Gender Sexuality Alliance

About the club:
GSA is a club for queer kids and allies to become a community. GSA is ran by Charlie and Mr. Hinkle in S247. Learning about the history and queer community as a whole and understanding each other. This club creates a safe space for queer students no matter what part of the community.

What is coming out?
A lot of times it is fear of being abandoned by parents, friends or peers. Not being accepted or finding a safe place without judgement. Being considered weird for how they choose to identify themselves. Not being in a safe space due to belief of religion or political beliefs. Finding someone who relates to you or understands you is difficult when you are starting to figure out your identity.

Why is the F-slur used?
It was originally used to discriminate the LGBTQ community from society. Some people in the community use it for comfort. Men use it amongst each other to put themselves on a pedestal. Most people in the community or not do not use it because of the derogatory meaning.

What is the reality for most queer People?
There is a mental health crisis in the queer community. Most people apart of the community cannot find a safe space to be themselves. The suicide rate is high, especially in queer kids of high school age. The transgender community faces the highest death rate, neglection of receiving hormone replacement therapy, cannot afford funding gender-affirming surgery, or is not provided resources for their community.

Why is LGBTQ a harmful subject?
Religion, traditional family beliefs, and social constructs take part in the harmful disassociation from the community. Negative media portrayal effects the view of the queer community. When posts on social media show bashing of the queer community, such as the restroom controversy. In most religions they believe that men and women were made to procreate, which harms the queer community from being accepted to more spaces. In traditional family beliefs parents push for grandkids which can stop queer people from being themselves.

Why is queer representation important?
Pride month is celebrated all of June, which gives the queer community a chance to live their lives. Representation helps with mental health. Representation educates people on the proper way of the queer community. Gives people of the queer community trust socially, so that they can be themselves. Representation creates a community that allows everyone to see the queer community as people. Representation and community save lives.

Why do all queer people deserve a safe space?
Queer people are people who deserve common decency. Safe spaces for the queer community allow conversations to happen without judgement. Safe spaces for the queer community allow more acceptance amongst people of the community and allies. Safe spaces are important for those in the community who are still finding comfort in their identity. Education about the community creates a safe space.

GSA Club is held on Thursdays!