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re: Banning Crescents
I was an active member when LXA banned Lil' sister organizations
nationally (or at least really began enforcing it)....it was due to a
lawsuit, of course.
The Jaycee's (Junior Chamber of Commerce) organization
(an all male national organization at the time) used
to have a women's auxilary called the Jaycettes...in the mid to
late 80's, some Jaycettes sued the Jaycees for treating women
as second class citizens.
The girls participated, worked, supported, etc. the organization
every bit as much as the guys, but were not allowed membership,
voting rights, or the ability to hold office in the Jaycees.
The U.S. Supreme Court finally decided that this was
discrimination against women (treating them as second-class
members), since they participated as fully as the guys, but
had no "say" in the Jaycee's activities. The SC. ordered the
Jaycees to go co-ed. All-male organizations may exist, but
they may not treat "participating" women as second-class.
LXA, and as I recall, many/most national fraternities, ordered
their chapters to disband aux. women's organizations (Lil
sister clubs) for fear a Crescent Girl somewhere would bring
a similar suit against LXA, and with the precedent set by
the Supreme Court, force LXA to go co-ed.
I remember our Phi Kappa Tau chapter received a letter from
their National office telling them they had 2 weeks to disband
their Lil Sis group, or risk losing their charter (they had
ignored previous orders, if I remember correctly)
The late 80's were a "lawsuit-happy" time in our country.
In fact, alot of the "silly rules" the fraternity has are due
to lawsuits....ever heard about why LXA nationals bans
"open parties"??? (ie. can't put signs up on campus that
invite the whole campus to an event).
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