I know this story is somewhat old now, but I figured it was an ideal target for a ListenToLeon blog entry. If you haven’t heard by now, a group of gay men has started their own unofficial chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. I can’t remember which college it originated at…either Tennessee State University or Texas Southern University(the debate rages on in the comments section), but I’m not sure.
Not suprisingly, this has pissed off many an AKA. I’m speaking from the perspective of a non-Greek, but even I know this much: Greek organizations are HIGHLY protective of their names and public images. To be honest, I really don’t blame them, either. If I went through the pledging process and got humiliated or suffered ass whuppings to be a part of something, I’d be pretty touchy regarding negative perceptions of the group. The worse shit they put me through, the more vehemently I’d go at people on the outside trying to bad mouth my group.
Then again, that’s one of the main reason I didn’t pledge. The first “Big Brother All-Might-Tee” that beats me with a paddle, I’m coming to his house later on that night and knocking the black off his ass the minute I catch him alone. Then wait for him to get up and give him some Sweet Chin Music just for good measure!
Back to the original topic, Greeks are mad because some gay guys started their own group of AKAs. I see a lawsuit in the near future if this trend becomes widespread. I can understand that these gay dudes admire AKAs…I mean, hell, I’ve gone to an HBCU and dated plenty of actual female ones. There ae a lot of incredibly fine ones out there. Regardless, these men took the role model thing way too far. You can’t just take another group’s name and mimic their trademarks and expect everything to be cool. It’s not even about the gay thing(although that doesn’t help matters at all). If they wanted to have a “sorority,” they should have started their own instead of stealing from an existing one. That, or at least asked permission.
I don’t want this entry to be about gay-bashing. There’s enough Ann Coutlers in the world right now(yes, one is more than enough). That said, take a look at this photo, and tell me that it does not make you laugh.
If you said no, chances are, you’re a damned liar! Look at dude with the sweater wrapped around his neck! He took it back to 1980s preppie! Hilarious!!! Despite how ridiculous this photo is, I’m only really bashing them because they had the audacity to start the chapter anyway with no concern for the wishes of the actual AKAs. It’s bad enough that gay folks took the rainbow without asking. Lucky The Leprechaun and Toucan Sam have it especially rough. They made a name for themselves thanks to the rainbow. All the other cereal mascots are talking sh*t and making jokes about them now. Did gay people take this into consideration? Noooooooooooo. They just rainbow-jacked your favorite cartoon cereal characters with no remorse.
Seriously though, I’d like to know what you readers think about it, so please leave comments with your opinions. I know I’m a little late and other bloggers have probably covered it before, but I would still like to hear the perspectives of the people who saw this. Thanks in advance.
Leon
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I received an email about this a few days ago and thought it was a fluke until I google’d it and saw the actual article that talked about them. Realistically, if they wanted to create their own organization, they should do that instead of piggy backing AKA’s.
Speaking as a gay black man myself, I think this put a negative image of how gay black men are in america which is not. Most of us are regular dudes that people are comfortable being around. I don’t even feel comfortable with this. Plus, I’m not going to skkkkeeee-weeee my ass around around and wear pink and green. HEEELLLLL NOOOOO!!!!
Oh, the guys come from Texas Southern University…..
Also, what are your thoughts about the teenage boys giving the little kids weed and it being blasted all over the news? I think it’s a reflection of how FUCKED up our black society is and the black youth. Plus, the teenage kid was interviewed and had the nerve to say that weed is natural and it doesn’t harm you. Which part of that statement is true but YOU DON’T GIVE WEED TO LITTLE KIDS. Plus those kids look like they knew how to hold it and smoke it. Disturbing…….It reaffirms what Bill Cosby says about our society. What are your thoughts?
They started at Texas Southern. The radio station out here(Houston) talked about them and they called in. This is a funny story. PLEASE Change it to Texas Southern
Honestly…
I’m a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and I don’t really care about groups like this. They’re nothing new…they’ve been around for a long time and we’re not even the only group that has “male sorority members.” The thing I’m upset about was that they got access to our ritual book and other things that should not be seen by people who are not members. A Soror had to have given it to them and that’s not cool at all.
There was actually a fraternity that was started for the same purpose of copying us called Delta Phi Upsilon. They were founded on January 15 like we were and had all the same focuses and even similar mottos.
Luckily, nationals has squelched them as well as the chapter from the picture in your post. Lawsuits a plenty for copyright infringement…
It’s a serious matter ya’ll…
P.S. Your finetune thing might have messed you up because the size of the player is larger than the width of your sidebar…
One of the GayKA’s blood sister is an AKA. So I am sure she helped him get the information
I often wondered why black Americans join GREEK frats and sororities? I know it’s about networking, but the thought of having someone humiliate and beat me only for me to turn around and call you my brother or sister is just plain crazy to me. Plus, the fees you have to pay for the jacket and dues….shit, I have biological brothers and sisters who can humiliate me FOR FREE! I tried to pledge but I only lasted a week…don’t have the temperment. This gay “sorority” should have adopted it’s own identity.
