[15602] in APO-L
Misconceptions about Gamma Sigma Sigma
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Riz Shavelle)
Thu Nov 14 10:10:49 1996
Date: Thu, 14 Nov 1996 10:09:20 -0500
Reply-To: Riz Shavelle <Shavelle@MISTY.COM>
From: Riz Shavelle <Shavelle@MISTY.COM>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
In-Reply-To: <199611141028.FAA01530@news.misty.com> from "Karmic Debris" at
Nov 14, 96 04:27:48 am
There are a few misconceptions that I would like to clear up that people
either assume or are unaware of.
Gamma Sigma Sigma was "founded" in 1952. This was a time when most if not
all activities and even many universities were still gender segregated.
As far as I know, there were no service organizations on a national basis
that allowed women to join that were co-ed. Circle K International didn't
go co-ed until 1974 or so.
Again, I don't have any knowledge of other service organizations operating
at that time that were National in scope. I will continue more on this
when I have more time.
The other point is, although Gamma Sigma Sigma is 99.9% women, men are
ABLE and ALLOWED to pledge and be members. So any chapter of Gamma Sig
could choose to admit men if a man expressed an interest in joining.
Actually, let me restate that..any man who completed the pledge
requirements as stated in the GSS bylaws would be initiated into GSS.
GSS does NOT have "selective membership" or votes on pledges. This is not
a "chapter by chapter" decision but rather something that "Nationals"
decreed and is written in the National Bylaws.
I know of that one former male brother of APO pledged GSS down in Texas.
I believe that he did get initiated into GSS.
This is different in two ways from how all male chapters on these campuses
operate:
1. the allmale chapters vote on their pledges
2. the allmale chapters do not let women pledge or be active members
3. some have a chapter bylaw that will have the chapter vote on deciding
if a female transfer brother can be active.
I do not know what happens when a GSS sister transfers. I believe that
they can become active in their new school once they pay chapter and
national fees. Again, I have to research this to be sure.
I hope this clarifies some issues that I think were being misinterpreted
or ignored.
- Riz
