S.O. wearing badge

[LXA grits]

So, I have a question about the proper use of decoration for a Significant Other. The C&SC states in Code VI-18, "The Official Badge of the Fraternity shall be worn only by a fully initiated member in good standing or by his mother, sister, wife, or fiancée. This statute shall apply equally to all sizes of the Official Badge."

I also see the notation of Code VIII-4 which Lynn made reference to in another thread. However, I don't see the detail about "How to properly wear the badge" in the C&SC (perhaps I'm looking at an older C&SC edition).

In 1921, J. E. Mason wrote to B.H. McIntosh on the subject. He mentions:
- If a woman is wearing the badge, it is a sign that she's under the protection of LCA; thus, only fiancées should receive that honor.
- If a member only shows a "temporary fancy" for a woman, he can give her a Friendship Pin as a "casual compliment."
- If a woman (then fiancée; now Mom, Sis, Fiancée, Wife) does receive a badge, it doesn't matter what size it is. That was a matter of taste, not a ruling.


So, my 2 questions arise in my attempt to understand proper display.

1) Significant Others (i.e. mothers, sisters, wives, or fiancées) doesn't legally include girlfriends or "chapter sweethearts." Do you personally have experience with them wearing the Official Badge? What about letters? Contemporary LCA lavalieres and stitched twill letters are oftentimes considered of great import to chapters in regards to respect for the wearer (some chapters even inappropriately deny use of them by associated members). Any thoughts on this proper or improper usage of the fraternity letters? I'm not trying to bring up copyright infringement issues; I just want to hear thoughts on women's use of the fraternity letters.

2) There is oftentimes mention of significant others wearing a smaller version of the badge. I know there are smaller versions at IHQ, and a rare glimpse of older ones on eBay, but what about current versions? Are there any smaller badges currently in production? Does our current jeweler provide these? Do you know of any women from the current college generation that have been given the honor of wearing the Official Badge? (As a side question, is a smaller version of the badge still considered an Official Badge?)

I threw in a few tangents there, but hopefully it can spark some thoughts that will help me better understand current proper/accepted usage of our letters and badges. Thanks guys.

Yours in Z A X ,

Chris Hall

[GammaZeta]

Ok, I don't have an answer for your above questions, but I do have another question to ask.

I notice that it does say fiance in the code. Well, here in good ol' liberal Massachusetts, two men can legally get married, therefore making one a fiance.

So, can a same sex couple with one of the person's being a brother, have their significant other wear the pin?

[docroc67]

Yes,

Mike Raymond,

Zeta-Upsilon Zeta

[Ottor 246]

Originally Posted by LXA grits

1) Significant Others (i.e. mothers, sisters, wives, or fiancées) doesn't legally include girlfriends or "chapter sweethearts." Do you personally have experience with them wearing the Official Badge? What about letters? Contemporary LCA lavalieres and stitched twill letters are oftentimes considered of great import to chapters in regards to respect for the wearer (some chapters even inappropriately deny use of them by associated members). Any thoughts on this proper or improper usage of the fraternity letters? I'm not trying to bring up copyright infringement issues; I just want to hear thoughts on women's use of the fraternity letters.

Yours in Z A X ,

Chris Hall

Where to begin? OK-First, you need to realize that Lambda Chi Alpha doesn't have a "Badge Enforcement Division" or anything. No one is going to show up at your house and take away your birthday if do something you shouldn't have. That being said, it's up to each brother individually to decide what is appropriate. It's all about what those letters represent to you. Remember that when you give a "significant other" your letters, you're giving her my letters, too.

At my own chapter in the early 90's, Lavaliers were very popular. We had guys who were serial lavalier-ers. They'd go out with a girl for 2 weeks, and we'd see her running around the campus in letters. Then, in another two weeks, they'd be broken up and in another two weeks, it would be some other girl. Eventually, another brother (or several) might hold an intervention of sorts to remind the brother to consider more carefully in the future.

Most of us, though, took this stuff pretty seriously. If a steady girlfriend was given a lavalier, (or, if the brother was more steeped in fraternity tradition, a friendship pin,) it was a pretty big deal. It was the equivilant of a "pre-engagement." At this point, the young lady was permitted to wear the letters as well.

If a brother in our chapter had allowed a girl who did not meet the constitutional critera to wear an official badge, we would probably have driven him several miles into the state forest and dropped him off in the dead of night in his underwear. If he was very lucky. He might very well have been brought up on charges.

Now for the grain of salt. A few things you should know about me: 1.) I chose not to wear letters until I was initiated, because I didn't want to advertise something I didn't fully understand. 2.)In my life, I have only given a set of letters to one woman; my mother. 3.) I have frequently loaned my fraternity jacket to ladies on cold evenings, as I believe a gentleman should, but I always turned it inside-out first, lest anyone see the letters and get a wrong idea. So I probably take this stuff more seriously than most brothers do.

[EM1843]

I too take my letters very seriously.

It is my understanding that a girlfriend may wear a friendship pin, but not a badge. I never permitted my wife, then girlfriend, to wear my badge and that was a point of contention for while.

I also waited a year to lavalier her. Her entire sorority knew how serious I am about the fraternity, and she hid the lavalier during the entire summer until bid day at her sorority for her candlelighting. No one thought I would give her my letters, but when she blew out the candle everyone screamed and was really excited for her, more so than when she had her engagement candlelighting, because they all knew we would get married, but they never thought I would give her my letters. To me lavaliering a girl is a statement that she means as much to you as the fraternity.

I don't know about the availabilty of smaller badges, but if anyone does, I would order one for my wife.

GRITS, glad to see you post.

[RACooper]

I go with what it says - Mother, Sister, Fiancée or Wife (and I'd guess partner now).

The only one of the above that has worn mine was my sister - she thought it'd look good next to her Gamma Phi badge and presidents "dangle" thing... or as she called it her "bling"...

She has worn it on a few of her road trips down south, and to her conference - was only challenged on it by an AM... who promptly lost his pin somehow and didn't get it back until he offered many liquid 'apologies'

[LXA grits]

Good thoughts guys...any more ideas, stories, etc from posters?
Any leads on where to get a smaller version of the badge, or stories of seeing one?

Good to be here still, Matt. I may not post often, but when I do, it's usually long enough to make up for months with no GC. Haha. Plus, thinking on the subject, I've decided this topic will by my "fun fact" for next week's chapter meeting. We've been over the whistle, lesser known famous LCA's, origin of LCA colors, a bunch of ZAX techinical sessions, Ep-Om Zeta local history, ThKN's Rx vs AMC, and International Fraternity Identity. I think next chapter meeting I'll present proper badge/letters use to the guys.

Yours in Z A X ,

Chris Hall

[john1082]

I always thought of women and the Fraternity identity in the context of badges, not letters. But the above exchange just shed some light on a recent discovery that I made - the tombstone of a woman that had the Greek letters LXA inscribed thereon.

More to be revealed later.