Alpha Chi Omega Becomes Latest Sorority to Extend Transgender Acceptance Nationwide

College campuses are some of the most forward-thinking and inclusive spaces in the country, so it's no wonder that, while state's squabble about letting children in public schools even go to the bathroom, collegiate organizations are throwing open their doors.

According to The Daily Nebraskan, a letter was sent out from Alpha Chi Omega's national headquarters on February 17 stating transgender women would be welcomed into the sorority effective immediately, making it the latest sorority to issue a decree of acceptance and inclusion.

"Right away you see the people who are all for it because they're the ones posting things and sharing things on social media," said Savannah Rave, president of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Alpha Chi Omega chapter. "Before I even read the email, a girl shared it in our house Facebook page. You definitely saw the positive side first, but there are mixed feelings about all things. Some girls who had concerns came to me quietly behind closed doors to express just those."

Rave said that, while she supports the policy change from the national office, she recognizes how everyone in her chapter feels but, above all, wants women to feel welcomed, comfortable, and accepted. "You don't have to support something to, at the end of the day, be kind about it," she said. "If we were to accept a transgender woman into our house, she would be given the same rights as all of us here." Read the fully Daily Nebraskan article here.

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Alpha Chi Omega was the first sorority to welcome transgender students nationwide and that the sorority had a previous ban on transgender members.