Gay and Greek: The identity paradox of gay fraternities

Drawing on concepts from queer theory, this paper examines collective ident ity construction in the national gay fraternity, Delta Lambda Phi (DLP). Ba sed on a grounded theory analysis of 42 open-ended in-depth interviews, ext ensive participant observation and analysis of archival dam. this rarer exp lores how DLP members negotiated their identity as both gay and Greek. We c ontend that DLP's collective identity, paradoxical in nature, was a product of organizational structure, available cultural resources, and member inte raction. We discuss how the processes of identity construction were colored by the organization's precarious social location with one foot placed in o ne of the most traditionally heterosexist cultures in straight society, the college fraternity culture, and the other placed in an oppositional gay cu lture. We demonstrate how an understanding of identity construction can mov e beyond dichotomies such as assimilation versus liberation ar a completely demonstrated versus a reified notion of gay identity.