What happens to perpetrators?

[AlphaChiGirl]

I've been hearing a lot (mainly from BGLO members) about people "perping"...I understand what it is (and I have some funny stories, too!), but what happens to these people once it's known that they aren't real AKAs, etc.? Are they reprimanded by the national organization, or are they just publicly shamed? I know there's no criminal action that can be taken...but what happens?

Also, although I've never heard of it, there's got to be some form of this in GLO's...any examples?

Actually, if someone says or does something in the Name of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. (member or not) they can and have been prosicuted for fraud. As far as your typical perp, sorors talk, and right or wrong, if they are found out, the chances of them ever becoming a Delta, or a member of any other BGLO are minimal.

[AXO Alum]

AlphaChiGirl -
Actually this happened to us on our campus. A girl had stolen some letters and other AXO stuff from her roommate and was sporting it around. We have a very small campus though, so we were able to stop her before she did any damage. Our dean of student services went with our president and alum member to get the stuff back. The girl was like seriously mental and ended up leaving school shortly thereafter. She hadn't even gone through rush or anything so it wasn't like she was rejected by us (or anyone)...she just knew it was easy to steal from her roommate. This is what worries me about ebay - what if someone buys a badge and just shows up at a sorority/fraternity function? We have a very strict policy that no one attends a function until we have a positive ID through National's or the visitor's home chapter. I suggest that others do this also (as it is not hard for someone to find out passwords or whatever from members who have quit). For instance I know the entire ritual for another NPC group. I was not in a sorority yet, and my friend was and she hated it and told me what kind of hell I would go through during initiation if I pledged XYZ group. I didn't pledge them, obviously, but I suppose if I had any interest whatsoever I could just stroll up to a chapter member of XYZ at the university and have a conversation and get in. A good rule of thumb is to always speak to a person if she is wearing your letters - if she is an alum or visitor, she needs to be recognized, if not then you need to call the dean or whomever handles greek affairs and report her.

[ManndingoNUPE]

I am not saying that I agree or disagree with it, but some people have been known to get beat down, for perpetrating a frat or sorority.

Originally posted by AXO Alum:
AlphaChiGirl & AXO Alum-
A girl had stolen some letters and other AXO stuff from her roommate and was sporting it around.

I know that it is NOT okay to wear the badge (i.e. pin) of a group that you don't belong to. What about the actual letters, though? I've seen cases where the boyfriend wears the letters of the girlfriend's sorority, and the girl wears the boyfriend's letters. I think each individual GLO must have a differing view on non-members wearing the actual letters
(i.e. Phi Gamma Delta's can't even wear their actual letters, it has to say FIJI)

(of course the wearing of another groups letters would nonetheless depend on the context--wearing the letters while drinking & cursing like a sailor would NEVER be okay).

Would this situation of the boyfriend-girlfriend be considered "perping" as a member of that group, since guys cannot join a sorority, and everyone knows this?

[ZetaAce]

Originally posted by gloriajean:

Would this situation of the boyfriend-girlfriend be considered "perping" as a member of that group, since guys cannot join a sorority, and everyone knows this?

Gloriajean- This wouldn't be considered 'perping' but it would just be considered flat out wrong!

There have been cases of men saying they were in a sorority, (I can think of 2 right off hand). That's crazy, IMO. But there are some crazy folx out there nowadays.

I personally don't let anyone wear my letters. If that person is not a soror (or frat) then I would rather them not wear anything that says ZPhiB. I have a laniard that says Zeta Phi Beta on my key chain, (you know, one of the ones that goes around your neck) and if I let someone borrow my keys for whatever reason I will take it off.

I will wear one of my frat brother's jackets, etc. but that's an entirely different situation.

ZetaAce

[AlphaChiGirl]

Originally posted by gloriajean: What about the actual letters, though? I've seen cases where the boyfriend wears the letters of the girlfriend's sorority, and the girl wears the boyfriend's letters.

Would this situation of the boyfriend-girlfriend be considered "perping" as a member of that group, since guys cannot join a sorority, and everyone knows this?
[/B]

Now, I wouldn't consider perping, because I can wear say, a Kappa Alpha shirt, and I think people would just assume I was shirted, and if I was wearing a pin, that I was pinned...(not that I was perping). Do BGLOs do this?

[Finer Woman10-A-91]

No NPHC do not "shirt" typically. (However I have heard of this happening on Non HBCU campuses) It seems to me it become more of a campus thing in this case.

The only NPHCs that I am aware of doing that is Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. since they actually are officially related. I would never where the letters of say a Kappa, Alpha, Iota or Omega...and its not because I don't "love them"...its a matter of respect...their letters do not belong to me.

Originally posted by AlphaChiGirl:
Now, I wouldn't consider perping, because I can wear say, a Kappa Alpha shirt, and I think people would just assume I was shirted, and if I was wearing a pin, that I was pinned...(not that I was perping). Do BGLOs do this?

