Thursday, November 2, 1995
New member to fraternit
Gay fraternity gets house at
University of Minn.
by Shannon Hahn
The Minnesota Daily
University of Minnesota
While fraternities are often
grounded in tradition, an addition
to fraternity row this fall may be
a sign of changing times.
Some members of Delta
Lambda Phi, a national fraternity
for gay and bisexual men, moved
into a house on fraternity row in
late August. The University
chapter of the fraternity is the
first in the nation to get a house
of its own.
Rusty Robertson, the
fraternity’s president, said having
a house helps Delta Lambda Phi
provide social opportunities and
stability to gay, bisexual and
lesbian students.
“This is a bold step forward,”
said Troy Buckmeier, a fraternity
member who lives in the house.
The building is home to seven
fraternity members and pledges,
as well as to three straight men,
two straight women and two
lesbians who are boarders.
Buckmeier said he doesn’t
believe they could have had a
house on fraternity row ten years
ago. Some members of the local
gay and bisexual community,
who graduated from the
University before the idea of
having a house on fraternity row
existed, say the idea is “gutsy and
crazy” because of the risks
involved.
“Holy Innocents” comes
to Behrend
BEHREND-Penn State Erie,
The Behrend College, will
conclude its International Film
Series with a screening of "The
Holy Innocents", a 1985 release
directed by Mario Camus of
Spain. It will be shown on
Monday, N0v.13 at 7 p.m. The
film, which will be shown in
Spanish with English subtitles,
will be presented in Reed Lecture
Hall, Reed Union Building; it is
Those risks include harassment
and vandalism, Buckmeier said.
Some Twin Cities gay men,
lesbians and bisexuals have been
the target of such hate crimes.
But fraternity members said
they aren’t being harassed, and
the house isn’t being vandalized.
Other fraternities on the row
are “cordial,” Robertson said.
“We haven’t received bad things,
but we haven’t gotten any warm
invitations.”
Todd Grothe, house manager of
a neighboring fraternity called
Alpha Tau Omega, said Delta
Lambda Phi getting a house on
the row doesn’t bother him or the
other men living in his house.
“As far as neighbors, they’re
fine,” he said. “They don’t spill
beer cans in our yard.”
But Robertson said the
fraternity has to deal with a lot of
stereotypes within and outside the
gay, lesbian and bisexual
community.
“People think of us as a sex
club,” Robertson said. “We
combat that stereotype on top of
standard fraternity stereotypes.”
Because of such stereotypes,
the fraternity has to be cautious.
The group established bylaws
prohibiting pledges and members
from dating each other.
The fraternity also has a
“strong no-hazing policy,”
Robertson said. The gay, lesbian
and bisexual community is
free and open to the public.
"The Holy Innocents"
examines the dichotomy between
the misery of poor peasents and
the arrogance of their wealthy
masters on a large Spanish estate
during the 19605. The "Los
Angeles Times” called it both "an
irrsistible family saga and a
corrosive, gratifying social
satire."
The International Film Series
News
row...
“hazed enough by society,” he
added.
“There are no sexual
undertones,” he said. The
fraternity’s philosophy is, “Come
meet us before you judge us.”
The purpose of the fraternity
and the house, which is located at
315 19th Aves. S. E., is to help
serve the gay, bisexual and
lesbian community at the
University.
The gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender offices and
organizations on campus can
provide education, discussion and
events for the community. But
the fraternity and the house can
offer a different social atmosphere
that is often missing from such
programs.
After going to classes students
often don’t want to go to another
lecture, Robertson said. In
talking to the gay, lesbian and
bisexual community Robertson
said he thinks, “What they want
is to meet people socially, hang
out, have fun, laugh, joke and
party.”
The fraternity’s social activities
are similar to activities of other
fraternities. Activities this fall
ranged from barbecues and movie
nights to a party that more than
200 people attended.
But the fraternity sometimes
takes a standard social event and
adds a gay theme to it. This fall
is sponsored by the Penn State -
Behrend Division of Humanities
and Social Sciences, Penn State's
Office of International Programs
and the Equal Opportunities
Planning Committee. For more
information, call the Division at
898-6108.
the fraternity had a game night
when they played a game called
Gay Monopoly. The game
“encompasses a lot of queer
culture,” including discos instead
of railroads, as well as locations
and resorts popular among his
community. “Everyone thought
it was a hoot,” Robertson said.
The house and fraternity can
also provide stability for some
students, Robertson said. It is
difficult for gay and bisexual
students to always be themselves
in the dormitories, especially if
they have an unaccepting
roommate, Robertson said.
Dan Whittaker, a sophomore
pledge of the fraternity who lives
in the house, agrees.
Delta Chi
bowling for
dollars
by Doreen Foutz
Collegian Staff
"We'll be asking people on
campus for money," President of
Delta Chi Tim Mallon said.
Why? It is time for the annual
Delta Chi Bowl-A-Thon with
proceeds benefiting the Second
Harvest Food Bank of Erie.
"Every year we have a Bowl-A-
Thon...we basically walk around
to local businesses and people
and ask them to either pledge per
pin, or just give a donation,"
Treasurer of Delta Chi Brad
Obmann said.
Started in 1987, the event has
become a Delta Chi tradition.
This year the Bowl-A-Thon takes
place on November 5, at Eastway
Bowling Lanes. "We go out to
Eastway Bowling lanes, we
bowl, and we donate all of the
money to Erie’s Second Harvest
Food Bank," Obmann said.
For every one dollar donated,
the Second Harvest Food Bank is
able to purchase seventeen dollars
worth of food. Through the
years. Delta Chi has donated a
Whittaker said he had negative
and positive experiences living in
University dormitories. But the
house provides a “stable,
accepting home environment,”
and there “isn’t a pressure to
conform, “ he said.
The house also provides a
safe, open environment for Irene
Renee Alvidrez, a straight
University student who is a
border at the house.
“It you’re gonna live in a
fraternity house, this is the safest
one to live in,” Alvidrez said.
She added that it is nice to live in
an environment where people are
open about their sexual
orientations 24 hours a day, no
matter who comes to the door.
grand total over six thousand
dollars. That is approximately
5102,000 worth of food.
When asked why die lratemity
holds the annual Bowl-A-Thon,
Obmann replied, "Just to help
out the Second Harvest Food
Bank. We always do it right
before Thanksgiving so they can
have money for Thanksgiving to
buy turkeys."
The Bowl-A-Thon serves to
show that greek life is about
philathropy, not just parties.
"The Bowl-A-Thon is a time
when the whole fraternity comes
together to give something back
to the community. It gives us a
chance to have fun, and to help
other people in the process. It
also shows that fraternity life is
not just partying and things like
that, it also shows that we do
projects to benefit the
community,” said Mallon.
"We’re looking to give the
Food Bank $l,OOO this year,"
Mallon said. "If anyone would
like to support Juo* iuwa tot u
red jacket and give them a buck.
Help us out"
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