[15368] in APO-L
Re: a word on 19974 & 1976
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Pepito \"Sonny\" Fernandez)
Fri Nov 8 11:01:44 1996
Date: Fri, 8 Nov 1996 11:08:24 -0800
Reply-To: "Pepito \"Sonny\" Fernandez" <pferna@PO-BOX.MCGILL.CA>
From: "Pepito \"Sonny\" Fernandez" <pferna@PO-BOX.MCGILL.CA>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
Dennis R. Hickey wrote:
>
> This is in response partly to Peter Caracappa, who imagined (not having been
> there) that coed chapters happened because the Fraternity believed it was the
> fair thing to do. That's not the way it happened at all. I was there, working
> floor services since women, of course, were not allowed to participate in the
> floor debate at that time.
>
> Briefly, in '74 federal Title IX pushed the issue of allowing chapters that
> wanted to, to legally accept women as full members. It was very much an issue of
> survival for some chapters, for they would be kicked off their campus if they
> continued to discriminate. In APO, as you know, no campus support means no
> chapter at all. Some chapters (like my own) wanted to be and were in fact,
> already coed, of their own choice. There was also strong opinion that women
> shouldn't be allowed in anywhere, and of course, many other views as well.
>
> They just barely came up with a sort of affiliate concept then. In 76, women
> were allowed to join for real. (BTW there were a *few* more of us around besides
> Betsy & Diana and me :) The debates were long loud and bloody. Imagine ~two
> hundred of Mr. Stallion (no insult intended, he just typifies the opinions
> expressed then), locked in a room with ~one hundred of the opposing side for
> two days, all fighting for what they believe is the future of their chapter and
> Fraternity. Twice. (If you think the toast song debate is bad - that's *nothing*
> compared to 'the coed issue'.)
>
> APO, like any organization, is a reflection of the current culture. From 1925
> through the '60's, women were by and large expected to do and be interested in
> women-things, and men did men-things. This meant careers (or lack of them),
> sports, activities, etc. Hence, we were all- male for several decades. In the
> 70's that started to change, and APO started to change, too. If APO had refused
> to change, it would likely be dying out today.Though the climate has been more
> conservative through the 80's, we are all still changing, and will continue to
> do so.
>
> YILFS,
> mrn
> AX '74Mrn,
Hello! Good to meet up with you again at another venue here in APO-L.
How was your trip back from Farmington-Maine?
Anyway, I joined in the list three days ago and I think it was only
yesterday (beginning with J. Busby's post, among other things, of the
important role of the school administration in determining the membership
policy of organizations like APhiO) that things began to sober up. You
recent post will further clear up the air for a more contextual treatment
of the subject matter.
--
In the service of APhiO I remain,
Sonny "Papits" Fernandez (APO-Eta Chapter 81A, Philippines)
President, Alpha Phi Omega-McGill University Petitioning Group
McGill University
3480 Mctavish Street
Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1X9
Office Fax: (514) 398-7490
Home Phone/Fax: (514) 366-2914
