Almost 100 years after its founding, (Alpha), is proposing an amendment that many say sets a dangerous precedent for the country’s first historically Black fraternity. During this month’s constitutional convention for the Divine Nine (D9) Greek organization, which started July 10, Alpha delegates considered changing its constitution to restrict membership to “any male-defined as a human being naturally born male, who remains and continually identifies as a male,” reported. If the proposal advances, Alpha would become the second Black fraternity to institute a trans ban, following Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.
(Sigma) in 2017. Just days after the motion was reported, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), a leading civil rights and LGBTQ+ empowerment organization, released a statement condemning Alpha’s actions. “By seeking to exclude transgender people, these fraternities are turning their backs on the very principles of brotherhood and inclusivity that they were founded upon and are a betrayal of the legacy of activism and leadership that these organizations have upheld for over a century,” said NBJC CEO David Johns, according to .
Though the motion has not been ratified, Johns is one of several Black community members speaking out against the ban along with many active D9 members. “It’s discriminatory, it’s transphobic, and it’s not in any way reflective of what I believe our founders created these organizations for,” said Jordynn Jenkins, a m.