Education

Missouri Sorority Admits Transgender Students

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Xi Omicron Iota, a sorority on the campus of Missouri State University, is opening its doors to transgender students identifying as women, according to Campus Reform. The resolution was passed on August 30 and will be in effect during this fall’s recruitment. Kara Venzian, the sorority chapter’s secretary, proposed the change.

“Any member can propose a bylaw change and this one was proposed by member Kara Venzian,” Danielle Marquard, president of Xi Omicron Iota, told The Daily Caller.

Venzian was surprised by the reaction of fellow Xi Omicron Iota members.

“I expected there to be a little bit of resistance, but there wasn’t really any at all,” Venzian said. “ The resolution passed with flying colors.”

The decision, however, was not unanimous.

“There were a lot of people on board with the change,” Marquard said. “It was not unanimous.”

With the new bylaws, recruits must now be full time students, maintain a 2.75 cumulative GPA, and “identify” as a woman. Previously, only female students were allowed to join the sorority.

“We wanted to be able to expand our horizons and allow everyone who wanted to try for us to be able to come out and try for us,” Venzian added.

The sorority does not know of any transgender students who will be joining this fall.

Xi Omicron Iota was founded in 2002 on the campus of Missouri State. It has no national affiliation.

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