Monday, March 2, 1998
Letters
Lesbian sorority had community impact
After reading The Bruin’s Feb. 25 article "Delta Lambda Phi
returns to UCLA," I am once more amazed at just how brief our
cultural memory seems to be as Gen-Xers and a little disappointed
at the author’s lack of research.
I’m glad to hear that Delta Lambda Phi is returning to UCLA – as
will Jeff Stabile, my roommate and a founding member of the
fraternity on campus. However, Barbara Ortutay reports that
although women on campus are interested in forming a lesbian
sorority, "there have not been any concrete steps toward organizing
one." As an alumna of Lambda Delta Lambda (LDL), a sorority founded
by lesbians at UCLA (in 1988, I believe – before Delta Lambda Phi),
I’d like to inform Ortutay and the campus community that this is
not the case.
Lambda Delta Lambda received much attention not only on campus
(as Ortutay would have known had she made even a cursory search of
The Bruin’s archives), but also nationally. Its members appeared on
national television shows like Donahue and served as grand
marshalls of the Los Angeles Pride Parade. LDL provided tutoring
and career counseling, challenged the Pan-Hellenic Council and the
campus community to greater inclusivity and played a profound and
positive role in the lives of its Bruin members – lesbian, bisexual
and heterosexual.
With the slogan, "Sisterhood shouldn’t require a $2,000 dress,"
LDL welcomed all women at UCLA. Minimum dues were only $25 per
quarter, but would be covered by others if that proved a burden;
nobody was ever turned away from any activity for lack of funds.
Chapters still thrive at other universities, though LDL shut down
at UCLA in 1992.
Should Bruin women be interested in reviving the Alpha chapter
of LDL, I’d gladly provide copies of the sorority constitution and
the benefit of my experience and enthusiasm.
LDL was a powerful force for positive change both individually
and socially on this campus as well as a source of lifelong friends
and a lot of fun; it could be so for today’s Bruins too. We could
even cut the traditional, though much-dreaded, Pledge Karaoke
night.
In the meantime, I hope Bruin staffers will bone up a little on
their history and sharpen their research skills. Invisibility is
still a barrier to progress for lesbians who often are forced to
re-invent the proverbial wheel because of traditional media’s
sometimes willful ignorance of our history. I expect better from
writers at UCLA.
S. Dylan Breuer
1991 Alumna
History doctoral student
Media makes or breaks reputation
Reading Emmanuelle Ejercito’s Feb. 11 article "Throwing the
towel" about Kris Johnson made me realize how easily a person’s
image is praised and torn apart through the media.
Earlier this school year Johnson was negatively portrayed by all
sources of information. His absence from the team at the beginning
of the basketball season was for "undisclosed reasons," yet
negative implications followed. TV, radio and newspapers sought
different explanations making him "evil or bad."
The article reverses the negative image created about Johnson
and eloquently paints his struggles with his involvement on the
basketball team. The article refers to Johnson’s love for
basketball and shows how his passion pushes him to improve both as
a person and as a player.
The inspirational piece praises a young man who was and is still
criticized for his attitude on and off the court. It is evident
that in a split second the media channels destroy or enhance the
life of an individual.
Nathalie Valdez
Fourth-year
Communication studies