THE DAILY COLLEGIAN
Gay greek chapters fade
By keno Hutcheon
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
jihsooo@psu.edu
While there are members of
the greek community who are
gay and lesbian, Penn State does
not have fraternities or sorori
ties for these groups.
Those who led both organiza
tions said there wasn't interest
in having a fraternity or sorority
that focused on providing an
open community for gays and
lesbians.
The Penn State chapter of
Lambda Delta Omega sorority
closed this semester due to lack
of membership. "It was tough [to
close the sorority]," said former
member Jennifer Woolson (sen
ior-communications).
Sorority President Kamilah
Cole and Woolsen were the only
remaining members of the
sorority before it closed.
Declining membership also
caused the 2002 closing of Delta
Lambda Phi fraternity.
The organizations' past lead
ers said the groups did not
Greeks
From Page 1
year, Zagame lived in the house
and knew the truth had to come
out. Fraternity members
became suspicious of his behav
ior, and he couldn't keep the
secret any longer.
"I think if they hadn't known
me already, they. would have
pushed me to the side," Zagame
said. "But because they did
know me and because I was a
friend, I think they became a lit
tle more open-minded with the
situation."
Zagame said he expected the
worst but was surprised when a
most other fraternity members
supported his coming out and
were open to talking about it.
"Some people I actually
became better friends with," he
said. "It was such a personal
thing that I told them and me
coming out to them let them be
totally honest with me. Others
were uneasy with the situation.
Some people were brought up
believing homosexuality is
wrong. ... Some were afraid to
confront me and afraid of offend
ing me."
Zagame lived in the house
until this semester, when he
decided to study abroad in Italy.
Not all stories have as happy
an ending, though.
Spencer Unger (senior-hotel,
restaurant and institutional
management) began college at
the University of Montana,
where he joined Sigma Chi fra
ternity. Unger began physical
contact with men at 13, but didn't
come to terms with his sexuality
until he was 20, when he started
coming out to family and friends.
Around that time, the Mary
land native came to Penn State
and moved into the Sigma Chi
house, 400 E. Prospect Ave. He
kept his sexuality a secret.
"I went home a lot because I
didn't want to stay here on week
ends and just tried to avoid
being around the house as much
as possible," he said. "I didn't
want to come out to them, but I
wanted to live my life."
Although Unger tried to keep
his sexuality a secret, word
spread. Unger said he felt too
awkward to stay in the house,
and this year he moved into an
apartment with his partner.
Although contact with mem
bers has been limited since he
left the house, Unger said every
one he has bumped into has
asked him to come back "I just
came to the realization that this
was not the place for me at this
time in my life," he said.
AFTER ZAGAME'S experi
ence with his fraternity,
he interned at the
LGBTA Student Resource Cen
ter, where he helped start the
Greek/LGBTA Initiative. "We
wanted to create programs that
would reach out to the greek
community and help people who
want to come out," he said.
Bertges and other greek lead
ers have helped the initiative
become reality by helping
arrange presentations at new
member orientation and in hous
es. "Any group that approaches
us that tries to get the word out
about issues, we're more than
welcome to work with them," he
said. "If they need the resources,
we can help out there as well."
The initiative has a few com
ponents, including online chats
and the Greek Straight Talks
presentations, discussions about
the greek LGBT community.
The online chats help answer
questions LGBT or greek mem
bers or both have and facil
itate discussion between the
communities. Despite an mes
sage sent on the greek e-mail list
advertising the discussion, no
students participated in the
most recent session.
LGBTA resource center direc-
specifically try to inform the
greek community of homosexu
ality
"[Lambda Delta Omega] was
n't really an activist group, they
were more of a sisterhood," said
Jane Neitz, assistant director of
fraternity and sorority life.
Lambda Delta Omega was an
associate of the Panhellenic
Council, meaning the sorority
paid dues and attended meet
ings but had no voting privileges
within the council.
