While age-old stereotypes may suggest that Greek life and homosexuality are incompatible, several Penn students have proven that the two can be reconciled.
A panel discussion last night featured three students who are both openly gay and members of Greek organizations. Panelists addressed the issues that they have dealt with during their time at Penn, each offering a different perspective.
Nursing junior Caroline Novack -- a sister of the Chi Omega sorority -- and College junior Tavis Morello -- president of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity -- explained that they were both received positively by their brothers and sisters.
Though he did not intend to join a fraternity when he first came to Penn, Morello said that he found himself feeling comfortable at the fraternities during rush events, particularly among the brothers of Phi Kap.
Since joining Phi Kap, Morello said he has never been made to feel uncomfortable about his sexuality -- in fact, he has even had the opportunity to open some of his brothers' minds.
But Novack was quick to add that her rush experience was not all smooth sailing, with her pledgemaster making offhand comments such as, "Oh, that's so gay."
"She wasn't saying it to be mean," Novack said, adding that after she told the sister she felt uncomfortable, the comments quickly ceased.
Novack also noted that her sorority sisters have supported her sexuality, warmly welcoming the female companions she brings to mixers and parties.
Both Morello and Novack added that the issue of a rushee's sexuality would never affect a decision about whether to invite that student to pledge -- in fact, it would not even come up in either of their rush processes.
"It would be ruled out of order in discussion," Morello said.
But College sophomore Bradley Breuer, a member of Delta Lambda Phi -- Penn's new fraternity for gay, bisexual and progressive men -- said he was turned off by the idea of joining a fraternity.
"I would be very reserved in suggesting that anyone -- especially a gay male -- join a fraternity," he said. "There's almost a threshold. You can be gay, but not too gay, in a fraternity."
"The Greek system could probably think of ways to be more inclusive of LGBT students," he added.
And according to event organizer Jesse Salazar, a College junior and Delta Upsilon brother, there is good reason for the Greek community to be more welcoming of gays.
"An overwhelming majority of the queer people who are in fraternities or sororities take on positions of leadership," he said. "The Greek system would benefit from more people from the LGBT community rushing."
The event, moderated by Communications Professor Katherine Sender, was well-received by the audience.
For Wharton freshman Grace Hwang, who was made aware of the event by her resident adviser, the discussion represented an opportunity to learn about Greeks and gays at Penn.
"I don't know much about fraternities and sororities in general... and I also don't know about how gays and lesbians are perceived here," she said, adding that since she has not met any openly gay students at Penn yet, it was interesting to hear what the panelists had to say.
Penn's Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, Allies and the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center co-sponsored last night's panel.
