Whats a gay straightalliance club

What is a GSA? It is an opportunity for students to gather to discuss issues and plan activities related to diversity, inclusive of any number of topics ranging from racism to ageism. The club should include topics inclusive of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues. The overall goal of the GSA is to create a safer learning environment for all students, with an emphasis on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning students and families, Individual GSAs should determine objectives to meet that goal.

How often do we have club meetings? Once or twice a month. Do we take any field trips or attend activities in GSA? We also plan field trips that involve helping the community i. Why do straight youth become members of GSAs? Straight youth join to help stop harassment and intolerance in school.

Some straight youth are involved because they see ending homophobia and transphobia as an important civil rights and human rights issue. Can GSA student clubs be ban ned from schools? GSAs cannot be banned if other non-curricular student clubs are allowed to exist at the school. The Federal Equal Access Act and the First Amendment of the US Constitution establish the requirement of equal treatment for all non-curriculum related clubs regardless of the content of speech at the club meetings.

Is homophobia and transphobia a widespread problem in schools? Harassment and bullying based on actual or perceived sexual orientation is a growing concern.

Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Network

Compared to students who were not harassed:. What impact do Straightalliance have on school climate? Anecdotal evidence indicates that GSAs can greatly improve the school climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning students and their allies. GSAs that whats student and teacher sensitivity trainings typically see a decrease in slurs, name-calling, and harassment following their advocacy efforts.

GSAs also create safe spaces for students to meet and socialize in a harassment-free environment. If there are no out members of your school community, consider why this may be the case. People may not feel comfortable coming out until they are assured that they will not be rejected.

Skip gay content Skip to menu. Compared to students who were not harassed: Students harassed based on actual or perceived sexual orientation are more than three times as likely to carry a weapon to school, to seriously consider suicide, to make a plan for attempting suicide or to miss at least one day of school in the last 30 days because they felt unsafe.

Students harassed based on actual or perceived sexual orientation are more than twice as likely to report depression feeling so sad and hopeless they stopped normal activities for two weeksto use methamphetamines, or to use inhalants. Students harassed based on actual or perceived sexual orientation are also more likely to have low grades Cs or belowto be victims of violence, to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, binge drink, or use marijuana.

Two out of every three students who identified as LGBT reported being harassed based on club or perceived sexual orientation. School climates are also unsafe for gender non-conforming students.