Gay-Straight Alliances in Schools (GSAs) by Stephan Oliveira

When I’d assisted in the creation of my middle school’s GSA, my mom had spoken with a few parents about it and received the same response countless times: “Why would they need one of those? Aren’t they a little bit young for that?”

At a time when many students are coming to terms with themselves and their identities, normalizing the freedom to explore one’s identity without the fear of judgment from others is absolutely crucial. As a kid who was realizing that they didn’t fit into the boxes of what was deemed “normal” by society’s standards, having a space in which I felt safe from scrutinization from my peers gave me hope for my future. I was scared and felt as if I had the whole world pitted against me, especially considering the lack of discussion regarding LGBT+ identity back in 2015. With a space in which people were aware and knowledgeable regarding these topics, I had a sense of safety and security which wasn’t common in my life at the time. For many students, a GSA’s primary function is to create this space for a vulnerable, underrepresented population.

The term GSA, historically, was short for Gay-Straight Alliance, but many schools have changed their names to Gender Sexuality Alliance to maintain the acronym while becoming more inclusive since not all LGBT+ students or allies are specifically gay or straight. Aside from the aforementioned potential for a GSA to connect students who may feel isolated because of their identity, a GSA can be the vehicle in which a student body can advocate for systemic change on their campuses to guarantee the safety of LGBT+ students. One way in which this can happen is for a GSA to advocate for more inclusive education. Incorporating education to normalize LGBT+ identity assists in allowing questioning kids to find the information they need to come to terms with how they feel and prevent harassment that students may perpetuate against their peers due to a lack of understanding. Until that is a widespread reality, GSAs are a focal point for LGBT+ students to find other students who may share similar experiences and are more likely to be accepting of their identity.

My high school’s GSA operated as a pivotal platform for my involvement in LGBT+ activism. It was an ideal point of contact for counselors to disperse community engagement opportunities and eventually escalated to a forum in which district board members could engage with to gain feedback regarding what changes students wanted to be implemented within the district. Students were there to find support and solidarity but many students were also there to be advocates for their community. We had hosted several bake sales to donate to LGBT+ related organizations, participated in community panels to bring awareness to LGBT+ issues, and pursued opportunities on campus to provide education that fills in the gaps of understanding regarding LGBT+ topics.

It’s important to note that not all GSAs have the same experience. While my work with the GSA in my academic career has focused primarily on activism, I’ve seen that many GSAs operate primarily as a safe social space for questioning and LGBT+ students. They may branch into activism, but often the most valuable trait which they possess is being a supportive space for LGBT+ youth who may feel ostracized on campus, by their friends, or at home. It’s a place that largely focuses on connectivity and inclusivity, creating a location in which students know that they won’t feel othered by their peers for existing as they are.

Helpful Links:

How to Start a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)

How Schools Reinvigorated the Stonewall Revolution

About Stephan Oliveira:

Stephan Oliveira is a 2020 Mira Costa High School graduate who participated in a variety of extracurriculars throughout his academic career. He is pursuing a path in psychology, specifically psychiatry, and intends to bring the lessons he's learned from being an LGBT+ advocate as GSA president and a PFLAG member to assist future patients. As he paves his way forward, he hopes to leave a positive impact wherever he can.