**To the men who are members of underground sororities***
Wow, what attention has been brought to you in the past few days! No matter where we turned, we saw pictures of one of your events. In our email, on message boards, and on facebook, we saw pictures of what appeared to be a probate show. Several comments we read about these pictures were complimentary ? focusing mainly on your outfits and masks, as well as some of your individual physical features.
Unfortunately, the majority of the comments we read were negative. The homophobia that was so virulent in these responses was not your fault. We will not condone any responses that threatened your safety or right to express yourselves the way you see fit. Those comments against you were wrong and we hope that those people one day see the error of their hatred.
You know that the world in which we live is not forgiving to gay men. You know that it is even less forgiving for gay men who embrace a more feminine aesthetic. In 2006, our hero Kevin Aviance was nearly beaten to death. Transgender people all across this country are being brutally murdered. And we aren?t that far away from the death of Matthew Shepard. Yes, it is dangerous out here for all gay people, especially those who are not closeted or on the so-called ?DL.?
That is why along with the right to express yourselves freely also comes a very important responsibility. Gentlemen, your actions go beyond expressing yourselves. You are expressing an affinity for and connection to an organization that does not feel that same connection to you. It is unfair of you to express yourselves in this way when the vast majority of members of this organization do not identify with you.
When you dress in pink and green, assume the ?ivy stance? and mirrors, have probate shows, line up according to height and number yourselves?when you assemble yourselves into an organization that, at best, idolizes the organization that you admire so highly, it actually does the exact opposite of what you intend. It forces a relationship that was not meant to be. It is unfair to the women that you idolize.
By now, many of you are reading this and are pointing to your history as a justification for your existence. We will not be the one to tell you that your history is not real. However, we do implore you ? share the text that confirms the existence of ?Wade Lyle? and then we can continue this discourse on a scholarly level.
Until then, we ask you, men to men ? stop what you are doing. In addition to the strife you are causing the women you admire, you are making it hard for gay men who are fighting in other arenas on your behalf. The closeted gay men who were inching toward the outness that you celebrate are now inching in the other direction because of the homophobia that you are inciting. The out gay men who are striving toward equality can?t defend you when your lack of decorum is so blatant.
What can we now? We humbly and respectfully ask you to stop. It is harming gay black men. It is harming the sorority you are emulating. It is harming men in gay fraternities with their own unique identity. It is harming gay members of traditional fraternities and sororities. In fact, your actions are only benefiting yourselves ? which is antithetical to the values of the sorority you are attempting to emulate.
You have the power to end underground sororities. If it is fraternalism that you seek, there are several fraternities for gay men of color. In fact, there are fraternities for lesbian women ? why can?t there be a sorority for gay men? I want you to be inspired to make that change. Eliminate the traditions of another organization from your program. Be yourselves. Be strong. Be unique.
If you do not stop these behaviors, we cannot continue to include you in the discourse on equality. It is unfair to have to defend your right to express yourselves when you take it too far. In addition, if you do not end these harmful traditions, we will not support your candidacy in traditional fraternities through sponsorship, letters of reference, or an affirmative vote. Finally, we will endeavor to report your unauthorized use and reproduction of registered trademarks to the appropriate officials. Your use of official sorority symbols is perhaps the most brazen of your disrespectful actions.
We will continue to pray for your continued safety in the areas in which you operate. Most importantly, we will continue to hope that you change your ways before a homophobe decides to take the decision away from you.
Peace and blessings,
Concerned gay men of color.
*If you know an underground sorority member, please send this to them.*
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