WonderLove
p.s. It pains me to say this but the notion of black strong men is damn near extinct…what the hell is going on?
p.s.s. Hell, my Nestle painted behind knows what the real deal was back then when it came to pledging…my ass surely wouldn’t have passed the paper bag test.
@ Wonderlove….
Not everyone is beat and not everyone is humiliated. There are some chatpers that have dignified processes…whether it’s 3 days long or an underground process that lasts weeks.
Not everyone gets jackets and not everyone pays exhorbant dues. Many people get mentors that pay for them.
I pledged underground for about nine weeks and learned A LOT about myself, how I deal with people, and how to run an organization effieciently. My process taught me I can withstand anything no matter what the situations were…and the lessons I learned online certainly apply to real life.
Yeah my big sisters game me hell, but they never did it without purpose. If you’re not on your shit, expect to be punished for it and learn to get it right for next time.
Greek life isn’t for everybody, as you have so proven. Don’t knock it because it didn’t work out for you…your process, and the work you do once you’re in is what you make it.
@ Anonymous, thanks for clearing things up as far as the school, and for giving your opinion on the matter. That video of the guys giving the kids weed thoroughly disgusted me. Especially since the youngest one looked as if this were not his first time smoking. I really hope they throw the book at those guys.
@ Southerngrad, I’m going to change it.
@ Kanisa, I can understand why that would upset you. Whoever gave it away showed a lack of respect for the entire organization. Also, thanks for the Finetune tip :)
@ Anonymous2, that could be the case, but it could have also been one of her friends or something. Right now, all folks can do is speculate.
@ Wonderlove, I’m not going to knock Greek organizations…I just didn’t think it was what I wanted to do back when I was in undergrad. It’s great for some people, but not so great for others.
@ Anonymous3, the AKAs I knew didn’t do that LOL. I remember a couple of them were Wesley Snipes complextion…They were both fine as hell, too! One is married now, but I wonder what the other one is up to…lol
@ Anonymous4, I heard that everything is supposed to be for a reason as far as the stuff folks go through when pledging. I know occasionally an asshole abuses his or her power, but from what I hear, for the most part, everything is for a reason.
Omg! First weed-smoking todlers, now Gay AKA’s… What is going on in my state? Lol
I heard about this too, and I have a lot a friends and a few relatives who are AKA’s, and they are PISSED. However, they pretty much told me that this was not the first time something like this ever happened. I think a lot of those groups call themselves MiAKA (Men Interested in AKA). However, from a legal standpoint, this can be squelched pretty quickly if they start incorporating their symbols and stuff like that.
OT-I posted about Mardi Gras over on my blog, however, I found out that I left my pictures in Mississippi, so it will be a minute before those wonder, so NSFW pictures will be posted.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but it seems that they have crossed the line from imitation to impersonation, and that’s a problem.
From a legal standpoint, I don’t see it being so cut and dry. I think that they can use slight variations of there symbols and insignias and get away with it. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.
The whole Greek thing to me is a joke and this just opened up a whole new batch of jokes. LOL!!!
I wonder what Tim Hardaway has to say about this. LMAO!!! He did got to school in Texas LOL!!!
I just spoke to Tim and he wanted me to let everyone know that he hates gay people. LMAO!!!
Play Lotto!!!!
Now wveryone knows I’m a tolerant person. My roommate one semester in college was a gaylord, although he claimed to be closeted. His auburn dyed hair kinda gave him away though. I didn’t have a problem with it, but when he had too many gaylord friends in the room, I suggested that they congregate elsewhere. Not because they were gay, but because they were just kind of gross. They acted like women and sashayed about, and generally acted in a manner unfit not just for a man, but for a woman. I mean, these cats were walking stereotypes. And the same issue goes for these dudes. They’re ridiculous. And then they want you to take them seiously, which is like me going into an interview eating a bucket of chicken and spinning a basketball, with a gun tucked in my waistband and saying Goldman Sachs is racist for not making me Vice President of Asset Management. There are gay people out there. That’s fine. But the reason these dudes are getting heat is not because they’re gay, it’s frankly because they’re coons.
I think it’s laughable. I put it up there with “who the hell cares.”
I Got One Thing to Say…
U BETTA WORK!!!!!!!
OMG I DIIIIIED when I saw this in your Myspace bulletin this morning!!
D I E D!!!
Dude in the middle for some reason is what caused me to crack the hell up!!
“Lucky The Leprechaun and Toucan Sam have it especially rough. They made a name for themselves thanks to the rainbow. All the other cereal mascots are talking sh*t and making jokes about them now. Did gay people take this into consideration? Noooooooooooo.”
This is easily the funniest thing I have read this year.
I too am non-Greek, and I can see how this would be a touchy subject. But, I’m more upset about all this national attention black folks in TX are getting lately. First the Gay-KA’s, then the idiots recording toddler’s getting high, next Mike Jones will release another album. Being a native Texan, it pains me to say this, but I move that we annex TX. At least until we rid it of all the niggas.
