Men Interested in Alpha Kappa Alpha: Where I Think MIAKA Goes Wrong

June 11th, 2012 - By Charing Ball

Source: lovemyblack.com

According to the site, Kollege Kids:

“There may be a big lawsuit in preparation against the oldest and most renowned sorority founded for African American women. Men interested in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, also known as MIAKAs, are threatening to file a lawsuit against Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a sorority founded at Howard University on Jan. 15, 1908. The group of men, whom all are homosexual, are alleging homophobia and gender discrimination by the sorority.”

There is not much about the MIAKA out there except a few pictures posted mostly on blogs and online message boards. In these photos, you see these men donning the pink and green, signature colors of the organization, wearing AKA paraphernalia and doing the signature “Ske-Wee.” But from what I gather, the group in question has established themselves at Prairie View University, a HBCU in Houston, Texas, sometime around 2005. The group is said to be rogue chapter of MiAKA Inc., which really stands for Men Interested in Alpha Kappa Alpha. MiAKA Inc., acts as a support auxiliary for the sorority, much in the same way that Alpha Angels Inc., Omega GEMS, Kappa Sweethearts, Sigma Rhomeos Inc., Delta BEUAX Inc. and so on work to support those fraternities and sororities.  However, real members of MiAKA Inc., according to the message boards, strongly contend that they do not support or condone the MIAKA chapter at Prairie View.

No lawsuit has been officially filed as of yet.  MIAKA has no official website (that I know of) or leader to speak on nor confirm this issue. So right now the story seems to be all speculation. However, MIAKA is real. And this story raises all sorts of questions about the intersection of gender, sexuality and inclusion. It seems that the same sort of national conversation on gender identity, which found its way at the steps of the Girls Scouts, the Ladies Professional Golf Association and the Miss Universe Pageant, now has landed on the yards of black Greek-letter sororities and fraternities. And while the authenticity of this lawsuit can not be fully confirmed, the reality is that it may not be too long until we start having to have this conversation. And there is no better time than the present. So in the interest of creating dialog: would it be homophobic and discriminatory for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., to deny homosexual men membership into their sorority or are these guys barking up the wrong Ivy vine?

I am not a black Greek. In fact, the only colors I wave with pride are the red, the black and the green, so I don’t have a horse in this race. But personally, I am leaning towards the latter. While I can sort of understand their reasons for wanting to challenge the status quo of gender-specific organizations, I find their quest for acceptance a bit misguided.  For one, from what I have read, none of these men, while gay, identifies with being women. They are not transgendered or even women, who love the same sex.  In fact, I would be more sympathetic and willing to side with them if these were transgendered women. But to claim homophobia, or even gender discrimination against a sorority doesn’t quite jive with me.

I don’t think members of the AKA organization are upset with these young men for trying to have a group of their own to identify. This is less about discrimination than it is about appropriation, peppered in with a little misogyny.  The reality of a male-centered society is that women do not have a significant political or social identity or existence outside of the realm of what men have decided as appropriate definitions and actions of women.  Thus, women-centered circles, such as sororities, which were created in response to women being excluded from the male fraternities, help to create a space on college campuses where women can bond, network and assist each other for a common goal.  This is especially true of black Greek-letter sororities, who established themselves not just in response to male fraternities but because of their exclusion from the historically white sororities as well.

Yet these men, while gay but certainly still men, have taken to adopting the colors, symbols and other paraphernalia of the AKAs, which is not only tantamount to theft but also disrespectful to the historical identity that this women’s group has fought hard to establish.  And while these men probably don’t see their actions as insolent–in fact, I’m willing to guess that they truly love the AKA organization – you have to ask yourselves, if this was truly a matter of inclusiveness, why not direct their angst at the fraternities as well?

