There has been some interest in Delta Lambda Phi, a fraternity for gay, bisexual, and progressive men, ‘colonizing’ and starting a new chapter on campus. The first thing I think when hearing this is, “What the fuck does ‘progressive men’ mean?” Is this something like, free-spirited? Are we going back to the sixties and Woodstock up in here? Or is it really just LGBT+ awareness and support?
As an identifying gay male, the idea of a fraternity with a specific agenda of raising LGBT+ issues is intriguing. However, I am curious to see how it will be received on campus. The potential founders, Wesley Weicht and Eddie Blankenship, said, “The driving force behind wanting to bring a chapter of Delta Lambda Phi to campus is rooted in a sense of community and in diversity.”
I feel this aspect of diversity is something that needs to be explored more on campus, though I wonder if DLP will be able to accomplish this without a certain stigma. We need integration on this campus, not segregation.
As a potential social fraternity, is DLP really going to tackle cultural expectations effectively? Or, will it turn into more of a support network for LGBT+ aligned men and their supporters?
Having spoken with both potential founders, I am confident that they both plan to legitimize the organization beyond the definition of “that gay frat.” I simply worry that the group’s substance is being lost in translation. So much crafting has gone into how they are choosing to word their pitch that their message is clouded.
Simply put, while I appreciate what the potential Alpha-class of Delta Lambda Phi is doing, I think they may be selling something McDaniel is not up for taking right now. It’s time to throw political correctness out the window. I don’t need a mission statement.
What we need to hear is how this could be a frat for anyone. What I want to hear is the bare bones, no bullshit truth about what they want to do and how they plan to do it.
