Gay fraternity
creates national charter, hopes to expand

With the creation of a national charter last week, Arizona State University's gay fraternity has become the first national collegiate-based organization of its kind in the country. Now, five years since it appeared on campus, Sigma Phi Beta hopes to establish chapters at other campuses. "We definitely want to expand so that we can get other students at other universities the same opportunities that we've gotten for ourselves," said Sam Holdren, president and chairman of Sigma Phi Beta. Holdren said no one voiced any opposition to making Sigma Phi Beta a national organization. The fraternity has about 25 members at ASU, from freshmen to graduate students. However, the fact that the fraternity gets all the benefits of being a university-recognized organization rubs the right wing the wrong way. Last November the Alliance Defense Fund sued ASU on behalf of the Christian Legal Society--a conservative, religious-based organization for attorneys, law students, and others in the legal field--demanding that the institution recognize a campus chapter. ASU does not support the group, arguing that it prohibits discrimination on campus. Jeremy Tedesco, an attorney for the Scottsdale-based Alliance Defense Fund, said the organization believes ASU is attacking religious-focused groups such as the Christian Legal Society while supporting organizations such as Sigma Phi Beta, which have an exclusive membership chosen according to whether they share certain characteristics and values. "The problem that's occurring on campuses across the U.S., including Arizona State University, is that they're prohibiting formation of religious groups," Tedesco said. "It's hypocrisy." (AP)