You will work in a school that has LGBTQ+ students. It’s a fact. It’s also a fact that students who identify as LGBTQ+ often have a more difficult school experience than their heterosexual peers. According to GLSEN’s School Climate Report, 70% of LGBTQ+ students experience verbal harassment at school based on sexual orientation, 59% are bullied because of their gender expression, and 53% are verbally harassed because of their gender. It is no surprise, then, that hostile school climates negatively affect LGBTQ+ students’ mental health. Over 34% of LGBTQ+ students reported skipping at least one day of school due to bullying and harassment.
Background on GSAs
Students who identify as LGBTQ+ deserve to feel safe and included at school. That’s why Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) are so important. Formerly known as Gay-Straight Alliances, GSAs were formally created in 1998 by the GSA Network in California. The name changed in 2016 to “acknowledge the ways in which LGBTQ+ young people already understand their sexualities beyond ‘gay’ and ‘straight’ and that their genders are not confined to a binary" (GSA Network). The purpose of a GSA is to empower and train LGBTQ+ and allied students to advocate for and organize healthier school communities. It also provides students with a safe space to meet and just be themselves. GSAs are most commonly found in high schools, but there is a growing movement to bring the club to middle schools and even elementary schools.
Research has shown that GSAs have a very positive impact on not just LGBTQ+ students, but the whole school as well. Students who attend a school with a GSA are less likely to feel unsafe because of their sexual orientation (61% vs 68%) and/or their gender expression (38% vs. 43%). The presence of a GSA can also help lower suicidal thoughts in LGBTQ+ students (one study reported that the odds were up to 70% lower) and decrease homophobic victimization. Heterosexual students who may not fit in within the traditional gender binary benefit from GSAs because they also experience a decrease in bullying based on physical/personal expression.
While a reduction in bullying and suicidal thoughts are critical, GSAs also play a large role on student self-image. LGBTQ+ students report a more positive self-image and stronger peer relationships if they attend a school with a GSA. Students also report a greater sense of belonging when a school has a GSA. Since teachers are advisors of GSAs and others participate in activities, students are able to identify “safe adults” that they can turn to if needed. It should be noted that if an LGBTQ+ student is able to identify at least one supportive adult at school, they have a higher grade-point average and increased school attendance.
Getting Started
It is super important to note that most schools CANNOT ban a GSA from forming. This is due to the Federal Equal Access Act of 1984, which states that any school that receives government funding and has at least one other non-curricular club must allow a GSA. This act also ensures GSAs get the same resources (access to funding, space, etc.) as any other club. Unfortunately, if a school does not receive federal funding, they are exempt from this following this act.
Here are a couple of tips for starting a GSA at your school:
Educate yourself about LGBTQ+ identities so you can be an effective ally. Advisors of GSAs must be willing to advocate for students and speak out against injustices.
Request to form a GSA as you would any other club at the school.
If an administrator tells you the club can’t be focused on LGBTQ+ issues, requires permission slips when no other club does, or prevents the group from making announcements, remind them of the Equal Access Act and contact the ACLU if needed.
Advertise and hold your meetings!
Check out the following advisor guides to help get started:
GSA Kit from Canada’s Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity
Meeting Ideas and Activities
There are three main types of GSAs: Education, Advocacy, and Social. Most GSAs are a mix of all three, but some choose to focus on one area over the others. It is important to note that students should be running the GSA meetings (especially at the high school level). Therefore, it is helpful to elect an advisory board of 2-3 students. However, GSAs at the middle school level tend to require a little more structure/adult guidance. So, while the meetings and activities should be majority student influence, it is totally acceptable for the teacher to actually run the middle school meetings.
Here are some different ideas and activities you can do with your GSA:
Icebreakers and identity builders (at the beginning of each meeting)
These are so important to help students get to know each other and feel more comfortable in the space
Draft a community agreement/mission statement
This helps provide a purpose for the GSA and establish ground rules for acceptable/not acceptable behavior
Provide time (10-15 minutes) for students to vent/share about their day
You can start with simple questions to help get the discussion going or allow students to choose what to talk about.
Host a Pride Spirit Day
Choose a day and advertise that students should wear rainbow or their flag colors
Invite guest speakers from the LGBTQ+ community to talk to students
Check out your community’s advocacy group or reach out to a larger, national organization (GLSEN, Trevor Project, etc.).
Celebrate days of significance (Transgender Day of Rememberance, National Coming Out Day, etc.)
Find more days in this activity guide and from GLSEN’s calendar
Watch a movie with LGBTQ+ themes
Host a book club centered around an LGBTQ+-themed novel or short story
Check out Lambda Literary’s LGBTQ Writers in Schools program (Note: only available to NYC schools at this time, but they are looking to expand)
Goodreads also has online book clubs
Ask your school’s librarian for advice on LGBTQ+ book recs, or collaborate with your public library
This is honestly just a small list of suggestions to get you started. There are so many more activities and ideas out there. GLSEN has an entire resource list with ideas and activities, and it’s also good to connect with other GSAs in your school district.
Personal Reflection
Free to Be, my school’s GSA, has existed for half a year, but I am so thrilled with the response we got in that short amount of time. The group mostly consists of 7th and 8th graders, but we do have one 6th grader too. All clubs require permission slips since students are staying after school, so this limited some students from attending, but we averaged about 7-11 kids per meeting. The kids were definitely shy at first, but the ice breakers really helped them get to know each other. After two months, it was not uncommon to see them all walking together in the hallway or hanging out after school. They really built some epic relationships, and it was nice to know they trusted the space they had created in my classroom.
My best personal advice is not to underestimate students. I learned quickly that mine are extremely well-versed in all things LGBTQ+, and they have opinions about what’s going on in the world (we had a very interesting discussion about Chick-fil-A during our one of our open group times). Let them take the lead with activities and projects, but don’t be afraid to set boundaries.
I wish you all the best with your GSA!