A group of Murray State students are working to establish a new gender-inclusive sorority on campus.
Axl Nowlin, sophomore graphic design major, is president of the Gamma Rho Lambda (GRL) interest group looking to establish a new chapter on campus. As of now, the group is looking to find new members and raise funds to be established as a provisional chapter.
GRL is a gender-inclusive sorority founded in 2003 at Arizona State University. Though originally an all-women’s sorority, GRL has grown to be inclusive of all genders. GRL’s website states its dedication to providing an inclusive and tolerant space for everyone.
Gamma Rho Lambda is an “all inclusive social sorority exemplifying the qualities of tolerance, diversity, unity and trust, which provides a network of assistance in the areas of scholastic guidance, emotional support, and community service while ultimately developing lifelong family bonds,” according to GRL’s website.
The sorority had 20 chapters in 2020. However the COVID-19 pandemic brought that number down to eight chapters in 2023, representing around 400 students. If accepted, Murray State’s chapter would be one of a handful of chapters across the country.
GRL requires 15 active members and five officers to be accepted as a provisional chapter. Nowlin said Murray State’s GRL interest group consists of 14 members and three officers. Officers have attempted to recruit new members through tabling at the Curris Center, which Nowlin said has been successful.
The group will also need to raise $800 to be accepted as a provisional chapter. Nowlin said they are looking to set up a bank account and discussing fundraising efforts, including a bake sale doubling as a recruitment event.
The idea of establishing a gender-inclusive sorority on campus first came to Nowlin after a discussion with his father who suggested the idea after Nowlin said there were no LGBTQ+ focused fraternities on campus.
“I had mentioned wanting to join a frat to my dad before starting here my freshman year, and he said that it would be really cool if there was a queer frat on campus. So when I came and I realized that there wasn’t one, I mentioned it to him, and he said I should start my own,” Nowlin said. “I (wasn’t sure if) I wanted to be that involved, but this year, I was kind of like, ‘I’m just going to do it.’”
Nowlin originally planned on starting an entirely new fraternity but said he was advised to form a chapter of a pre-existing organization instead. Through some research, he decided to reach out to GRL to discuss starting a new chapter.
Nowlin said he wanted to start the sorority as a way to give LGBTQ+ students more options in Greek life and help break the stigma regarding Greek life. He also said it will help the University provide a more accepting campus and providing more resources for LGBTQ+ students.
Through the process of trying to start this chapter, Nowlin has received the help of multiple people on campus, including Kim Newbern, the coordinator for Greek life organizations, Ambrose Przygoda, the the group’s vice president, and Lu Colby, the group’s adviser with Murray State.
Colby has worked with the group to guide the process of starting a Greek life organization at Murray State and making sure the sorority is in line with the University’s policies. Colby said starting the chapter has been exciting and deeply rewarding and the idea of a gender-inclusive sorority is incredibly important.
The sorority might serve as a model for diversity and inclusion in other student organizations, as well as make Murray State a more welcoming environment.
“The students leading this effort have been incredibly driven, passionate and thoughtful in their planning,” Colby said. “It’s been a process that involves a lot of collaboration and creative thinking. It’s exciting to see the students take ownership of this initiative. They’ve been instrumental in driving the process forward, and my involvement has been to empower them to turn their vision into a reality.”
Przygoda, sophomore philosophy major, was the first person to join Nowlin in the process of establishing a gender-inclusive sorority on campus.
Though Pryzgoda said he was not originally interested in joining a Greek life organization, he said he knew other transgender people who were interested in Greek life who were unsure if they would be allowed in due to their gender identity.
He said he wanted to create a space where people wouldn’t have to question whether or not they would be accepted based on their identity.
Przygoda said the sorority could provide resources for LGBTQ+ students if some of the University’s other diversity and inclusion resources come under attack.
“A lot of Kentucky universities are getting rid of their DEI programs,” Pryzgoda said. “Murray State has yet to do that. But with this gender inclusive sorority, if those DEI laws ever go into effect, we could possibly provide another safe space for people who need it.”
For more information about the sorority, or to join the interest group, contact Nowlin at [email protected].
