Two weeks ago, when I attended the Coming Out Day Fair, I didn’t know that the event was organized and run by Kutztown University’s Lambda Delta Xi Diaternity. In fact, this event was the first time I had heard of Lambda Delta Xi.
Lambda Delta Xi is an all-inclusive Greek organization that spreads solidarity, education, advocacy and activism on KU’s campus and in the surrounding communities. Striving to create a new space for KU students, Lambda Delta Xi is neither a fraternity nor a sorority, but instead, a new branch of Greek life that is not gender exclusive. They wish to represent their organization’s wide range of gender expression by encouraging expressive freedom (for example, other than wearing their colors, there are no dress requirements).
It is the first official diaternity in the country; there is a similar organization on the West Coast that is considered a fratority, but Lambda Delta Xi specifically chose to avoid using gendered terms.
Lambda Delta Xi was founded in 2014 by eleven individuals to form new traditions within the Greek life community. I spoke with Lambda Delta Xi’s current eboard, President Cat Weber, Vice President Kylin Camburn, and Secretary Isaac Cypher, to get an idea of the traditions being built at this still-new organization.
(Outside of KU’s GLBTQ Resource Center, Old Main 4, where Lambda Delta Xi resides)
Keeping in mind their four main principles (solidarity, education, advocacy and activism), Weber says their focus is on education. They provide helpful information to the LGBT+ community, their allies, and to the surrounding communities.
For the Coming Out Day Fair, they provided papers and pamphlets with an abundance of important information on how to come out, how to be a good ally, and how to combat and navigate through potentially offensive questions and discussions. Every year, they attend the Involvement Fair and other LGBT+ focused events on campus. They are currently organizing a sex education-based workshop for World AIDs Day in December. Lambda Delta Xi also lends a hand to larger scale efforts by donating to organizations such as the Bradbury-Sullivan Center in Allentown, PA and the Trevor Project.
Although they do not wish to denounce other Greek life organizations, they are proud of the differences that set them apart from traditional fraternities and sororities. As Weber says, “Our members show their commitment through action rather than outfit.”
If you are interested in joining Lambda Delta Xi, or even just learning more about it, you can contact the organization on their website, their Facebook, or by emailing any of the eboard members: cwebe646@live.kutztown.edu (President Cat Weber), kcamb650@live.kutztown.edu (Vice President Kylin Camburn), ihelriegel@gmail.com (Secretary Isaac Cypher).
(Lambda Delta Xi also has low dues in order to accommodate those with financial concerns.)