White men in NPHC

[Ilaria Ame]

Originally Posted by Reds6

What equates to "white, black, and latino enough?" Just curious.

i, of course, meant this personally, not generally. but what i was referring to, especially on my campus, is the seperation that occurs. in order to feel comfortable in a white sorority here i have to be comfortable going to "old south" confederate balls, or having sisters who are openly racist. the divine nine sororities here are so used to being treated with prejudice that unless i was a "home girl" with no white roots whatsoever i'm looked at as just another white girl trying to be black. which is not the case. as far as latina sororities, there aren't any here, so i base this only on what i've heard and read, but i'm not interested in learning to speak spanish or trying to pretend their values are similar to mine, because they aren't. i find i'm most comfortable representing a sorority that openly embraces its sorors' cultural differences.

[Reds6]

Originally Posted by Ilaria Ame

i, of course, meant this personally, not generally. but what i was referring to, especially on my campus, is the seperation that occurs. in order to feel comfortable in a white sorority here i have to be comfortable going to "old south" confederate balls, or having sisters who are openly racist. the divine nine sororities here are so used to being treated with prejudice that unless i was a "home girl" with no white roots whatsoever i'm looked at as just another white girl trying to be black. which is not the case. as far as latina sororities, there aren't any here, so i base this only on what i've heard and read, but i'm not interested in learning to speak spanish or trying to pretend their values are similar to mine, because they aren't. i find i'm most comfortable representing a sorority that openly embraces its sorors' cultural differences.

I'm just a little confused with this statement. Are you saying you were told by D9 Sororities that you wouldn't be accepted because you were multi-racial? I wanted to ask if that was your experience before I called this statement ridiculous. Do you think we have a bias against those of mixed-heritage that most likely would be identified as a person of color? While I wouldn't vote for a white member (my opinion), I just don't see being of mixed-heritage an issue. May I ask how you self-identify? And please know that when they come with the rope for us they coming for your azz too.

[poeticace]

Originally Posted by Reds6

I'm just a little confused with this statement. Are you saying you were told by D9 Sororities that you wouldn't be accepted because you were multi-racial? I wanted to ask if that was your experience before I called this statement ridiculous. Do you think we have a bias against those of mixed-heritage that most likely would be identified as a person of color? While I wouldn't vote for a white member (my opinion), I just don't see being of mixed-heritage an issue. May I ask how you self-identify? And please know that when they come with the rope for us they coming for your azz too.

Not to put words into my Soror's mouth, but I'm going to explain one of her statements from my personal end... I too am mixed (although in appearance, I'm white) - with Czech, Norwegian, English, Black, Cherokee, and Spanish. When I was seeking out orgs, I headed to the multicultural ones simply because a) by appearance ALONE I would not be "black" or "Latina" enough to join D9 or Latina orgs b) I wasn't considered "white" enough (in actions) to be a part of a historically white org. I was never rejected or any such sort from any other org, so I don't think she's saying that the D9 organizations reject people who are mixed, I think she's saying she didn't feel comfortable enough to be in an org who is historically black. That does not mean that they wouldn't have accepted her, it's just a personal decision...

Soror, please correct me if I'm wrong, this is just my interpretation of what you were trying to say

[RedefinedDiva]

Originally Posted by poeticace

When I was seeking out orgs, I headed to the multicultural ones simply because a) by appearance ALONE I would not be "black" or "Latina" enough to join D9 or Latina orgs

What the hell is "Black" enough? Do you think we all come in one shade? Are we supposed to have a color quota when it comes down to "Blackness"?

It's ridiculous statements like that which makes ME happy that people who have twisted thoughts like that didn't bother to seek membership into my sorority. While I can ONLY speak for Alpha Kappa Alpha (though I'm sure my sistergreeks would agree), we accept young women from ALL shades of the rainbow. We have Sorors that have deep chocolate skin all the way to the palest white. In fact, one of my very good Sorors is white. We have Sorors from all nationalities, cultures, and backgrounds.

