Co Ed Fraternity

[naraht]

While Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity is co-ed, we refer to all of our initiated members as brothers. While the Fraternity officially went fully co-ed in 1976, a significant number of our chapters (tech schools and west coast mostly) began initiating women underground and sending in forms with just the first initial 6 or 8 years earlier. At this time some of the other (mostly more conservative) chapters had little sister programs. Refering to the women who had pledged as brothers in some ways was a reaction to that as well as showing full equality. While there are a few chapters that locally refer to their female members as sisters, it isn't very common (Georgetown U. is the only one I can think of off the top of my head).

My guess is that one of the more likely reasons for the split between all members being brothers vs brothers & sisters is whether the group started out all male and admitted women later (all brothers) vs. started as co-ed (brothers and sisters)

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by naraht

While Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity is co-ed, we refer to all of our initiated members as brothers. While the Fraternity officially went fully co-ed in 1976, a significant number of our chapters (tech schools and west coast mostly) began initiating women underground and sending in forms with just the first initial 6 or 8 years earlier. At this time some of the other (mostly more conservative) chapters had little sister programs. Refering to the women who had pledged as brothers in some ways was a reaction to that as well as showing full equality. While there are a few chapters that locally refer to their female members as sisters, it isn't very common (Georgetown U. is the only one I can think of off the top of my head).

For clarity, women in my chapter are called sisters if they choose. The university pressured the chapter to give women the option. (Most choose to be called Brothers, though)