Russel Martin, the 2002 Delta
Lambda Phi president, said the
chapter opened in 1998 dedicat
ed to serving the whole commu
nity's needs.
"The founder saw a need for a
fraternity that did not discrimi
nate," Martin said.
The fraternity was never a
part of the Interfraternity Coun
cil, he said. "Being new, young
and gay, we wanted to act
together before we did anything
like that."
Martin said fraternity mem
bers were very involved in the
Penn State .community and
Adam Zolyak/Collegian
Leaders of the Greek LGBTA/Initiative meet in the Boucke Building's
LGBTA Resource Center to discuss upcoming Straight Talk events.
tor Allison Subasic said she has
seen much improvement in her
four years working at Penn
State.
"I think there is a lot more
involvement by students with
campus initiatives," Subasic
said. "... There's also a lot more
trust between the students and
administration now"
She added that while the ten
sions between the two groups
might concern some, many
greek organizations are accom
modating to such issues.
"My impression is that a lot [of
greek students] are closeted,"
she said. "There are some that
are out, but it often seems to
stay within the fraternity or
sorority ... There's sometimes a
negative image about people
coming out in fraternities but I
think it goes both ways ... some
[greek organizations] are very
supportive."
Dina Liberatore, a resource
center graduate assistant and
former sorority member, said it
can come down to the image a
fraternity or sorority wants to
maintain. "Greek life is not
always very accepting of people
who are different than what one
might expect from a greek per
son." she said. "... If one had a
member come out as LGBT, it
can affect recruitment and
alumni relations."
The only thing seemingly
rarer than an LGBT brother is
an LGBT sister, Merchant said.
"That seems to be the case,
which is odd, because girls ...
seem to be much more accept
ing of the LGBT community,"
she said. "Sometimes I think it's
a case where girls tend to talk
more than do and guys do more
than talk. Girls just may be
afraid of being ostracized or cast
out of this group of friends
they've created."
NOT EVERYONE helping
the initiative is LGBT
or university employed.
Enter Jacob Wolf (junior-biobe
havioral health), Matt Factor
(sophomore-premedicine) and
Sara Ryan (senior-political sci
ence and African and African
American studies).
All are heterosexual, but have
devoted much of their Penn
State careers to helping the
LGBT community. Wolf and Fac
tor are greek, both members of
Theta Chi fraternity 523 S. Allen
St. "You can be fired from a job
in Pennsylvania because you're
LGBT, and that pisses me off,"
Ryan said. "I don't feel right liv
ing in a country that is supposed
to be equal and fair to all when
it's not."
Wolf and Factor are Zagame's
friends and are continuing the
initiative while he is in Italy.
"We just want to show people
that there's nothing wrong with
being straight and wanting to
help, especially in a fraternity
setting," Wolf said.
Their involvement with the
initiative has been important to
maintaining a balance and keep
ing the greek community from
being villainized.
"The whole initiative is based
on trying to destroy two stereo
COLLEGIAN IN-DEPTH
could not dedicate enough time
to sustain a new chapter.
"We weren't able to bring peo
ple in at the rate we need to
counterbalance the people who
were graduating," Martin said,
adding that there is a chance in
the future for the fraternity to
reopen at Penn State.
Martin said although the Penn
State community tried to be
open to LGBT issues, work still
needs to be done. He said stu
dents must be open to resources
provided by the university
"It is the students' responsibil
ity to be open. ... It works both
ways," Martin said.
Woolsen and Cole said they
also feel Penn State is not fully
open to the issues regarding
LBGT students. "It is very true
that we do live in central Penn
sylvania, and it is not the most
liberal area," Cole said.
Allison Subasic, LGBTA stu
dent organizations director, said
she hopes Penn State can even
tually reopen the organizations,
but added that there must be
interest shown first.
types: that being gay is wrong
but also that fraternity men or
sorority women don't accept
homosexuality," Factor said
The three said they had rarely
been harassed by their peers for
their work with the
Greek/LGBTA Initiative and
other LGBT-related campaigns.
