Kappa Kappa Gamma (KKG) is the first sorority in the University of Wyoming’s history to accept an open-transgender student into their ranks.
As reaffirmed by Vice President of Student Affairs, Kim Chestnut, Artemis Langford is the first openly transgender student to be accepted into and to participate in sorority and fraternity life at UW as of September, 2022.
Langford is speaking on behalf of herself and her own views, not that of the local chapter or the national organization.
Additionally, the Branding Iron acknowledges that Langford is a staff writer for Student Media, however, all information within this article was achieved through legitimate and ethical means such as reaching out through formal communications to the appropriate organizations.
“I feel so glad to be in a place that I think not only shares my values, but to be in a sisterhood of awesome women that want to make history,” Langford said. “They want to break the glass ceiling, trailblazing you know, and I certainly feel that as their first trans member, at least in the chapter in Wyoming history.”
According to the national KKG Guide For Supporting Our LGBTQIA+ Members (2021) and in compliance with the guidelines set by the National Panhellenic Council (NPC, 2018):
“Kappa Kappa Gamma is a single-gender organization comprised of women and individuals who identify as women whose governing documents do not discriminate in membership selection except by requiring good scholarship and ethical character. All chapters are expected to adhere to these documents.”
Still, each chapter has the final choice of its members and one must be accepted based on a majority vote. Langford’s acceptance, therefore, is a result of the local chapter’s decision.
The President of the local chapter, Jamie Neugebauer, referred to the National KKG Organization for any comment(s).
“Our Greek life here on campus, and I think nationwide as well, offers so many resources and so many opportunities and I am really glad that people can partake in that and be welcomed and not afraid that they’ll be rejected,” said Langford.
“Things that shouldn’t matter like what their identity is or what their orientation is or what the color of their skin is.”
Langford acknowledges that sororities and fraternities have generally been based on traditional gender ideologies.
“There does come a price to being a first, and it comes with people in our current political situation that are detractors that do not want that,” Langford said. “But to those detractors I say that I understand where you’re coming from, but at the end of the day I wish that they would see me as who I am.”
“I am Artemis Langford. I’m from Lander, Wyoming. I went to high school here. I love this state. I love this campus and community. And I just hope that they’d see me as the person I am and not the ideology that they perceive me as.”
Other questions regarding transgender and nonbinary policies can be found on the official, national KKG website in the Bylaws FAQ pdf.
Kappa Kappa Gamma LGBTQ+ Guide: https://www.kappakappagamma.org/globalassets/resources/general-resources/guide-for-supporting-our-lgbtqia-members2021.pdf
National Panhellenic Council Transgender Inclusion Policies: https://www.kappakappagamma.org/globalassets/resources/general-resources/guide-for-supporting-our-lgbtqia-members2021.pdf