There are a number of LGBT black Greek-letter organizations all over this country. For example, there’s Omicron Epsilon Pi Sorority, Inc., the nations first Greek letter organization catering to the needs of black lesbian women, and Delta Phi Upsilon Fraternity, Inc, whose mission is to improve the public stature of same gender loving people by supporting a progressive interest in the social and civic welfare. There is, indeed, a need for such organizations because, just like the rest of society, there are folks within these sororities/fraternities organizations that do not openly embrace the GLBT community.  In that spirit, I have lots of appreciation for the MiAKAs, who just want to be accepted and celebrated for who and what they are, and also support the AKAs when they can. However, I also believe that this rouge MiAKA chapter would probably blaze more trails, if they would, in addition to fighting for inclusion of our GLBT brothers and sisters into these organizations, help the existing black LGBT Greek letter organizations establish more chapters on black college campuses as well as take their rightful place among the Divine Nine.

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  • PrettyPoodle22

    Social Sororities and Fraternities are protected under Title IX of The Educational Amendments of 1972, which grants them exception from gender discrimination and allows them to maintain single sex organizations. End of Case.

    By the way, your story is factually incorrect as it relates to the position of auxiliary organizations. NPHC banned those organizations you mentioned in 1990.

  • iReezy

    Wow…just wow. If the lawsuit is filed, I hope the MiAKAs LOSE. I’m down for gay rights and all, but some things and their traditions have to remain sacred and as is. I do not wanna see crossing and mixing of the Greek system. Sororities are for actual women, not wannabe women just as Fraternities are for men, not butch lesbians (I hope that’s PC…). As some mentioned, if the gay community is feeling left out, they really oughta look into starting their own Greek organization.

  • Ms_Sunshine9898

    This so disrespectful, smh. They want to be AKAs so bad that they’re willing to sue and use the good ole discrimination act? Furthermore, they’re obviously about promoting the colors, letters, and signs and not the legacy and work behind the organization. No sir, you are a man, please join a fraternity or start your own without emulating and copying the brand of another. . .

  • mocha1023

    CORRECTION Prairie View A&M is in Prairie View, Texas (about one hour from Houston) NOT in HOUSTON, TEXAS!!

  • sammi_lu

    Ohhh they play too much!! Instead of feeling like the victim..turn the tables start the first ‘fratority’ and make history or be history!

  • Muscasa

    WHAT!!!??? they cant file a law suite!!! thats RIDICULOUS!!! thats just like saying, because he’s gay, he can use the womans bathroom!!! so what, they are going to file a law suite against society in order to use the womans bathrooms now!!! This is a WOMANS ONLY club!!! it was founded by girls, for girls!!! if the boys want to make their own FRATERNITY then let them do that! Just tell them to make a “gay fraternity” that has the same, or relativly the same principals as the sorority as the AKA’s. I really wanted to become a aka, but now im not so sure… I dont want to join a sorority who doesnt stand by its original values. come on people!!! think!!! make your own group if you dont feel accepted!!! WHY DO YOU THINK THE DELTA’S FORMED??? they are a rival/rebel group from the aka’s!!! because one of the members did not want to follow what the other girls were doing, she didnt file a lawsuite!!! she left and started her OWN… so why are you making such a big fuss about it when you can be original and unique and just start YOUR OWN!!! Im so serious if the AKA’s dont stand up and dont hold their values, im starting MY OWN TOO…

    Note: I love LGBT people. but i do not like stupidity.

  • tmo310

    This gay stuff is starting to get out of control. I having nothing against gay people, but when gay men start crossing the line thinking like can get the same rights as real women, then I have a problem. Pretty soon they are going want rights to use the women’s restroom instead of the men’s. This madness have to stop.

  • jackieOsassin

    i agree completely. it would be different if they were transgender and they were being denied membership based of off gender discrimination, but this is just a case of them wanting to rip off an already established organization instead of being original and creating or even improving upon another LGBT specific GLO. sexism at its best.

  • Dee

    This kind of foolishness is upsetting because it makes no sense at all. These are supposedly college educated men which is even more baffling to me. They are walking around wearing paraphanalia and pretending to be members of an organization they are not members of. Where is their dignity? These guys are in no way affiliated with AKA beyond the fan club they have created on their campus. They are basically “stans”, fans who have collectively drank the kool-aid and have taken their admiration for AKA to a whole other level, I would go so far as to call them Fatal Attractions. They need therapy. What really upsets me is the blatant disrespect they are showing to AKA. How can you say you have such high regards for AKA and in the same breath try to take the organization through the mud with the garbage. Im shocked this story even has the legs to keep moving. There isn’t an attorney on this planet that would take a baseless case like this, they need to save their money and use it towards more fruitful and promising endeavors, like hiring a group therapist.