"The only type of attention I've
gotten is positive," Factor said.
"Guys come up to me and are
just like 'great presentation,
guys.' "
Ryan said the only negative
reaction she has ever gotten was
from select members of the
LGBT community "There were
a few members who didn't like
that position I was in," she said,
referring to her role as Allies
president last year "It's a major
issue whether a "'ember of a
majority group should lead a
marginalized one. Otherwise,
they've been very supportive
and wonderful to me."
DESPITE HELP from the
powers that be, contro
versy still lingers and
fingers are pointed.
For a few weeks, members
inside and out of the LGBTA
community waged a war of
words over a letter to the editor
sent to The Daily Collegian by
student Chris Kovalchick, a
member of Delta Theta Sigma
fraternity, 101 N. Patterson St.
In the letter, Kovalchick disap
proved of a photograph on the
front page of the Collegian of gay
couples kissing at an Allies
sponsored event.
According to Kovalchick's
friend and fraternity president
Jeff Gorzkowski, Kovalchick has
since received hate mail, includ
ing threats, and some supportive
ones. The mistake many have
been making, he said, is the link
people have been trying to make
between Kovalchick's comments
and the organizations to which
he belongs.
"His opinion was that of his
own and not-the ideals of our
organization or that of any other
in the IFC," Gorzkowski said.
Gorzkowski added that
although he supported the
actions, he believes Kovalchick
could've been less offensive in
the letter's presentation.
He also said it's difficult to say
whether the greek system's stig
ma of homophobia is real, but
said many greeks come from
backgrounds that may influence
personal views.
"People who join the fraternity
system, especially a social fra
ternity their ideals are very dif
ferent from other people's," he
said. "Us being an agricultural
fraternity, most of our back
grounds are from the country ...
we're very family-oriented ...
we're just brought up that way"
Zagame said most LGBT peo
ple avoid a school that some say
has a heterosexist image. "It's a
greek and jock school," he said.
"Most of the people who are gay
at Penn State are the people who
realized it after coming to this
school. ... People who are out in
high school are not usually going
to go to a school that's like Penn
State."
..... Ron Swing lessons and dancing from 9:00 PM-10:00 PM; 5 Decades of Song, a cappella
style starting at 10:00 PM; Karaoke with Local Motion DJs all night long Door prizes every 20
minutes plus games and free root beer floats! 9:00 PM-1:00 AM, Alumni Hall
LATIN DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA The BEST Club-style and Ballroom Latin Dance with the occasional standard
Dance! — 10:00 PM-2:00 AM, Heritage Hall (Sponsored by Ballroom Dance Club)
HUB 50' BINGO Tons of new prizes! 10:00 PM, Ground Floor
3-D MOTION PHOTOS Your picture has never looked so unique! 10:00 PM-2:00 AM, Ground Floor
CHIP MOCK CARICATURES 10:00 PM-2:00 AM,I" Floor
BALLOON ARTIST LOUIS PAUL Balloons like you've never seen! 10:00 PM-2:00 AM, 1' Floor
IN CONCERT: BLAIR DRAKE —11:00 PM-1:00 AM, The Stage at Joegies
