Alpha Chi Omega is the first sorority to announce that it will allow transgender women to become members at all of its chapters nation-wide.
Fraternities and sororities have begun to accept transgender students into their chapters. For example, there were four University of Minnesota Greek groups–three fraternities and one sorority–that already allowed transgender students to become members, Minnesota Daily reports.
Alex Hansen, president of the UMN’s Alpha Chi Omega chapter, received the announcement on Feb. 17, and said the sorority is excited about the change.
"I know that on a national level, it was a question that was starting to come up a lot," Hansen said. "It’s not something that a lot of chapters nationally have made the choice to have."
One Alpha Chi Omega member believed that this change will help break stereotypes that people have about Greek organizations and will make her sorority more inclusive.
"It pushed Alpha Chi to prove that we are really inclusive and empowering to our women," Melissa Medved, an Alpha Chi Omega member, said. "A transgender woman is just as much of a woman as I am."
Medved wants to see all of Greek life follow Alpha Chi Omega's lead.
"I think it would be really cool for Greek life as a whole to accept the people who are identifying as one way or the other," Medved said.
A spokesperson for the Office for Fraternity and Sorority Life said the issue of allowing transgender students to join a fraternity or sorority has not been discussed as a priority. But the spokesperson assured that any enrolled student can participate in the fraternity and sorority recruitment process.