Friday June 8, 2007 SGN.org |
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Volume 35 Issue 23 |
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Sunday, Oct 12, 2008
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| GLSEN's GSA Banquet & Awards - Courageous stories told; LGBT students and their allies overcome obstacles |
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by Lisa Wardle -
SGN Staff Writer High schools are full of homophobic slurs and minuscule bits of understanding about Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender identified students. Phrases and terms like "that's so Gay" are heard routinely, stinging the ears of quiet LGBT youth. LGBT kids fear for their safety daily, walking to class through the hallways of our schools with little support from peers or teachers. However, in recent years, support for LGBT students has grown exponentially. While there has been great progress in larger cities, other areas have not changed in nearly two decades. They face the same abuse and harassment that Gay rights activists have tried so hard to erase. Around the Northwest, homophobia is severely present in certain high schools and now students are putting plans into action to combat the problem. Many schools in Washington State now feature clubs called Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA), most of which are members of the Washington State GSA Network, a program of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Washington State. Gay-Straight Alliances, and programs of the same nature with various other names, have not existed for a long period of time. They originated in 1988, when history teacher Kevin Jennings came out to the students and staff of his school in Concord, Massachusetts. One straight girl, who he said he would have never expected, came into his office and suggested that they establish a school club to address homophobia at their school. "You're Gay and I'm straight, so let's call it a Gay-Straight Alliance," she had suggested, according to Jennings. Jennings, who became the first facilitator of a school GSA took the idea national, helping to form more GSAs around the country as the founder of the GLSEN. In 1995, only 50 GSAs existed in the United States. Today, there are over 3,000 spread across the country. Over 200 are registered with GLSEN Washington State alone. On Friday, June 1st, GLSEN Washington State held their awards banquet at Seattle's Lakeside School. The students and GSA members present were friendly and proud to be acknowledged for their efforts. Jennings keynoted the event, providing the students and adults alike with a lesson in Gay history, reminding them that even outside of class there is always learning to be done. All of the award recipients seemed to hold this concept strongly, aiming to inform their schools and communities more about LGBT issues. Washington's GSA of the Year, Cascade High School in Leavenworth, has overcome numerous obstacles in order to offer support and encourage acceptance of LGBT youth. On the Day of Silence, students wear cards to explain that their mute state is lending support of people who hush their sexuality. This year, opposed students participated in the event as well, displaying cards with anti-Gay remarks instead of accepting words. The parents and community members held a meeting to try and disband the open form policy. Ironically, the move would rid the school not only of the GSA, but also the Bible Club. Their efforts did not prevail, but a welcome is far from being spoken. GSA President Ali Ferrier said the "whole town is narrow-minded. We've been called a sex club, that we're recruiting little children. Just horrible things," she said. She and other members have made great attempts to promote tolerance in the community, and continue with compassionate intentions. Newly established clubs in the area have been pushed¥ to the limits by protests from students and parents as they fight to become a visible presence in the school. Bellevue's Sammamish High School didn't have a lot of understanding students at the beginning of the school year. GSA Co-president Hannah Overton said that the club had "started out small, but through the year got a lot bigger." Since October, the Sammamish GSA has grown in numbers and built a more involved community of students. The group made fliers and posters to promote acceptance, and then replaced those fliers and posters after they had been torn down. Meeting Overton, it was obvious to see that her cheeriness and positive outlook were part of the motivation that the school needed to make some overdue changes. Some groups in the area have existed longer, but have recently made efforts to become better noticed throughout the school. Shorecrest High School's GSA, in Shoreline, organized its first high school "Pink Prom" this past February. The dance offered a fun night for many teenagers that would never have been possible at a regular school prom. Numerous attendees had seen same-sex couples harassed at other dances and were glad to have a welcome place to experience the fun of a prom without fearing for their safety. Gay-Straight Alliances throughout the state are becoming more apparent and acknowledged. There are still many places where LGBT kids are afraid to express themselves, but organizations like GLSEN are helping to change that fear. Resources are readily available to individuals who wish to initiate the understanding that GLSEN promotes in schools. More students are taking action to create a better environment in their schools for LGBT students than ever before, and most don't realize exactly how their endeavors impact the future of others. Our youth is leading the path to acceptance and offering the potential for LGBT students to thrive in beneficial surroundings. |
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copyright Seattle Gay News - DigitalTeamWorks 2007