sorry to crash your board, but I'm confused

[daffodils]

Sorry to crash your board, but I'm confused...

Even though you are a co-ed GLO, both the male and female members are called brothers? Why not brothers and sisters?

thanks for letting me crash....

[33girl]

Because it is a fraternity, not a sorority. I would be very offended if someone referred to me as a sister of Alpha Phi Omega.

[daffodils]

but there's lots of sororities that are actually "women's fraternities" (Chi-O, Kappa Alpha Theta, KKG, AXiD, Pi Beta Phi, ZTA, AOPi, Phi Mu, Alpha Phi, DG, Phi Sigma Sigma) that call their members "sisters"

[Lady Pi Phi]

But then why are members of fraternities for women refered to as sisters?

ETA: She asked the same question...so never mind

[aopirose]

Our chapter explained it as tradition. After women were allowed to join officially, certain terms remained the same. "Brother" is one of them. Think of it as a reference to the brotherhood of mankind and women are a part of that.

It made sense to me and I never really questioned it. Like 33, if I was refered to as a sister of Alpha Phi Omega, it wouldn't seem right. It's something that just is.

[33girl]

Originally posted by daffodils
but there's lots of sororities that are actually "women's fraternities" (Chi-O, Kappa Alpha Theta, KKG, AXiD, Pi Beta Phi, ZTA, AOPi, Phi Mu, Alpha Phi, DG, Phi Sigma Sigma) that call their members "sisters"

That's a WOMEN'S fraternity, not a CO-ED fraternity.

[GoldnBlue2004]

If they wanted to be called sisters or sorors then they would have joined a SORORITY. That is just my 1925 cents worth!

[emb021]

Originally posted by aopirose
Our chapter explained it as tradition. After women were allowed to join officially, certain terms remained the same. "Brother" is one of them. Think of it as a reference to the brotherhood of mankind and women are a part of that.

It made sense to me and I never really questioned it. Like 33, if I was refered to as a sister of Alpha Phi Omega, it wouldn't seem right. It's something that just is.

I have also been told there are co-ed music sororities in which all members (male & female) are addresses as sisters for much the same reason.

APO is an all-male fraternity that went co-ed and decided to continue to use the SAME term ("Brother") for all its members. We have also stated that the term is, for us, a non-gender term.

While some female Brothers may not like the term (because they are looking at it as a 'gender term'), many perfer to keep it as it means ALL members, male and female, are addressed with the same term and thus we are all on the same level. Using separate terms for male and female members would destroy that feeling.

[33girl]

Originally posted by emb021
While some female Brothers may not like the term (because they are looking at it as a 'gender term'), many perfer to keep it as it means ALL members, male and female, are addressed with the same term and thus we are all on the same level. Using separate terms for male and female members would destroy that feeling.

Thanks Michael, that's what I was feeling and could not say. You stated it beautifully.

[aopirose]

Yes, Michael. That was beautiful.