The Lambda Phi Epsilon fraternity at the University of Texas has been suspended after being accused of withholding membership from a rushee because he was gay.
Civil engineering senior Diwu Zhou told the Daily Texan he rushed the Asian interest fraternity this fall and was asked a “derogatory question” during the interview process. He was eventually denied, and filed a complaint with the school after a fraternity member told him it was because he was gay.
“I feel like more people should know that stuff like this happens on campus,” he said.
Zhou further claims the decision was largely influenced by a group of individuals who unofficially ran the frat underground during a six-year period when it was banned from campus following the alcohol poisoning death of a pledge in 2005. He says the boys who ran the frat underground are still calling the shots even though the ban has ended.
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Though the frat has only been suspended in the wake of Zhou’s allegations, a campus official says it “could face disciplinary actions” if they are true. The frat is currently on probation following it’s six-year ban, so a guilty verdict could potentially reinstate the ban.
Stache99
Is it really that important to be part of their frat house if they don’t want you there? Do what they did in revenge of the nerds and start your own.
Cam
@Stache99:
I get what you are saying, but there is also something to being denied what every other student can participate in based only on bigotry.
And should women have pushed for the vote? I mean why should they want to participate in something where they aren’t wanted?
And should African Americans have pushed to go into those restaurants that didn’t want them? Why not start their own restaurants?
money718
I had a guy make the same complaint with my frat. However, it had nothing to do with him being gay, he was just a b itch.
Kieru
@Stache99: not the point. College houses are required to follow campus policy which invariably includes anti discrimination rules. Perfectly fine to deny a pledge based on academics or personality… Perfectly against the rules to do so on sexual orientation, ethnicity, etc.
MacAdvisor
@Kieru: Given the university involved is in Texas, I am not sure one can necessarily assume the anti-discrimination rules include sexual orientation. I am not even sure Texas would include gender or race if Federal law didn’t require it, frankly.
However, way, way back in my college days (computers took up WHOLE buildings then and one used punch cards), my fraternity discussed possible pledges (called “prospects” by my house), but the voting was secret. We were given as many white marbles as there were prospects and three black marbles. If we didn’t want a particular prospect, we put in a black marble into the container when it was passed around. If we approved of the prospect, we put in a white marble. No one could see what kind of marble one put in and no one could see what color marbles were in the container were until it was opened after the voting ended. Three black marbles and the prospects was not selected. No one would know why any particular prospect wasn’t selected, just that he wasn’t. However, in the entire time I participated, I only saw one prospect receive any black marbles. That was the younger brother of then house manager. The kid was a very nice guy and we all did it to play a joke on the manager. We immediately revoted and he was accepted. As I understand the origin, this practice is where the phrase “to blackball” someone came from.
So, unless this fraternity is composed of complete idiots who say things like, “let’s vote this prospect down because he is gay” (I assume the speaker would use more derogatory language, but I don’t want to trip the censor alarms when I post) when voting, how would anyone really know why a particular prospect was rejected?
iggy6666
The appeal with frats is suppose to be its exclusive nature and brotherhood. What it comes down to is this guy bitched out and snitched on a frat for not letting him join. Do you think other pledges didn’t receive any derogatory questions?!?! Seriously its a college frat, they want to party and interact with women. Not watch Gilmore girls and drink wine spritzers. Move on
Stache99
@Cam: Well, all I can say is that I sure wouldn’t want to be in his shoes if he finally makes his way in. I believe they have something of a hazing ritual upon joining. My guess it won’t be light.
Merv
He’s so proud of his “Ignorance is bliss” tattoo that he wears his shirt collar permanently pulled to one side to better expose it.
Marc
@Cam: I see your point. But as life will have it, no one will be liked everywhere one goes. One takes it with a grain of salt and moves on to more important things in life, other than fraternities. Would loud, rude, obnoxious frat boys be appreciated at a gay establishment? I do not think so. Should they take it to court?
Cam
@Marc:
The difference is, Gay establishments won’t stop Asians at the door and say “Asians can’t come in”. Being loud and obnoxious and getting kicked out is based on behavior and is legal.
Baring somebody because of who they are is bigotry and is illegal.
CHS1
@Cam: Are you sure about that? Many gay establishments routinely deny entry to people of color (gay or straight). Examples have been well documented.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Suprising, because frat houses are the Gayest places on earth!
iggy6666
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS: haha. What are you talking about?!?’ There’s nothing gay about exposing your penis to another guy, sword fighting or shaving each others butts
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@iggy6666: Ya must have belonged to the wrong Frat! :p
Snowman4LFE
As an openly gay member of Lambda Phi Epsilon, I find this whole thing to be ridiculous. I have met many other open members from chapters across the country. I have never met a brother that ridiculed me or belittled me for being who I am. In fact, I have received overwhelming support from them. Many of the gay members have grown up in the Asian community where support for gays is often lacking. Joining this fraternity has given them confidence in themselves and helped many accept themselves and even come out to friends and family. While we have requirements to join like many other organizations on campus, we do not discriminate based on race, religion, sexual orientation, etc. In my chapter alone we have gay, asexual, bisexual, African-American, Caucasian, Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist brothers. That is just scratching the surface of our diversity.
Marc
@Cam: Oh, it is a race issue now. Shocking, uhuh.I totally understand about the legalities, however if the fraternity wants, they can easily come up with another reason, or make his life miserable. All I am saying is choose your battles, why is a stupid fraternity so important? Some people have too much time on their hands and this desire to “be accepted”. There are more important inspirations.
Cam
@Marc:
Actually your comment wasn’t relevant. You were saying that a gay bar would kick out loud or obnoxious people. I pointed out that he was not allowed in because of bigotry, whereas your example sited behavior. Kicking somebody out because of one is legal, the other is not.
——-
@Marc: said… “Oh, it is a race issue now. Shocking, uhuh.I totally understand about the legalities, however if the fraternity wants, they can easily come up with another reason, or make his life miserable. All I am saying is choose your battles, why is a stupid fraternity so important? Some people have too much time on their hands and this desire to “be accepted”. There are more important inspirations.”
This is the same comment that comes up ANY time there is bigotry. HRC was yelling that gays shouldn’t worry about Don’t Ask Don’t tell or Marriage because it wasn’t important. During the Civil Rights movement others were saying not to worry about the bus boycott, it wasn’t important.
This isn’t an issue of this kid wanting to join a frat. This is an issue that a club at a university that has a non-discrimination policy is discriminating simple as that. If they are allowed to discriminate, then why not the university? Why not the city? What is your reason for attacking the kid and not the organization? If he has the time and inclination to pursue this complaint why is that so upsetting to you?
NateOcean
So he’s fine with joining an *asian* fraternity, but feels discriminated against because it’s a *straight* fraternity.
Methinks he doth protest too much. Sounds like hypocrisy.