The New Fratboys

Last week's Sunday New York Times Magazine cover story was a psychological investigation into the mindset of the new breed of fraternity men in chapters where alcohol is banned. Is fraternity life worth living without keggers? What's the point in joining if you won't be able to "recount salacious stories of riotous fraternal living?" The author poses these questions, wondering about the appeal of a frathouse that's dry.

And the author is Benoit Denizet-Lewis, a founding editor of XY magazine and a former Northwestern fraternity man whose "chapter became a little more unpredictable" when he came out during his junior year. The media darling, who also happens to be the youngest New York Times Magazine contract writer, talked recently about his impression of the homoeroticism of fraternity life:

Let's just say I wasn't the only gay member of my chapter at Northwestern. I was the only one that came out, but there were several others.

He may have a deal to write a book on addiction, but I sense that a book of erotica authored by BD-L could be a best seller too.