[SoCalGirl]

Some fraternities and sororities have official chapter sweethearts. They are usually allowed to wear the letters but it also designates who they are. For example Greek Letters with Sweetheart underneath.

In my sorority mothers and blood sisters are also allowed to wear letters. But I wouldn't feel right about this unless it said mom or sis underneath. I've also seen hats with dad written under the letters.

I know that Kappa Alpha Theta has strict national policies about who can and can't wear their letters. While other glos aren't as strict with letters but regulate their crests. In glos without a national policy on letters it seems to differ from campus to campus.

One thing that I find interesting is this example. (It happens on my campus so this isn't fourth hand knowledge or anything like that.)

Sorority AAA and Sorority BBB

AAA won't let their pledges wear their letters. But they are more than willing to let their sports coaches from various fraternities wear them.

BBB will let their pledges wear the letters. But normally only if their cold and forgot a jacket, or something along that line. However, BBB would never dream of letting their coaches wear the letters.

I kind of understand the reasoning behind both but it's still mind boggling that such different practices are happening on the same campus.

[DELTABRAT]

I posted a post (redundant) in another forum regarding something similar. I once saw a mom purchase some nalia for her son at a stepshow. He liked the way a certain fraternity stepped and wanted a shirt with the letters. The boy was like 15 or 16 (old enough to be mistaken for a perpetrator vs. an admirer). I was a neo at the time...I mean I was FRESH. I politely went up to the mom and suggested that she not do that because some members of the group may "mistake" him for a member and upon finding out that he's not, go off on her son, not physically (although I have seen this) but it could be embarrassing to him and he really wouldn't understand. She obliged and nothing happened.

I think a woman wearing a man's fraternity shirt is NOT right. If the woman is in a sorority, she (most likely) will understand what his letters mean to him and not try to "sport" them. However, if my boyfriend is in BBB Fraternity and I am "chillin" (you know what I mean) at the hezee and I wanted to run to that kitchen and I slipped his sweatshirt over my head, I don't think I should get the beatdown.Additionally I probably wouldn't break out a screwdriver and remove my license plates if my cousin wanted to borrow my car although I have been thrown off by men driving cars with DST plates and I'm driving by throwing up the signs and all and I realize it's her man/daddy/brother/whatever.

Just my $19.13.

[DELTABRAT]

Furthermore, my boyfriend wouldn't be caught DEAD in a DST sweatshirt for any reason on earth. What's this about. I understand with ZPhiB and PBS, but I don't see that happening with other fraternities/sororities. I mean I can understand a brothah lovin' a sistah and all, but that's a little overboard.

[This message has been edited by DELTABRAT (edited July 06, 2000).]

[Shelacious]

Originally posted by Finer Woman10-A-91:

The only NPHCs that I am aware of doing that is Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. since they actually are officially related.

And even for me, I won't wear Frat's letters. I will sport a ZPBS shirt or hat, but I am not a Sigma, and I don't know the secrets of Sigma, so I won't sport their letters. I don't have a problem with other Frat and Sorors who do this, but that is my preference.

This goes for family too-- way before my mother became a Zeta, she tried to wear one of my hats one day out in public, and I (gently) took it off her head --at that time, the letters and the sorority they represent had no meaning to her, so why should she wear them? My grandmother is Zeta Amicae, and she wears Amicae para (proudly), NOT Zeta para.

[This message has been edited by Shelacious (edited July 06, 2000).]

A few questions:
Non HBCU campuses-What does this mean/stand for?
shirted-What does shirted mean? I always thought "pinned" meant something like engaged-to-be-engaged, but I have not heard of shirted before!
Thanks!

[Finer Woman10-A-91]

My mom wanted to use my umbrella to go to the corner store. Guess what, I went instead.

Originally posted by Shelacious:
This goes for family too-- way before my mother became a Zeta, she tried to wear one of my hats one day out in public, and I (gently) took it off her head --at that time, the letters and the sorority they represent had no meaning to her, so why should she wear them? My grandmother is Zeta Amicae, and she wears Amicae para (proudly), NOT Zeta para.

[This message has been edited by Shelacious (edited July 06, 2000).]

------------------
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated...Every Finer Woman's Dream!

[AlphaChiGirl]

Originally posted by gloriajean:
A few questions:
Non HBCU campuses-What does this mean/stand for?
shirted-What does shirted mean? I always thought "pinned" meant something like engaged-to-be-engaged, but I have not heard of shirted before!
Thanks!

Non-HBCU campus: any campus which isn't historically black. HBCUs include Florida A&M, Howard, Spelman, Morehouse, and Hampton.

Being shirted is something that occurs before a pinning takes place (but not in all situations), where the guy and girl are serious, but not to "pinning" status. I guess not all groups do this, but it has to be a unanimous decision amongst the brothers in order for it to happen.