Forum addresses Greek homophobia

Coming out of the closet about one's sexual orientation may not be an easy move for anyone, but the pressure may be even more daunting for fraternity and sorority members. After surveying students at universities across the country, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski reported that "the tolerance level among fraternity and sorority people [towards homosexuals] was lower than that of the independent community." OFSA and the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Association cosponsored a discussion Tuesday on "Being Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual within the Fraternity and Sorority Communities." The event -- held in the Delta Delta Delta sorority house on Locust Walk --came during the celebration of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgendered Awareness Days. Bob Schoenberg, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Center, invited Reikofski, along with Sigma Phi Epsilon brother Ron Jenkins -- who could not make the discussion -- and LGBA Co-Chairperson Maria Gonzalez, a Sigma Lambda Upsilon sister, to speak on their experiences as Greeks who have come out. He also extended invitations to the students who conducted the study on homophobia in the Greek system, but time conflicts prevented them from attending the discussion. Although Reikofski never came out to his fraternity brothers as an undergraduate, he remembered that tolerance -- and a "just don't put the moves on me and we'll be fine" attitude -- prevailed in his house. He added that he "would like to think that? Penn's environment is significantly more tolerant" than at other schools. Reikofski noted that the Greek Penn students who have come out have not faced many serious problems. "My expectation is that [people] realize that this person is the same person as they were before [admitting homosexuality or bisexuality]," he said. "There's all different facets to us, and gays and lesbians are not just sexual beings." But Gonzalez complained of having received disparaging remarks from several fraternity members who passed by her as she was writing on Locust Walk during Saint Patrick's Day -- the beginning of B-GLAD. And School of Social Work administrative assistant Paul Lukasiak said he was harassed by some fraternity members after leaving a gay party. "There's a huge problem with homophobia," he said, noting that homophobic attitudes are "accepted and tolerated." Reikofski cited insecurity about one's own sexual orientation as a possible cause for homophobia. "Because there's such a strong stigma in our society; there's such an internal struggle," he said. "Until [people] wrestle with their own sexuality, anything that could be threatening to them causes discomfort. Rather than be suspected, [people] would rather lead the charges." But Schoenberg said fear was not an excuse for intolerance. "I always get so distressed when I hear the worst homophobes are closeted gay people," he said. Panhellenic Council Vice President for Publicity Beth Linn said Panhel's University constitution makes it a non-discriminatory organization. "Panhel supports all of its Greek women," the College sophomore and Tri Delt sister said. Panhel President and College junior Jessica Lennon added that she hopes "that the atmosphere that's fostered in sororities is very conducive to people expressing anything that they want -- sexuality being one of them." The Tri Delt sister she would like to plan workshops focusing on issues of sexual orientation, minority affairs and sexual harassment for the new member induction period. But neither the Panhel nor InterFraternity Council executive boards has addressed the topic of sexual orientation, according to Lennon and IFC President Matt Baker. "It's definitely an issue that should be addressed -- and probably will be addressed -- as we get rolling with our programs," Baker said. The College and Engineering junior and Alpha Chi Rho brother added that although such programming has not yet been planned, his cabinet with work with Panhel to offer educational seminars designed to decrease homophobia. He said the extent of sensitivity training offered "will depend on how much of an issue we think this is -- or find out this is." Reikofski said some individual fraternity chapter presidents have approached him about how to handle a brother's wanting to come out to his brothers. While Baker said he is unaware of how many members of the Greek system are gay, he said he "would hope that every chapter would be accepting of a member coming out and sharing, because that's what brotherhood is all about." But he added that "there are a lot of preconceived ideas and misconceptions that would need to be addressed if a brother [were] coming out." Gonzalez -- whose sisters knew she was a lesbian before she joined the house -- said she has met only with support from her BiCultural InterGreek Council sorority, which she labeled "a really tight-knit community of extraordinarily liberal women." "I think [tolerance is] a matter of education and also a matter of maturity," Gonzalez said.