For people to use the scapegoat that they were not "____________" enough to join a particular sorority just goes to show that you were never really interested, nor did you do any research. Membership in an NPHC sorority doesn't automatically grant you force you into an NAACP membership, nor would you have to stage a sit-in at the local lunch counter.

I wonder what year this is sometimes....

[Reds6]

Originally Posted by poeticace

Not to put words into my Soror's mouth, but I'm going to explain one of her statements from my personal end... I too am mixed (although in appearance, I'm white) - with Czech, Norwegian, English, Black, Cherokee, and Spanish. When I was seeking out orgs, I headed to the multicultural ones simply because a) by appearance ALONE I would not be "black" or "Latina" enough to join D9 or Latina orgs b) I wasn't considered "white" enough (in actions) to be a part of a historically white org. I was never rejected or any such sort from any other org, so I don't think she's saying that the D9 organizations reject people who are mixed, I think she's saying she didn't feel comfortable enough to be in an org who is historically black. That does not mean that they wouldn't have accepted her, it's just a personal decision...

Soror, please correct me if I'm wrong, this is just my interpretation of what you were trying to say

Ok you and your Soror sound mis-informed. Do you realize how many of us can go down our family line and say we have this and that in regards to different heritages in our blood line. When I hear someone say they aren't this or that enough I think they aren't comfortable with themselves and who they are.
Oh BTW, they coming for your azz too.

[Little32]

Also, from what I have read, Ethel Hedgeman had some Native American ancestry.

The assertion that one has to meet some sort of "blackness" standard to pursue our organization is ridiculous. I agree that such a claim just demonstrates a lack of serious research.

[delph998]

Good luck to you, OldBlue!

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Little32

Also, from what I have read, Ethel Hedgeman had some Native American ancestry.

The assertion that one has to meet some sort of "blackness" standard to pursue our organization is ridiculous. I agree that such a claim just demonstrates a lack of serious research.

Please understand that I'm not contradicting you about your, or any other organization as a whole here but in this thread as in others there have been multiple members who stated they would not vote for a white person, usually followed with "that's just what I think" or something similar. I've seen it repeatedly. It isn't hard at all to get the impression that there's a caveat to all the remarks of openness.

I'm not surprised that on some campuses interests might not feel like they're "black enough" and would be discriminated because of it, just as there are assumptions of racism in NPC orgs where they don't exist.

[Jody]

Drolefille,

If you don't think that one of your Sorority Members won't vote for someone "just because" they are white, black, Asian, Latina, from the South, from the North, a naturalized citizen, or whatever, you're either very young or very naive.

When I was in college, I may have not voted for young ladies that had a particular major, if I indicated what that major was and young ladies knew, if they were stupid enough to switch majors for my ONE VOTE they didn't deserve to be Sorors anyway.

So what is three or four or even twenty D9 Sorors on a MESSAGE BOARD said they wouldn't vote for a white girl. If you use that as a limitus test to determine that you would have issues in a D9 Sorority then again, you're either very young or very naive. I say that as a young lady who pledged a D9 Sorority at an HBCU in the South and is the OPPOSITE physical look or what AKA's are supposed to be (tall, light skin and long hair) I'm short, dark skin and short hair...and beautiful I might add.....

[RedefinedDiva]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Please understand that I'm not contradicting you about your, or any other organization as a whole here but in this thread as in others there have been multiple members who stated they would not vote for a white person, usually followed with "that's just what I think" or something similar. I've seen it repeatedly. It isn't hard at all to get the impression that there's a caveat to all the remarks of openness.

I'm not surprised that on some campuses interests might not feel like they're "black enough" and would be discriminated because of it, just as there are assumptions of racism in NPC orgs where they don't exist.

