Kappa Theta Epsilon Sorority () is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated for

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

professional and entrepreneurial women. Membership is exclusive to lesbian women, and primarily college-educated. The sorority was founded February 24, 2009, in

Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

. The organization's founding tenets are sisterhood, fidelity, accomplishment and service.

History

Cultural context

The political climate of the early 21st century played a large role in the founding of Kappa Theta Epsilon Sorority, Incorporated. Negative media portrayal of lesbians and gays, and the emergence of same-sex marriage as a recurring political issue, inspired the Sorority's Founder to consider a Sorority as a medium for creating change. From the year 2000 to 2009,

LGBT rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, , 33 ...

took a leading role in both politics and the justice system. Legally, the issue of marriage equality began to gain momentum, and laws criminalizing homosexuality were being overturned. Kappa Theta Epsilon's founder believed that a group of young leaders could advocate for more equitable policies in both the legislative and judicial arenas.

Sorority establishment

The sorority was founded on the morning of February 24, 2009, in Houston, Texas. After researching existing organizations, it was decided that the group would adopt the letters Kappa Theta Epsilon (ΚΘΕ) to reflect its fundamental ideals. On February 25, the sorority's official colors and mascot were finalized. Other symbols adopted in the early stages of the sorority were the founding tenets, flower and jewel. It was agreed in September 2009 that, for the first two years, development of infrastructure would take precedence over the initiation of new members.

Philanthropy and programming

Service philosophy

Kappa Theta Epsilon states that through its philosophy of "servant leadership", members have a direct impact on the conditions of their community and world. The sorority follows a five target platform for philanthropy, designed to address problems affecting women globally, with emphasis on lesbian women of African descent. The sorority focuses its efforts on five philanthropic target areas: Every two years, KTE selects a focus area and members devote the majority of their community service efforts to projects related to it.

Chapters

References

External links

Kappa Theta Epsilon Sorority, Incorporated Official Website''The Ladder'' magazine, an official national publication of Kappa Theta Epsilon
{{Authority control 2009 establishments in Texas Fraternities and sororities in the United States Lesbian organizations in the United States LGBT fraternities and sororities Student organizations established in 2009 Women's rights organizations LGBT in Texas