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Thursday, February 22, 2007
Since I started writing my blog I've received e-mail from all over the country and as far away as London and South Africa, but this particular e-mail came from an unlikely source, a relative. As I've stated before my blog has outed me to many people in my family indirectly, and the new relationship between my cousin Shaun and I has become really interesting...actually exciting and honest.
Shaun introduced me to the new AKA's of Texas Southern University. As you can see from the pictures, these AKA's appear to be a little different from the ladies you may be accustomed to seeing in the pink and green on Black college campuses. They are in fact Black gay men and it seems that they have formed their own organization patterned after the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc. .
The thought of a group of SGL Black men being bold enough to be this out on the campus of an HBCU really intrigued me. From what I've been told the sisters of AKA at TSU are not flattered by the new male version of their beloved organization. Historically Black colleges are rooted in tradition and have not always been kind to SGL people, so for these men to be a visible presence on campus despite the expected backlash is quite courageous.
I tried to get in contact with the person who originally sent out the mass e-mail about these men but I never received a response. There's still a lot I don't know about the new AKA's and for some reason I'm beyond curious. I have a feeling that this post will reach one of the members and I will be receiving an e-mail very soon, that's how it always seems to work with me. I'll keep you updated.
Labels: Coming Out
12 Comments:
that is soooo admirable. after i saw stomp the yard, I wanted to be a fraternity, but since I'm not gonna "act straight" so I didn't really see it as an attainable goal, but now there is new hope that lies within me lol!!!
February 23, 2007 11:19 AM
LONG STORY....I KNOW THEM PERSONALLY...THIS IS REALLY A MESS!!!!!!!
February 24, 2007 12:13 AM
Wow! Where did that email come from? Yes there are men AKAs and men Deltas. I know alot of them personally and they are all great people. Didn't realize someone had released pictures like this to WWW. This might get very interesting. Nevertheless, many of women AKA and Deltas all ready know.
February 25, 2007 9:48 AM
Personally speaking, that looks a little sick. It just doesn't fit right.
February 25, 2007 5:16 PM
What's so ADMIRABLE and COURAGEOUS about a bunch of MEN aspiring emulate a SORORITY? I find the whole thing RIDICULOUS, OFFENSIVE, and DETREMENTAL to the notion of garner any kind of respect for SGL by our straight brothas and sisters.
Sororities are for FEMALES!!
With all the gay men I know in all of the BLACK FRATERNITIES, you mean to tell me this was their only option? I think not. Besides, if these guys experienced some form of rejection from the existing fraternities....why not.....hmmmmm....START THEIR OWN FRATERNITY? I mean it's done all the time on different campuses.
I'm sorry. I just don't understand the need or desire for a group of MEN to want to create a SISTERHOOD. I am a MAN who likes MEN. I am not on some HYPER-MASCULINITY trip nor am I EFFEMIPHOBIC. I just don't understand those who deny who they are and for things characteristically set aside for the female gender.
This is no different than these J-SETTERS I've witnessed running about down south. J-SETTERS came about as a result of a group of black gay men emulating the dance team from JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY...the J-SETTES. Why not create a legitimate male dance team and create a routine that would not be deemed as copycating a female dance team?
I'm just saying there are options besides the ones chosen by these guys. Things like these male AKA's only serve to provoke disdain for black gay men rather than garner the respect many of us have yearned for. I mean these are the kind of images that come into the had of people like a TIM HARDAWAY when they say and feel the way they do. And while I could care less about what TIM HARDAWAY or othrer ignorant fools like him think, I don't believe in giving them ammunition to make an argument against me either.
February 26, 2007 12:37 PM
umm yeah...my mouth dropped when I saw this. While I commend the young men for organizing themselves and their audacity of walking in confidence, I am very disappointed that they have EMULATED AKA so blatantly.
Having been a committed member to a Greek letter organization, I understand to desire for these brothas to want to claim a name and space for themselves. If a fraternity (or in this case sorority) is done right, it can be a tremendously positive experience.
HOWEVER, it is WRONG for these men to claim AKA. In addition to them not being women (no matter what you say, AKA is a women's organization...it's in their constitution), these men have not been recognized by AKA Sorority Inc., they have not endured the AKA rites of passage, and they do not hold membership in AKA National. If you are not officially a member and you didn't cross the sands with the official acknowledgment of AKA, you have no right to throw up your pinky, hold up a mirror, flash pretty pearls, or holler "Skee Wee" as if you were a woman of Alpha Kappa Alpha. It just doesn't belong to you.