Ok, serious question here. Is EVERY member of your org. a member of GC? I'm guessing no. Well, every member of Alpha Kappa Alpha is not a member of GC. Considering that there are over 200,000 members of my Sorority across the WORLD, the small number of us that are actually regular posters on GC make up less than 1% of our total membership. Therefore, if folks are to take what that .08% of persons say to be the LAW as it pertains to the entire Sorority, then they have a problem with reality.

No one will know until they try. If you don't try, well, you never really wanted it anyway. All that "not Black enough" talk is a bunch of bullisht. All we can do is encourage folks to try.

ETA: Soror Jody and I must have been typing at the same time!

[Reds6]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Please understand that I'm not contradicting you about your, or any other organization as a whole here but in this thread as in others there have been multiple members who stated they would not vote for a white person, usually followed with "that's just what I think" or something similar. I've seen it repeatedly. It isn't hard at all to get the impression that there's a caveat to all the remarks of openness.

I'm not surprised that on some campuses interests might not feel like they're "black enough" and would be discriminated because of it, just as there are assumptions of racism in NPC orgs where they don't exist.

Oh, I've said it before and I'll say it again I personally wouldn't vote for a white person. I just don't think a white woman can identify with the historical or present day experience that I have or had as a Black woman. But with that said if I met a white Soror I would treat her with respect. I also support people's decision to pursue what is in their hearts regarding anything thing in life. But also as Little32, "stated in her post Most black people (most people really--quiet as it’s kept) are multicultural, multiracial, or multiethnic (whatever term you choose) in some way; so the suggestion that a mixed race heritage would be a hindrance to membership in one of the D9 is really problematic and needs to be addressed." If some of mixed-race/heritage thinks a multicultural organization best fits them, that's great! But to be a person of color and make statements of "not black, Hispanic, or white enough," tells me you aren't comfortable with yourself.

[FAMUDva]

Originally Posted by Reds6

Oh BTW, they coming for your azz too.

HILARIOUS!

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Reds6

Do you realize how many of us can go down our family line and say we have this and that in regards to different heritages in our blood line. When I hear someone say they aren't this or that enough I think they aren't comfortable with themselves and who they are.

Exactly. We are an extremely diverse people. Different life experiences, viewpoints, shades of lightness and darkness, hair textures, body compositions, etc.

Hell some of the most celebrated figures who were "100% black" in some regards, like Du Bois and Booker T Washington, were less than "50% black."

[JustThinking]

Originally Posted by Reds6

I'm just a little confused with this statement. Are you saying you were told by D9 Sororities that you wouldn't be accepted because you were multi-racial? I wanted to ask if that was your experience before I called this statement ridiculous. Do you think we have a bias against those of mixed-heritage that most likely would be identified as a person of color? While I wouldn't vote for a white member (my opinion), I just don't see being of mixed-heritage an issue. May I ask how you self-identify? And please know that when they come with the rope for us they coming for your azz too.

I have trust issues, too.

[FAMUDva]

Originally Posted by Ilaria Ame

i, of course, meant this personally, not generally. but what i was referring to, especially on my campus, is the seperation that occurs. in order to feel comfortable in a white sorority here i have to be comfortable going to "old south" confederate balls, or having sisters who are openly racist. the divine nine sororities here are so used to being treated with prejudice that unless i was a "home girl" with no white roots whatsoever i'm looked at as just another white girl trying to be black. which is not the case. as far as latina sororities, there aren't any here, so i base this only on what i've heard and read, but i'm not interested in learning to speak spanish or trying to pretend their values are similar to mine, because they aren't. i find i'm most comfortable representing a sorority that openly embraces its sorors' cultural differences.

D9 Sororities are much bigger than a particular chapter or campus... So, I still don't get how you can't be "black" enough, but to each her own.

ETA: And with proper research you would have come to understand and know that the 4 D9 sororities DO have mutlicultural histories although they are historically black. I guess you made generalizations based on what you saw in the bubble of your campus.