Transgender women in sorority life?

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

So, here's a question (posed to everyone, not just AGDee). What about an initiated sister (born female) who transitions to male post initiation?

This is a great question for NPHC orgs since we can, and do, initiate at the undergrad and graduate levels. I don't know if my org, SGR, has a policy on this - I need to look it up.


Back to the OT:

From a NPHC perspective, I think this would be less of an issue if the transgendered person was initiated at the graduate level.

I think NPHC undergrad chapters might not be so willing to want to initiate a transgendered person. Campus reputation is very powerful. Even in NPHC, no undergrad chapter wants to known as thatchapter.

[AnchorAlumna]

Well.
That was fun!

[DrPhil]

Most GLOs have woman/man in their descriptions and not female/male.

I have no problem with Delta initiating a collegiate or alumna woman who is easily identified as a woman but is a biological male (who took/takes estrogen) or intersex. With hundreds of thousands of Sorors, I wouldn't be shocked if we have some transgendered women. As long as the woman doesn't make Delta her sounding board for transgenderism.

A female who identifies as a man probably would not pursue sorority membership but if he did he should be denied based on gender. If an active member of Delta becomes a man post-initiation, I think this should mean a depledge and Delta should be able to revoke membership. If the man is unwilling to be so polite about this process, the man should be expelled from membership. We are a sorority for women and of women. Not men.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

Well.
That was fun!

That's because it was a quick read. We had original post, heated discussion, and flounce all within three pages. In the old days of GC this would have gone on for 15 - 20 pages.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

As long as the woman doesn't make Delta her sounding board for transgenderism.

THIS X SO MANY BAJILLION.

This actually applies to any out of the ordinary issue with a PNM.

[DrPhil]

Yeah, being transgender isn't a negative, isn't a secret, and the member should be loved and accepted as any other member. The member also shouldn't be loved because she is transgender (unless joining an LGBTQ GLO). Therefore, making it THE issue, THE discussion point, and THE rallying cry does a disservice to a chapter's and GLO's larger goals; and, as far as some transgendered people are concerned, can defeat the purpose of making the TRANsition.

[DubaiSis]

Regardless of the flounce and the high probability of at least SOME fabrication of the original story, I still think it's an interesting issue to discuss. And although I do have a trans friend (can't finish the process because of a successful career as a drag queen) I can't say I know too much about the issue, except that drag=|= trans. And particularly where it would apply to sorority membership I would want complete transition before consideration, which all but eliminates membership at the collegiate level.
But if a hermaphrodite had gender assignment completed before college I have no issues with membership. You just gotta have the right parts and hopefully we can trust your answer to that question because holy hazing Batman, finding out would be a problem.

[anna7363]

Any fabrication that is in the story was to and still is to protect people from shit going down. If things came out that happened a lot of people could get in a lot of trouble. It's not worth the drama and I don't want to see friends get hurt (I know I said I was done but I think it's something important to mention). The whole premise of the story is more or less true with slight edits for peoples safety.

[DrPhil]

I didn't read the OP's posts and am only in this thread because of the larger topic. Either flounce or contribute to the current discussion, anna7363.

[anna7363]

I know, I was really more commenting to Dubaisis' comment

[anna7363]

And I'll flounce, mainly cause I more or less agree with dr. Phill and 33girl. So I wouldn't be adding much new. Except I do feel the demand for surgery is a bit extreme. And the legal situation might change soon cause the American Medical Association just declared that transgender people should be able I change their legal gender on their birth certificate without surgery. So the whole title 9 thing will probably an irrelevant argument before to long

[Sen's Revenge]

Originally Posted by anna7363

And I'll flounce, mainly cause I more or less agree with dr. Phill and 33girl. So I wouldn't be adding much new. Except I do feel the demand for surgery is a bit extreme. And the legal situation might change soon cause the American Medical Association just declared that transgender people should be able I change their legal gender on their birth certificate without surgery. So the whole title 9 thing will probably an irrelevant argument before to long

I agree. I also think that many people who have commented don't know a lot about transgender life and have made pretty ignorant statements.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by Sen's Revenge

I agree. I also think that many people who have commented don't know a lot about transgender life and have made pretty ignorant statements.

No, they don't know. That is the problem. Until the population at large understands the issue more fully, don't expect the NPC to be opening the doors. We are governed almost exclusively by old women. Yes, collegiate women vote, but it's the older women who set policy. Transgender interest is going to be fairly low so I don't see a huge push to change policies. For a while, I believe you will mainly see accepting chapters practicing a don't ask don't tell type of policy. What HQ doesn't know won't hurt them. The same occurred in the early days of lesbian members joining. If a chapter actually bothers to call and ask for permission, I suspect they will hit a brick wall.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

But if a hermaphrodite had gender assignment completed before college I have no issues with membership. You just gotta have the right parts and hopefully we can trust your answer to that question because holy hazing Batman, finding out would be a problem.

Actually, the term hermaphrodite is kind of like calling someone an Oriental these days. It's intersex. And the prevailing attitude nowadays is not to force "normalizing" surgery on minors.

[SoCalGirl]

I'm curious to the reverse scenario. A transgender male attempting to join a fraternity.

Also, to the point of what if they change after they're initiated members, I would think it'd be easier for a sorority member to transition to male and maintain her membership than a fraternity member to transition to female. Mainly because a woman has a lot more leeway, socially speaking, to not always present herself in a feminine manner than a man to present masculine.