on gays in bglo's (which in itself is an overdone topic).

but i think the topic gays in bglo's" is research worthy. if it's worthy doing research for gays in the military, then it is for bglo's. fraternity life is "macho" in itself.....and homos go against the grain in that fashion.

homosexuality (as opposed to cheating/womanizing, ect.) is one of those things that people do not really overlook or let "slide" very often, thus it is an issue when one tries to get down. not that it's right, but that's just how it is.

if i was doing the book, would i add it? probably not, because the reasons i listed in my previous post. but would i say that it's worthless info? not necessarily.

[Dr. Parks]

I was responding to Solomon. Starang21, I'm not sure what you mean when you say it is an overdone topic.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by Dr. Parks

I was responding to Solomon. Starang21, I'm not sure what you mean when you say it is an overdone topic.

and i wasn't quoting you. and it's an overdone topic, IMO. do a search and see how many hits you get on this site alone.