  • Maati

    Sororities are for women, just like fraternities are for men.

  • DMarie

    Additional Note to author: the statement that the MIAKA group, “acts as a support auxiliary for the sorority, much in the same way that Alpha Angels Inc., Omega GEMS, Kappa Sweethearts, Sigma Rhomeos Inc., Delta BEUAX Inc. and so on work to support those fraternities and sororities” is absolutely false. They have zero affiliation or relationship with Alpha Kappa Alpha

  • http://www.facebook.com/barbara.codner Barbara Codner

    “Give them an inch and they take a mile!!” Society has been more accepting of homosexuality in the recent years and it doesn’t seem like it’s enough. They are downright inserting themselves in places that they don’t belong. Sorry but gay men have NO PLACE in a sorority!! They can either start their own or join a fraternity!! GTFOH!!

  • Liyah W

    Black women can’t have anything!! We always have to fight SOMEBODY for our own. Hey man!! Come back with my stuff! It’s mine!

    • P. Marie

      My sentiments EXACTLY!! Nice reference to Colored Girls :-)

  • JEM

    This is a really dumb and unnecessary cause they are fighting for. Why can’t these men start their own Greek organization that reflects all of their ideals instead of trying to strong arm their way into one that’s about women and women’s stuff? This is not a case of discrimination. Social groups in particular are meant for camaraderie between people with shared interests and experiences, and the criteria is clearly laid out to foster the camaraderie. In this case, being a woman, being a black woman. It’s not being discriminatory- it is what it is. People should respect that instead of getting upset over why they can’t join. I wouldn’t want to a join a group that doesn’t pertain to me!

  • NaturalJem

    one word….Ridiculous!!!

  • Guest

    This is so ridiculous!!! I could understand if this were about the necessities of life, like equal wages, fair housing and other pertinent issues. This is about a group of gay men who don’t seem to realize that they are MEN, not WOMEN. These sisters have worked long and hard to carve out their identity and define their organization. Now a group of gender confused men feel entitled to hijack their identity. I have a more productive idea, why don’t you start you own damn sorority/frat or whatever!! They are no different than teenage boys who still live at home with their moms, they just feel like they should take over something a woman has had to carry all these years!!!! YOU ARE NOT WOMEN, YOU DIDN’T HELP BUILD THIS ORGANIZATION AND YOU DON’T BELONG!!!!!

  • Nisaboo

    These are not real men – sorry! If they were, and believe in the system of sororities and fraternaties, then they would be able to easily understand and be proud of the organization for what it is and represents of black collegiate women. NO real MAN would ever want to steal his sister’s shine and glory in this fashion and disrespect an organization due to selfish reasons surrounding their choice of sexual orientation. If they are real men who are proud of the organization and what it represents to the point of wanting to be involved then they should have properly presented a reasonable offer to the organization as a form of support for their sisters. This is just plain and simple utterly disrespectful and they should not be entertained but dealt with legally if possible!

  • http://twitter.com/wizkidworld Jay

    Sorority=women, Fraternity=men. Why do gays feel entitled to everything? No matter how hard they can twerk and switch their hips they will never be a girl.

    • NaturalJem

      lol @ twerk and switch their hips

  • DeVanneJuiceeJeniceChinn

    where’s the line? at what point do we say “enough already, DAMN! we get it! u’re different! get over yo fvckn self!”

  • Gimmeabreak78

    Small note to the author: PVU is not located in Houston, Texas. It is located in Prairie View Texas.

    Now to the subject at hand: These men need to have a seat. The reason fraternities and sororities are PRIVATE organizations is because they have to discriminate on the basis of things that PUBLIC organizations can not, including gender. Their attempt to join a Greek organization that specifically requires that the applicants be male is like trying to force Spelman to admit men or Morehouse to admit women. The point isn’t whether it’s socially right. The point is that AKA is totally legally justified for their “discrimination”. They are a private organization. They support themselves with membership dues and donations, not taxpayer dollars, so if an organization like that cannot have a say in their membership, who can?

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