Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

Official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin

The Daily Texan

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October 4, 2022
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LGBT member of sorority recounts appreciation of sisters’ acceptance

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Melanie Westfall

After being involuntarily outed as bisexual to her entire sorority, Quinn* said her sisters’ responses shocked her.

Before rush week even began, and before Quinn even walked through the doors of any sorority house, a friend of hers messaged another girl in the sorority she was rushing, revealing her sexuality. Though the message was intended to be flattering and provide a holistic image of the incoming freshman, it caused a lot of anxiety for Quinn.  

“I wasn’t super open about it at that point, and I remember finding out that everyone knew, and I was crying in the middle of my dorm room because I thought that they weren’t going to want me,” Quinn said. “All I kept thinking was: This was Greek life in the South, so no one was going to accept it.”


She said her original fears of not being accepted were quelled once she joined the sorority and everyone welcomed her with open arms.

“It could’ve gone such a different direction, and there could’ve been a really negative reaction,” Quinn said. “I’ve found a lot of amazing friends in my sorority who are totally supportive, and I’m able to talk about it with them openly.

Though Quinn struggles being the only LGBTQ individual in her pledge class, she said she really enjoys being able to provide answers when her peers have questions about their
own sexuality.

“There are girls in my sorority who have come to me with questions because they are starting to have certain feelings, and it’s awesome that they can come to me and I can be that person,” Quinn said. “They ask me about my process and my feelings, and I feel really lucky that I can help them figure out their own feelings.”

Though her sexuality was revealed before she was ready, Quinn said everyone knowing has only benefited her experience in her sorority by proving that her sisters accept every part of her.  

“When I was outed, I was freaked out that no one would want me,” Quinn said. “Apparently though, someone stood up and said, ‘If you have a problem with that, you can get over it.’”

*Names have been changed to protect the anonymity of sources. No members of the Panhellenic Conference or IFC are disclosed in the story.

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LGBT member of sorority recounts appreciation of sisters’ acceptance