MSU fraternity suspends pledge accused of harassing transgender woman

A fraternity pledge at Missouri State University was disciplined this week, hours after allegations surfaced that he harassed a transgender woman.

The swift response and the apology that followed led the woman to praise the leadership of the local fraternity president.

Officials with MSU and the national headquarters of Sigma Nu Fraternity confirm the Monday night incident is under investigation and was forwarded to the university's Title IX coordinator, the point person for any gender-based complaints.

The allegations came to light midweek after Springfield resident Alora Lemalu, who came out as transgender more than a year ago, posted details about the ordeal on social media.

Lemalu, 21, said she met the fraternity pledge through an online dating app and he requested her phone number. She said they interacted briefly a week ago but minutes after he contacted her late Monday, she was inundated with a barrage of messages from different numbers that she described as "very insinuating, very sexual."

"He gave out my personal number to his friends last night and they harassed me to answer my phone and sent me text messages and tried  face-timing me [using a video phone app] as part of their sick enjoyment," she posted Tuesday.

In a later interview, Lemalu told the News-Leader the barrage of messages — which lasted for more than an hour — was unsettling.

"The first thing I felt was unsafe. It's a very emotional feeling to know you let someone in your bubble and they turned around and gave my number to others," she said. "It was definitely very violating. They were treating me like a personal joke. It was very saddening and very insulting."

Lemalu said her online dating bio clearly states she is transgender and she believes in being upfront. She also believes it is why she was targeted.

The 2013 graduate of Central High School, who writes for an online LGBT magazine, has a large and close-knit circle of friends. After seeing her post about the incident on Facebook, they shared it and sent encouraging messages.

It didn't take long for Lemalu's post to come to the attention of Luke Wiesboeck, president of the MSU chapter of Sigma Nu. Lemalu said he messaged her online, asking if they could talk about what happened.

"I appreciated it very much, the fact that he was willing to listen. Through the whole conversation, he didn't try to invalidate what happened," Lemalu said. "He was apologetic and saddened."

Lemalu said at the end of the conversation, Wiesboeck vowed to look into the situation and take action. He notified the fraternity's national headquarters, the university and its Title IX coordinator.

"The only thing I wanted to happen is for (the pledge) and his friends to realize how serious their actions were for me. There are repercussions," she said. "I just wanted to wake them up."

Reached by phone, Wiesboeck said he was unable to comment because fraternity policy required him to refer questions to the national headquarters.

Brad Beacham, executive director of the Sigma Nu Fraternity, said he was informed about the incident and is "actively investigating" the allegations.

He said the MSU student accused of harassment was a candidate for membership in the MSU chapter. "Upon learning of the incident, the local chapter acted to immediately suspend this student's candidacy, pending further review."

Beacham said there is no indication other fraternity candidates or members were involved, and he applauded the proactive way the MSU fraternity acted on the allegation.

"The response by the president, and other leaders, of our local chapter to this reprehensible act of harassment is exactly what our fraternity expects from our collegiate leaders," he said.

He added: "Sigma Nu Fraternity candidates and members are required to govern each act by a high sense of honor. This incident of harassment would thus be a clear violation of our fraternity's policies and principles and is antithetical to our mission of developing ethical leaders for society."

The Sigma Nu Fraternity established a chapter at MSU in the early 1970s. It was one of a handful of fraternities forced to close in the early 2000s and was reopened a few years ago. The fraternity house is located at 1116 E. Elm St.

After Lemalu learned the pledge was suspended from the fraternity, she wrote another Facebook post.

"No one should be able to get away with taking our identities and turning them into jokes, no one should be able to get away with threatening our existences, and no one should be able to get off free for attacking us just for being our truest selves," she wrote.

Lemalu also wrote that she has a "huge amount of respect" for Wiesboeck for reaching out.

"I told him before but his leadership is absolutely exemplary and I have nothing but high hopes for him and his chapter," she wrote. "He handled this case with grace and humility and made sure my voice was considered above all else so for that I am beyond grateful for his work."

It is unclear if the former fraternity pledge will face any other disciplinary action at MSU. Suzanne Shaw, vice president for marking and communications, said since Lemalu is not a student, she would have to file a complaint with the Title IX coordinator.

In a blog Thursday, MSU President Clif Smart said the university has adopted policies and engaged in training to make the campus more inclusive and respectful of differences.

"Unfortunately, the actions of the student did not reflect the inclusiveness or respect that we have been trying to develop in our students," he wrote. "The student bullied and humiliated the victim. Such actions are both disappointing and unacceptable."

Smart also praised the response of the Sigma Nu fraternity.

"As an organization with zero tolerance for this kind of behavior, the fraternity swiftly took action to discipline the student and reach out to the victim," Smart wrote. "We applaud the leader of the fraternity not only for responding quickly and taking appropriate disciplinary action with the student, but also for the respect shown toward the victim."