I compare this to a civilian wearing a Marines uniform and trying to pass as a military official. I don't care how many Marines you know, how many pseudo-boot camps you've completed, or how many polygraphs you've beaten...you arent a Marine until you go through the Marine Corps process.
These young men need to create a name, a brand, and an image all their own. It is fine to be inspired and driven by an outstanding entity such as AKA, or even "borrow" certain elements of their style, but it is not cool to bite off them like that.
Gender aside, these young men are taking pride in a facsimile. And you DON'T fake a sorority or fraternity experience, especially if you want to be taken seriously. There is too much history involved with these organizations to just wake up one day and think you can affiliate yourself. You must respect the past, and the past history of AKA has been forged with years upon years of SISTERHOOD.
I'm sure these men are wonderfully talented, intelligent, and beautiful people. I encourage them to respect their history by redirecting their energies from claiming AKA to promoting a fraternal organization that affirms SGL black men, complete with its own set of traditions, practices, and greetings.
February 26, 2007 9:34 PM
I got this email at work, and I was shocked to see these men(or if they want to be called women) immitate AKA's. I am a dedicated member of Delta Sigma Theta Inc. and I am upset at the fact that these people are disgracing what Sorority Founders have worked so hard to accomplish. Please MEN, stop with this madness. If you want to be somebody, be YOU!!
March 07, 2007 1:30 AM
THIS IS SOME HOT BULSHIT ANY NORMAL PERSON OR WOMAN SHOULD KNOW THAT THIS IS WRONG. TIM HARDAWAY WAS RIGHT FOR SAYING WHAT HE SAID IF WE WERE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY THEY WOULD KILL YOU FOR LESS. AMERICA HAS NOTHING TO STAND FOR AND WILL FALL FOR ANYTHING, SOON AS SOMEONE GET ENOUGH PEOPLE BEHIND THEM FOR SOMETHING THEN AMERICA WANTS TO COMPROMISE THERE LAWS FOR CRAZY STUFF. THESE COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON CHRISTIANITY WITCH IS TOTALY AGAINST GAY'S SO THAT TELLS YOU RIGHT THERE THAT THEY ARE NOT CONSISTANT.
March 07, 2007 5:27 PM
With the exception of the socially antiquated, clearly homophobic, religious-minded, ignorance of the previous comment above, I'm refreshed at the mature, intelligent dialogue demonstrated on this discussion board. I agree with the idea that these particular gay men are "extremists", and should in no way represent other black, gay or bisexual men. Unfortunately, in the minds of many people, they DO represent this group. I personally find their parade to be completely disgraceful; not because of their feminine energy, but because they have so disrespectfully taken on the identity of a national female organization without permission and are flaunting their contraversial behavior under this banner. Because of this reason, their actions are NOT to be applauded. It's not fair - and this practice should be declared illegal. The fine women of AKA have worked long and hard to establish and maintain a certain image - this is an issue of organizational paten and identity-theft. These borderline "drag queens" (I have seen them in action) have the God-given right to dress, act, live and play any way they feel comfortable, free from judgment of anyone in this society, but they must do it under their OWN organizational structure. This is a total abuse of our social liberties as Americans on their part. We MUST respect others.
March 12, 2007 2:43 PM
Why not just join the Kappas? No disrespect intended, but Kappas have always been accepting to homosexuals in their camp. If you are a man, you shouldn't want to imitate a woman. You shouldn't want to copy someone else, either. AKA's work hard to be AKA's. It is something they believe in. It becomes part of their lives. This is incredibly disrespectful. They wouldn't want to be disrespected like this. But imitation is the highest form of flattery. I just think they corny for wanting to be like someone else. Get your own style.
January 15, 2008 5:05 PM
I got this email when I was at work. I was so stunned by what I saw that I literally couldn't speak. Speaking as a third generation avid promoter who is dedicated to the black greek sisterhood of the blue and white, I was deeply troubled, so much so, my aunt saw her granddaughter's father in one of the pictures. What I am trying to say is, this is heart breaking. All of this foolishness, which really what is is, is odd and very disturbing.If these young men have a desire to do this, then, like others have stated, start a fraternity. I on the other hand am in no way condoning the actions or lifestyles of these gentelmen. It's not my place or others to pass judgement on the way they live and the choices that they have made to be gay, that's between them and God, whom I love to call Jesus.
January 19, 2008 12:21 AM
You seem like a really nice guy, and it's clear that you don't know much about sororities and their history. What those men are doing is bogus and very disrespectful. They have no idea what type of damage they are doing to the reputation of black sororities. So, if possible, please join a fraternity and leave the sororities for the women.
January 19, 2008 10:57 PM
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