University of
Arizona gay fraternity to gain official status this year

Delta Lambda Phi has been around the University of Arizona campus since the early 1990s. But by the end of this year it expects to gain official status from the UA's Interfraternity Council as the institution's first official gay fraternity. UA has 25 fraternities with about 1,200 members. Some are for specific minority groups such as Latinos or Native Americans. But Delta Lambda Phi would be the first based around sexual orientation--it's for "gay, bisexual, and progressive" men. For Dan Churgin, Delta Lambda Phi means a chance to get back in the Greek system. Churgin pledged a UA fraternity as a freshman, but by then he already knew he was gay and had second thoughts about it. The 20-year-old junior ultimately decided not to go through with initiation. "I didn't feel comfortable," he said. "I wasn't out, and I knew it would be more difficult to come out being in the fraternity than if I wasn't there." But now he's back in the UA Greek system as one of seven members of Delta Lambda Phi. The fraternity is gearing up this week for "rush"--where fraternities and sororities hold events to form a new pledge class. Another rush is scheduled for February, and Delta Lambda Phi expects to have 25 to 30 members by the end of the school year. (AP)