@ one of the anonymous posts, I too always talked about how retarded it was to pay dues, and be subjected to @$$ whooping’s daily, and how that would make me WANT to join, but now that I have friends that have pledged, I know that it’s about a brotherhood. The hazing, or traditionally violent stuff is to build a sense of “comradery”. Some people just take it too far.
I saw these pics a while ago. Got em from a ghey guy. I’m a Delta, I chuckled but chose not to forward the pics even to my AKA friends.
As far as them getting ahold to ritual books and the such, you’d be surprised how careless some folks are with that kind of thing. Even when I was living in my parents’ house, I kept everything in a locked trunk.
It’s interesting when the non-members who talk about what we did to get in. I hear some ridiculous stories. But I wonder if people ever stop to think that a whole lot of those tales are made up and extremely blown out of proportion–most times not even by members.
ITS TENNESSEE NOT TEXAS SOUTHERN…
although at TxSU has a group called GLASS thats NOT TxSU and EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW THAT..
all the other SWAC schools have been Doggin us out behind it.. SORRY BUT ITS NOT AT TxSU its at TnSU ..
BOTH SCHOOLS are TIGERS the school colors are totally different ..
if you look MIAKA and Tennessee state Univ. the link to all forums in relation to this subjects will appear the group itself has a message board ..
I know I am late to the discussion but just wanted to add that I agree with my Soror Kanisa. The highest form of flattery is imitation…HOWEVER, these clowns took it way to far. I am not angry, but I do feel sorry for them because this speaks volumes about their self-esteem. Be gay…that’s your choice, but to go as far as to create an image that you are a part of such a prominent organization established for WOMEN when you in fact clearly are not is sad. To take something that is sacred to a group of women who worked hard to establish and maintain it (including myself) is disgraceful…and as black men (regardless of sexual orientation) I would have liked to think they would have had more respect then this. Unfortunately that is not the case…SO we will do what we have to do to protect our beloved sorority and to deter others from trying this mess in the future…Best Believe that!!!
Women and men have been immitating us for years (I’ll leave it there)…this is nothing new and like my Soror Mya Angelou so gracefully put it…”and still I rise!” cause this will not hold us back…it will only serve to make us strong!
Peace and Blessings,
Roycee
Damn Leon! I’m a little mad at you. So the ‘gays’ started their own chapter of a historically hetero frat. I have to ask, what would the straight AKA’s at Texas Southern have done had the gay guys attempted to pledge? I know it seems like some sort of a violation to all you hetero men because traditionaly a frat is very machisto, but the times are a changing men so get used to it. Your little bubble where you can all be strong manly men has burst and the ‘gays’ are a’ coming! Honestly, I think it was probably nice of these fella’s to start their own chapter because that way they did not invade the ‘real’ AKA’s territory and no one had to bring out the measuring stick. But seriously, this is some touchy subject matter Leon like what I’m about to say…so they gay men got tired of the back of the bus and they got their own damn bus but it looked too much like the straight man’s bus so now they just aren’t worthy of riding a bus at all? How the hell are they supposed to get to work?!? Hope I didn’t offend anyone by the metaphor… just wanted to make you think! Love the thought provoking writing Leon! Natalie
oops…sorry, thought they were starting their own chapter of a frat. didn’t realize they started their own chapter of a Women’s organization. Totally different situation!! I have to think about this one for a minute!
This is crazy. I did laugh though. But how are you gonna claim some other groups stuff. I think Lil’ Kim said it best on ‘No Time’,
“Get your own shit, why you ridin’ mine”
It IS TEXAS SOUTHERN right here in HOUSTON and some go to PRAIRIE VIEW as well (my school)
WELL IT FRANKLY THEY ARE ADMIRING THE BEST OF THE BEST AND I APPRECIATED THEM BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE COME UP WITH A BETTER NAME AND MADE UP THEIR OWN RITUALS. I HAVE TO GIVE IT TO THEM THEY HAVE SOME PRETTY SKIN. THEIR SKIN LOOK LIKE NEW BORN BABY ASSES WHEN THEY FIRST ARE BORN!!!
I am late to this one Leon.
These gentleman have every right to want to create their own organization and I would applaud them for that. However, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated was established by African American women for women. They should try to create their own organization and not try to establish a “gay” chapter of AKA without any authorization from the National organization.
Legally, our sorority has sent out the “cease and desist” notices. I can’t blame them for selecting our wonderful sisterhood but hope they have the determination to go forth and form their own. Be originators, never dulpicators.
Eh. People who take themselves too seriously wind up stressing about things that just don’t matter. But I’m an iconoclast, so don’t listen to me.
Delta Phi Upsilon is still around and going strong. Actually, we’ve just benefitted from a huge national expansion push. We’re still working toward the unificatgion and sanctity of the black gay man. None of us want to be AKAs love. Don’t flatter yourself. AKAs sis nothing to “squash” us. I was actually not a fan of M.I.A.K.A’s because they don’t have their own values, after hearing how some pretty girls hate on all gay Greek Orgs, I am glad they are “doing what they do”.
@ Delta, it’s cool that Delta Phi Upsilon have their own thing going, as opposed to what the M.I.A.K.A.s chose to do. I salute y’all for that, and good luck with your expansion goals.