PRIDE STORIES | FINDING MYSELF AND ALLIES
Coming from a small town where coming out was uncommon and support from most adults was nearly unheard of, I never allowed myself to take the time to learn about myself. Even after I moved to a larger area, I found it difficult to find allies. I even accepted I might never find a loving community that accepts me for the person I am.
Since joining Alpha Gam, I have been uplifted and reminded how much I am loved. I have been able to look deeper into myself, find who I really am and accept myself. While I have not come out to everyone in my chapter, those I have come out to have helped me gain the confidence to come out at my own pace.
Thanks to their continuous support, I am out as a proud member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community: two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and more. I have full confidence those I have not yet come out to—those who may find out for the first time by reading these very words—will accept me and continue to treat me as any other person in our community.
It may seem like a small step, but the updated Initiation dress code was very meaningful to me. Wearing a pantsuit rather than something that didn’t accurately represent who I am, made me feel even more at home. I’m grateful Alpha Gam has moved toward more inclusivity during this special Ritual, and I hope it becomes the standard for all sororities.
I have grown in ways I never imagined possible thanks to Alpha Gam. I continue to grow and learn, and I will be forever grateful I joined this organization. While I know we—as an organization—have more growing and learning to do, I truly believe we are on the right path to a more inclusive organization.
This post was written by Sara Bowen (they/she), Omega–University of Akron, and is a continuation of our LGBTQ+ focused member series from June. Click here to read previous posts.