Gay, Bi, And Greek

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - Like dozens of Greek organizations at the University of Florida, a new Gainesville fraternity for gay and bisexual men selected members of its pledge class last week.
Of the 37 men who rushed to become part of the Gainesville fraternity Delta Lambda Phi's inaugural pledge class, nine were invited to a bid dinner that took place during the weekend.
"I never really considered myself a frat boy at all," said Daniel StClair, 20, a wildlife ecology and conservation major at UF who pledged with the group. "I still wouldn't."
After seeing a flier outside the Murphree Area this summer, StClair said he was intrigued by the group's aim to improve the treatment of gays.
The group aims to give gay and bisexual young men an outlet to be part of an experience that normally they would have been shunned from, said Paul Nichols, one of the founders of the local chapter-to-be.
The Greek organization is open to men at least 18 years of age from Santa Fe Community College, UF and Gainesville.
The organization is only the second branch of Delta Lambda Phi in Florida. The first was launched at Florida International University in Miami. Because of efforts by Nichols and others since December 2005, the fraternity's application to become a colony was approved.
"There have been at least two other efforts in the past to start this and they've fallen flat," Nichols said. "Its been the hardest work and the most rewarding work I've done yet."
Like Greek organizations at UF, Delta Lambda Phi has its own coat of arms and fraternity pin. Promotions included fliers on UF's campus and advertisements on facebook.com and other Web sites.
While a large pledge class was not a possibility this semester, the fraternity plans to admit 10 members each spring and fall semester.
"Keeping it small makes things easier," Nichols said. "Smaller classes means more bonding."
Wesley Scruggs, a 19-year-old accounting major at UF, said he always wanted to join a fraternity and hopes to gain a greater sense of the gay community in Gainesville through the fraternity. He heard about the organization in an online chat room last spring.
"I think it's cool you can hang out with people just like you," Scruggs said. "You can really identify with them."
Social activities such as movie nights, group dinners, road trips and chapter meetings are planned for this semester.
While much of the groundwork has been laid, a long-term goal for the group is to become a full chapter. It is a three-step process that requires three successful pledge classes and a petition to Delta Lambda Phi's national organization.
Nineteen-year-old UF religion major Evan Lauteria said he wants to see Delta Lambda Phi succeed as a fraternity and for people to recognize it by name.
"I'm just excited it's happening," Lauteria said. "I think it's a good step in the right direction."
The fraternity plans to reach out to other social groups to give the gay community of Gainesville an outlet to help others.
Plans include participation in Gainesville Pride in October, involvement with the Metropolitan Community Church and the Gainesville Aids Project.
"What we're building here is not only for us right here and right now - we're also building for future classes," Nichols said. "We want to bring something to the table that is going to be here on a long-term basis."
from The Gainesville Sun