WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority alumnae who have been integral to the fight to stand up for sisterhood and keep sororities female were kicked out of Kappa Kappa Gamma by national leadership, effective immediately. The two alumnae – Patsy Levang and Cheryl Tuck-Smith – for over a half century, have been committed to Kappa Kappa Gamma, remaining involved and engaged, staying true to their sisterhood and shared Kappa values.
Since its founding in 1870, Kappa Kappa Gamma has upheld its mission to unite women to learn, grow, and inspire positive change. Under its bylaws, its membership is limited to women. But in light of the sorority’s recent conduct to betray those bylaws and allow in biological males who claim to be women, Kappa active and alumnae members felt a responsibility to speak up to preserve and protect the sorority and its 153 year commitment to women.
These Kappa Kappa Gamma alumnae have been integral voices in this stand for sisterhood and Kappa’s own bylaws, backing the Wyoming chapter women who were denied the all-women sisterhood they were promised and their lawsuit Westenbroek v. Kappa Kappa Gamma, which Independent Women’s Law Center is appealing in the Tenth Circuit.
Esteemed past Kappa Kappa Gamma National Foundation President, Patsy Levang, said: “My heart was saddened when the current six council members voted me out, however, I will not be quiet about the truth.”
Long-time member and active contributor, Cheryl Tuck-Smith, said: “I was hurt when I was terminated as a member of KKG, but also disturbed that KKG has become a political tool rather than an organization that promotes women. My dismissal simply spurs me on to educate others about the dangers of DEI which in reality does not support diversity, equity and inclusion.”
“Kappa claims to value honesty and to embrace differences. But once it heard honesty it did not like, Kappa shattered every sorority and American value to silence these alumnae,” said Senior Fellow at Independent Women’s Law Center, May Mailman. “Instead of punishing dedicated and caring sisters, Kappa leadership should revoke their own memberships, as they are the only ones in violation of Kappa’s bylaws.”
Mailman is working with Kappa Kappa Gamma plaintiffs in Westenbroek v. Kappa Kappa Gamma and has been closely advising the alumnae members in their correspondence with Kappa national.
Initially informed by the sorority’s Standards Director of their possible dismissal, Patsy Levang and Cheryl Tuck-Smith each were given an opportunity to respond. Levang’s responses can be read here and here. Tuck-Smith’s responses can be read here and here.
Click here to view all correspondence.
According to the Kappa Kappa Gamma Standards Director, Levang’s alleged violations included “the Use of Membership Lists and Contact Information Policy, Internet Policy, Local Regional or National Media Policy, Social Media Guidelines, Speaking for the Fraternity Policy, and the Human Dignity Policy.”
Ultimately both Levang and Tuck-Smith were informed of the final vote for dismissal, with the Kappa Executive Director saying in part that Kappa “regrets the necessity of this action.”
While Levang and Tuck-Smith are the ones being accused of violating Kappa’s policies, in reality, Kappa leadership has failed to protect single-sex spaces and women’s rights to privacy and safety as promised in Kappa’s governing documents, and has instead responded with retaliation, viewpoint discrimination, and cancel culture against its own members.
Sororities were founded to provide a single-sex space for women, and Kappa Kappa Gamma’s board members cannot eliminate that promise by quietly redefining the word “woman.”
“‘’Women’ does not mean ‘men,’ no matter what men would like to call themselves,” said Carrie Lukas, president of Independent Women’s Forum and Independent Women’s Network, where Levang and Tuck-Smith are members. “The distinction is important, not only for the truth but also because when it comes to safety, privacy, and equal opportunity, biological sex differences matter. Ignoring this reality and pretending otherwise has serious consequences — consequences for which women pay a heavy price.”
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