Musing on the MiAKA Men myth: Was the MiAKA lawsuit against AKA just an urban legend?
OPINION - Only time will tell if the real story of the MiAKA men will emerge from the re-emergent fragments comprised of YouTube videos, random blog posts, and pictures from 2007...
“Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated is a national organization; thus it is undoubtedly involved in interstate commerce and is subject to federal regulation,” Richardson continued. “Which brings us to the Equal Protection Clause. What interest is Alpha Kappa Alpha seeking to serve by prohibiting men? Is the prohibition against men in general or homosexual men only? In order to survive a claim of gender discrimination, the sorority must be able to articulate an important interest they are seeking to protect and they must show that prohibiting men is substantially related to that interest.”
Legalities aside, the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha are far from pleased with this recurrent “threat” of male invasion. In addition to high-profile “sorors,” everyday women have spoken strongly against MiAKA.
“This sisterhood is for women,” said Naomi LaTrice Walton, an educator and member of AKA. “It has nothing to do with homosexuality. They have a right to be homosexual, they do not have a right to be sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. To try and destroy a sisterhood with discrimination allegations is absurd. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. was clearly founded upon the intentions for unity amongst women. It is offensive for any non-member to imitate a stroll, call, or paraphernalia if they are not members. However, it is more offensive because there are organizations for men.
“There are rules, constitutions, and by-laws for any organization,” Walton elaborated to theGrio. “These young men must accept the fact that AKA is a sisterhood. It is not for men, period. If being a part of a Greek organization is that important to them, why not join a male fraternity? Why sue and smear the name of Alpha Kappa Alpha with their lawsuit, but yet still want to be a part of it?”
Certainly, AKAs like Walton have the right to be angry about unwanted change. Yet, the fact remains that any existence of such a suit has yet to be uncovered, even if MiAKA might have a legal course of action.
TheGrio has also spoken to AKAs who refused to comment on the record, because it would disrespect their vows of sisterhood. Off the record, some sorors stated that the source of the negative energy between the two organizations actually stems from some MiAKA’s theft of private AKA documents and other items. Of course, without substantiation and transparency, these allegations cannot be confirmed.
MiAKA men remain a mystery
As we traveled deeper into the rabbit hole to find the truth about MiAKA, the “truth” became more vague. This emotionally-tinged confusion is a reflection of the numerous taboos the myth of the MiAKA men triggered, including the secrecy that tends to envelop black greek organizations themselves.
As Anti_Intellect insightfully stated, “Homosexuality in the black community is taboo, and Greek organizations, by definition, are very hush-hush. When the two issues are compounded, the possibility of getting to the root of MiAKA’s existence is almost impossible.”
Only time will tell if the real story of the MiAKA men will emerge from these shadows comprised of YouTube videos, random blog posts, and bitter tirades on Twitter. As people have now totally moved on from voicing their outrage surrounding the alleged lawsuit brought by MiAKA against AKA, it is likely that what seems to be merely an urban legend will totally be forgotten.
With dissipated interest, the chance to grasp at the truth will be lost. These pictures and videos and blog posts will fold back into the shadows of collective memory, forgotten — until the MiAKA men’s next mythical — inevitable — re-emergence.
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Until then, some will be left stirring the bitter dregs of homophobic rhetoric that monopolized the Internet for weeks, a mirror held up to the black community that reveals more about us than it ever will about some unknown men interested in AKA.
Follow Kirsten West Savali on Twitter at @KWestSavali.