CREATIVE CRAFTS Paint and decorate stuffed animals! 9:00 PM-1:00 AM, Ground Floor
POLITICAL SCIENCE SOCIETY At the Hot Spot 10:00 PM-1:00 AM, 1" Floor
POKER TOURNAMENT Prizes for winners! 10:00 PM, Ground Floor (Sponsored by GAPS)
MOVIE: FINDING NEVERLAND 7:00 PM, 9:30 PM & 12:00 AM, Atllitorium
WHITE BUILDING ACTIVITIES:
Late Night Basketball League 7:00 PM start
Open Recreation Badminton, Table Tennis, Whiffle Ball, Horseshoes, Bubble Hockey & Squash 9:00 PM-2:00 AM;
Basketball after league play until 2:00 AM
Yoga Pilates Fusion Fitness Class* 9:30 PM start
Open Pool Recreation* Water Basketball, Spa and Sauna 9:00 PM-1:00 AM (Closed if no Lifeguard)
MBNA Fitness Center* 9:00 PM-2:00 AM (*Requires Fitness Pass/ID)
Saturday, March 19
KEYSTONE CLASSIC 2005 BALLROOM DANCE SHOW Featuring a midnight showcase by World #7 Latin Professionals Matthew
Cutler and Charlotte! 10:00 PM, Alumni Hall (Sponsored by Ballroom Dance Club)
CROSS COLLEGE TRIVIAL PURSUIT Show your smarts with PSU and USG trivia! 10:00 PM, Ground Floor (Sponsored by USG
Academic Assembly)
3-D MOTION PHOTOS Your picture has never looked so unique! 10:00 PM-2:00 AM, Ground Floor
BALLOON ARTIST LOUIS PAUL Balloons like you've never seen! 10:00 PM-2:00 AM, 1' Floor
IN CONCERT: BEN LEWIS — 11:00 PM and AARON ANTHONY 12:00 AM, The Stage at Joegies
CREATIVE CRAFTS Paint and decorate stuffed animals! 9:00 PM-1:00 AM, Ground Floor
CHABAD JEWISH STUDENT ORGANIZATION At the Hot Spot 10:00 PM-1:00 AM, 1" Floor
OPEN GAMES NIGHT Monopoly, Risk, Jenne, Scrabble and more! 9:00 PM-2:00 AM, Ground Floor
MOVIE: FINDING NEVERLAND 7:00 PM, 9:30 PM & 12:00 AM, Auditorium
WHITE BUILDING ACTIVITIES:
Half Court Shot Contest 9:00 PM start
Open Recreation Badminton, Table Tennis, Whiffle Ball, Horseshoes, Bubble Hockey & Squash 9:00 PM-2:00 AM:
Basketball after contest until 2:00 AM
Noche de Salsa 10:00 PM
Lint-water Hockey' 9:00 PM-12:00
Unity Christian Campus
WORSHIP SERVII
MARCH 20, 2005 10:i
FRIZZELL ROOM of EISENHOI
Experience a lively, joyful, Intel
student-led worship service. All
Guest speaker will be Dr. Barb;
Special Guests: The Lock Haven Uni,
MARCH 19, 2005 8:00 PM SCHWI
A Capella concert featuring the Pen
Dreamers, Savoir Faire, NOTA & the'
S University of Delawai
Students $3.00 General Put
All proceeds benefit chi
; - •
WE ARE Camp
THE WE ARE SPEAKER SERIES: INSIG/'
MARCH 23, 2005 7:31
PASQUERILLA SPIRITUAL CENTER,
Jeremy Cohen, Associate Vice Provo
Education and professor of communical
on service to a community and the nn
minor at Penn Stati
ECOTOURISM PRE&
AND DISCUSS)
Presented by
STUDENT ORGANIZATION FOR SOCIETY & NATURAL RESOURCES
MONDAY, MARCH 21, 2005
6:00 PM 11 FERGUSON BLDG
Promoting open discussion on topics relating to the
interactions of Society & Natural Resources.
Open to all majors.
iAt - fitl: —, E,- - ' :- "s° :
USG ELECTIONS COMMISSION ;
USG/UPAC/ARHS Elections Schedule
Executive Ticket Debate
Monday, March 21 8:00 PM, 108 Forum
Meet The Candidates
Tuesday March 22 4:30 PM-7:00 PM Pollock Commons ,
Thursday March 24 4:30 PM-7:00 PM Waring Commons
Friday March 25 4:30 PM-7:00 PM Findlay Commons
oKirl,;;Alak,
SOUND DECISION MAKING:
.
