What do you think of when you hear the word "sorority"? Is it sisterhood? Philanthropy? Something else? To be honest, I tend to think of exclusivity. I envision all the forced smiles I've seen, the gobs of money girls shell out to be a member, the maddeningly strict requirements for recruitment, and the sorority girls I know who tell me how much they love their sisters then turn around and gossip about each other behind closed doors.

I'm not saying all sororities are like this. I don't necessarily think that. They can actually have some awesome perks. Ultimately what I'm saying is that, for the most part, they've just never been my cup of tea.

That being said, Xi Omicron Iota's recent announcement could be enough to change my mind. The Missouri State chapter has just announced that they changed their bylaws to offer membership to students with intellectual disabilities, making them the first Fraternity and Sorority Life organization at MSU to offer fully inclusive membership to students of Bear POWER (Promoting Opportunities for Work, Education, and Resilience). Bear POWER, which began in January of last year, is designed to give students with intellectual disabilities a strong, post-secondary education opportunity and help them transition out of high school. Xi Om, from what I can tell, is incredibly supportive of them.

Five years ago, Xi Omicron Iota went national when they changed their bylaws to include transgender students who identify as a woman. Again, they were the first sorority on the MSU campus to open their arms and take that initial step.

Xi Om doesn't require fees associated with the national office, AND they don't require members to live in the house. (I've never lived in one house with 20+ girls, but I can't imagine it would be too chill of a time.) They're a young and original sorority with a fresh, warm perspective. Vice President of recruitment Katy Millwood reported, "Xi Omicron Iota is constantly working towards being more inclusive, and we hope other organizations will follow." Me too, Katy. Me too.

If more of us could band together like this, open their arms and hearts and minds, and embrace each other's differences, I can't even imagine the strides our world could take. Right on, Xi Om. Keep it up.

Interested in joining? Xi Omicron Iota's spring recruitment period will be held February 3 - 7. Click here to learn more about the sorority and their mission.