Greek Allies aims to help Greek LGBTQ students

The organization’s goal is to create a comfortable community for LGBTQ students in Greek Life.

By Marie Mandelberg

Published Aug. 31, 2010

Representatives from Greek Life and the MU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer community met Sunday to discuss the creation of an organization on campus meant to help students who are a part of both communities.

Senior Drake Douglas, an openly gay member of the fraternity Delta Chi, planned and led the meeting. After hearing about groups like this, typically called Greek Allies, at other universities, Douglas wanted to work on creating the same program at MU. Douglas said he is considering changing the name to Greek Allies and Advocates to help make the group more inclusive.

With the intention of staying apolitical, Douglas said he wants to get the LGBTQ Resource Center and Greek Life to work together.

“We want to make the Greek community a more comfortable place for gay and lesbian students,” Douglas said.

At the meeting, Douglas handed out two sheets that showed a sample mission statement, statistics from the 2008 National Hate Crime Report and frequently asked questions the group might encounter. Douglas said members of this potential organization do not need to be part of the LGBTQ community.

“Our biggest obstacle will be recruiting people,” Douglas said. “Along with welcoming Greeks from the LGBTQ community, we really want to recruit a lot of heterosexual allies that are willing to stand up for our cause. They will be the most influential people in the chapters.”

Douglas said he believes Greek Life has a problem accepting LGBTQ students and wants to gather people who feel likewise to make their chapters a better and more comfortable place.

Douglas said he wants to use campus resources that already exist in order to create the group. He also wants people who are willing to put in hard work to join, hopefully including at least one person from every Greek Life chapter on campus.

“I think that specifically in the Greek community, what is going to be most important is to have this relationship with them because they are a very large proportion of the student population on campus,” said Valerie Pollock, a staff member at the LGBTQ Resource Center who attended the meeting.

During the meeting, ideas that were brought up included creating a website dedicated to the organization, scheduling events to raise awareness and creating buttons for all the members. The group also wants to start meeting every two weeks to set plans in motion.

Another idea suggested during the meeting involved training members of Greek Life to help create a safer and more comfortable environment for people in the LGBTQ community.

Pollock helps run Safe Space, a program through the LGBTQ Resource Center that works on training others to make a more inclusive and welcoming environment for LGBTQ community members and their allies. The training goes over common terminology, explains issues about the coming out process and teaches people how to be an ally to the LGBTQ community.

“I think it’s important that we recognize every student in our Mizzou family,” said Suzy Day, Greek Life alumna who attended the meeting. “LGBTQ Greek lettered students are sometimes ignored and sometimes victims of violence, and I’m tired of it.”

Douglas said he wants to get more people involved and interested in his idea. He said going against the status quo is never easy, especially if there is a strong desire to keep things the way they are.

He also said people being complacent with the current conditions and not wanting to make anyone upset might cause struggles for the group, but that he is determined to make the organization a reality.

“There is this saying, 'Is it really true brotherhood or sisterhood if they have to hide such a huge part of themselves?’” he said.