The Brown & White

The Greek Allies program that LGBTQIA and the office of fraternity and sorority affairs put together has been a long time coming. Greek Allies will place voluntary student allies within the Greek community to provide support for gay, lesbian, transgendered or sexually uncertain students.

True, Lehigh's Greek community hasn't displayed any outrageous gay intolerance. There have been no hate crimes or blatant harassment incidents recently.

But intolerance isn't just showcased in extreme actions.

There are certainly homosexual fraternity or sorority members who feel unable to talk about their sexual identity. And how often have you heard the casual "fag" reference or joke? An atmosphere in which students don't feel comfortable or able to voice their feelings is, to a certain degree, intolerant.

Although LGBTQIA has effectively promoted acceptance and awareness of sexual identity issues around campus, this awareness seemed to have spread less efficiently up on the Hill.

So, the action to promote LGBTQIA visibility within fraternities and sororities is a very important stepping stone. Creating an open atmosphere is just as important as eradicating intolerance around campus.

The Greek community and LGBTQIA services should be applauded for recognizing the need for a more open Greek community at Lehigh. The allies should also be applauded for stepping into the spotlight to help others.