Letters written out in script

Originally Posted by Eirbear

I'm honestly not 100% sure what qualifies a "fraternity" (and you'd think I would, since I'm IN a women's fraternity), but I think I heard that it has something to do with the rules or the constituation or how something is written. It no longer matters if it's a men's or women's group. There's some criteria which qualifies the word "fraternity" in the official name.

But, like I said, that's just what I've heard...

The word "sorority" was created especially for Gamma Phi Beta, founded in 1874. There were already women's fraternities prior to Gamma Phi's founding that already carried the "women's fraternity" name. As far as orgs. founded after Gamma Phi, I'm not sure why some went the women's fraternity route vs. the sorority route -- I'm thinking it was just a personal preference of the Founders.

[Eirbear]

Originally Posted by OTW

The word "sorority" was created especially for Gamma Phi Beta, founded in 1874. There were already women's fraternities prior to Gamma Phi's founding that already carried the "women's fraternity" name. As far as orgs. founded after Gamma Phi, I'm not sure why some went the women's fraternity route vs. the sorority route -- I'm thinking it was just a personal preference of the Founders.

Yeah, that's probably the case. Like I said, the other thing was just what I'd heard. Alpha Xi Delta was founded in 1893, so that was after "sorority" had come into use. So, there must have been a distinct reason the word "fraternity" was chosen for the official name.

[macallan25]

I see now. Confusing I guess. None of the girls I know in the "fraternity" list have ever referred to their respective organizations as "fraternities."

[alum]

I am not a historian by any means, but I always thought the women's fraternities were designated as such because the word sorority had not been coined.

I think of myself as a member of a women's fraternity. To males and members of other female GLOs, I refer to my group as a sorority.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Here is how it's been explained to me. The word "sorority," coined for my organization, means sisterhood in latin. Some sororities decided that it made no sense to have a greek name, yet adopt the new latin "sorority" label. So, they decided to stick with "fraternity." However since "fraternity" is also latin, I don't understand this explanation.

I think it could just be because "fraternity" was an accepted, well-known term, and so some sororities decided to call themselves "fraternities" because they figured outsiders would better understand what their organization was if they had that label.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by OTW

The word "sorority" was created especially for Gamma Phi Beta, founded in 1874.

Just to be accurate, the word "sorority" is older than that. Sir Thomas More used it in his writings around 1530. Granted, it was never as common a word as "fraternity," but it when it was "coined" in the 1870s for Gamma Phi Beta, the professor who suggested it could have been drawing on a knowledge of More's writings. Of course, he also could have been completely unaware of the previous use of the word and done what someone before him had done -- gone back to the Latin sororitas and anglicized it in a manner similar to fraternitas.

Originally Posted by ladygreek

Actually, it is as simple as the fact that we have Articles of Incorporation, so legally we are incorporated. It makes a big difference in obtaining corporate sponsorships for certain activities.

Most if not all GLOs, certainly all national/international ones, are incorporated. I think DA's point was that members of Divine 9 groups often make a point of saying or writing "Incorporated" (or Inc.) when saying the full name of their organizations, whereas members some other groups typically do not, and that the choices of any given org should be respected.

[Chris Morier]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Just to be accurate, the word "sorority" is older than that. Sir Thomas More used it in his writings around 1530. Granted, it was never as common a word as "fraternity," but it when it was "coined" in the 1870s for Gamma Phi Beta, the professor who suggested it could have been drawing on a knowledge of More's writings. Of course, he also could have been completely unaware of the previous use of the word and done what someone before him had done -- gone back to the Latin sororitas and anglicized it in a manner similar to fraternitas.
Most if not all GLOs, certainly all national/international ones, are incorporated. I think DA's point was that members of Divine 9 groups often make a point of saying or writing "Incorporated" (or Inc.) when saying the full name of their organizations, whereas members some other groups typically do not, and that the choices of any given org should be respected.

Very good point, and I agree!