Members of the Tufts sorority Alpha Omicron Pi recruited transgender woman this semester. A representative from the sorority's national headquarters told them this was going to be a problem.

They said that they didn't want us to extend her a bid, basically. They were like, 'Well, we're not saying you never could, we're just saying right now you can't.' I was really mad about this, as was the rest of the chapter, so we unanimously decided to give her a bid anyway.

--Chapter President Kristin Reeves

Chapter officials said in a statement that the organization requested a delay in extending her an offer while they researched federal discrimination policies.

Because there was no official policy in place addressing the membership of transgender women, the ADCE and AOII International were uncertain whether extending a bid to Samantha would violate the Title IX exemption it had from National Panhellenic Conference (NPC). AOII International was concerned that its membership in NPC would be in jeopardy and that it could face legal consequences if one of its chapters was in violation of the conditions of the Title IX exemption by admitting a transgender woman.

After consulting with their lawyers, sorority officials said they welcomed the woman to join.

Too late. The damage had been done.

While she was offered membership with the Alpha Omicron Pi Delta Chapter, the student who became the subject of debate within the organization decided to not join.

Harper Hopkins, the transgender woman, wrote an op-ed about the situation for the Tufts Daiiy.

Reeves was among the approximately 40 members of the sorority who decide to self-suspend.

I can no longer be a part of an organization that rejects — or even hesitates to welcome — inclusivity and diversity. In my opinion, it is absolutely despicable that Alpha Omicron Pi would even consider the possibility of excluding an individual based on gender identity.

The friendships I have formed within the chapter, and the sense of community I felt, were and are indispensable and cherished … However, these positive experiences do not discount the culmination of incredibly negative and violent (mentally harmful) instances that Alpha Omicron Pi, as a national organization, has perpetuated. Thus, I am no longer a part of this organization

--Senior Tai Williams

There’s no animosity, there’s no hate. It’s very sad that [others] left, but … the friendships still remain. Even though the bond of AOII is not there anymore, there’s still a friendship bond.

--Katherine Tapper, one who remained

The reasons I left were threefold:

1. I did not feel comfortable financially supporting an institution that had displayed oppressive policies and behaviors in the past and present.
2. Many of my friends, the same people for whom I had joined Delta in the first place, were leaving. I wanted to be with them.
3. I did not feel that I, personally, could contribute significantly to creating lasting change inside the structure of AOII International. I decided instead to opt for more locally-based activism and advocacy, where I felt that I could have a larger impact.

--Harper Hopkins