Workshop by Mr. Durbagh Borad !II
Presented by
HINDU STUDENTS COUNCIL
SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2:00 PM
FRIZZEL ROOM, PASQUERILLA SPIRITUAL CENTER
Power of Decisions: This workshop deals with the root cause
of wrong decisions, their consequences and factors affecting
them. It will also illustrate the 8 universal laws of '
sound decision making.
Mr Durbagh Borad founded the Global College of Gayatn in
1993 and has conducted over 500 workshops and seminars
since then. For more information regarding this seminar
please visit www.colleaeofaavatri.oni and
ww.clubs
STUDENT AFFAIRS
REWARDS & RECOGNITION
NOMINATIONS
Have you received excellent service from someone in
Student Affairs? Has someone gone the extra mile to
enhance your experience at Penn State? Did a Student
Affairs staff member demonstrate sensitivity toward you?
The Student Affairs Rewards & Recognition Committee is
taking nominations for the "Outstanding Service Students
Award." Please take a moment to nominate deserving
individuals. Your nomination will let them know that their
contributions have made a difference
htto://www.sa.osu.edu/award
Visit ./default.htrnlto submit
your nomination today. If you are not able to access the
site and/or if you prefer a hard copy of the nomination form,
please contact Karen Struble at kass@sa.psu.edu or call
3-1710. If you are not sure who is in Students Affairs,
please refer to http://www.sa.osu.edu/sadents.shtml
Nominations are due by 5 PM on April 1, 2005.
HAPPY 50" BIRTHDAY TO THE HUB!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, March 18 ( Noon-1:00 PM) Noontime Concert featuring Pennharmonics and T
First Floor Lounge
Friday, March 18 ( 9:00 PM-1:00 AM) Late Night Penn State, Alumni Hall. Dance the
to music from the past 50 years! Games, prizes
EXHIBITS Art foyer & Display Cases in front of the HUB Information Desk. Displayed thrf
Sta
ss" 9:30 PM start
s/ID)
showing tonight)
Check out union St, and got a groat deal an I
Noe-Rooz Gala
In celebration of the Persian New Year:
Presented by
presented by
USG - SOCIAL AWARENESS COMMITTEE
EACH WEDNESDAY NOON-1:00 PM
FIRST FLOOR LOUNGE - HUB-ROBESON CENTER
Perspective Mic is a part of a larger theme of civic
engagement being worked on by the Social Awareness
Committee of the Student Government. Each Wednesday you
have an opportunity to voice your perspective on important
issues facing our community and often do so in front of
administrators or decisions makers within town. The
program allows students to learn from their peers' varying
perspectives and become producers of their educational
experience rather than just being consumers of it. We will
provide the microphone and forum, you provide the
perspective. For more information email
socialchan s e • I u.ed
FRIDAY, March 18, 2005 I 7
ADVISORY BOARD
Monday, March 21 5:00 PM-6:30 PM
Room 330 HUB-Robeson Center
Student open forum at the beginning of each meeting .
SUB 5o •
SPECIAL CONCERT
Featuring
THE PENNHAAMOIVICS
& THE DREAMERS A t 4.
Presented By
NOONTIME CONCERT SERIES triK.,
s St/ -
FRIDAY, MARCH 18 NOON-1 PM
IST FLOOR LOUNGE, HUB-ROBESON CENTER
Come and listen to some great music
sung by two of Penn State's A Capella groups.
They will be singing songs from the past 50 years.
THE IRANIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION
HERITAGE HALL— HUB-ROBESON CENTER
SATURDAY, MARCH 19 7:00 PM-1:00 AM
Celebrate the arrival of spring by enjoying a variety of
delicious Iranian foods and desserts and dancing to live
Persian music featuring performances by
Hooshmand Aghili
And a screening of the new animated film
Babak & Friends - A First Norooz
Tickets on sale at the HUB (ground floor) i..
University Park Students $15.00 Non-Students $25.00 I
March 16-18 10:00 AM-4:00 PM
Or contact Saed at sxs9B7@psu.edu
Funded by UPAC ~
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