"Gay Straight Alliance" vs. "LGBT Alliance"

Well, I'm not straight but I do think that it seems a little more segregated to say "Gay Straight Alliance" If anything I think it should be LGBTQPA..(anything else I might be forgetting)..S

Maybe if we put an S on the end standing for straight, then we can all be together as part of the same group. Who knows we might stop some hate if everyone is thought of as in the same group. But that is just one mans opinion.

 

Normally it doesn't really bother me, and I just see it as an umbrella term. But the fact that they changed it from "LGBT" to "Gay Straight" really rubs me the wrong way, because it's like they're going backwards instead of working to be inclusive. Sounds like it should have went the other way. So.. Maybe they just wanted to include heterosexual allies and thus the name change?

 

The group at my school unanimously voted to veto the everlasting acronym. We are now just the Pride Alliance. I think that this was the best choice we could have made because we didn't leave anyone out. And yeah, even if my best-fit label is "gay", it really does bother me when not everyone is included. The acronym (LGBTQPIA...etc) however, is getting unwieldy with all the letters we have to remember to not leave people out...

 

My university is similar, Pride[insert school name] is what it's called.

 

It really bothers me a lot when people decide to try to use the term "gay" as an umbrella term for the LBGTQA[etc.] umbrella. As a result, the term 'Gay-Straight Alliance' does bother me ... if it's supposed to have other queer people. Doesn't seem like any gender deviance is allowed there. Bisexuals? Transgendered people? Naaaah. Only gay people and straight people! Gender binary ftw!

 

We've got an "Ally program" here. There's little "ally" buttons you can take and wear on your bags or whatever. Doesn't matter whether you're LGBT--- or not, all it shows is that you don't stand for discrimination on campus based on being LGBT---.

It's subtle, and shows awareness, and is well-enough advertised that people know by wearing it you aren't necessarily LGBT---.

 

That's kind of what I was thinking, we need a new name like that. There's getting to be too many letters now that we're discovering just how diverse the non-straight and/or the non-cisgendered community is.
Hehe, we're taking over! :thewave:

This is also why I generally accept "gay" as an umbrella term, because we just can't fit everyone in! Maybe we should just become the pride community. :newcolor:

 

It doesn't bother me, honestly. I think of "gay" in "Gay-Straight Alliance" the same way I think of "men" in "all men are created equal." (Or "man" in my signature, for that matter.) "LGBT Alliance" is not inclusive to straight people.
For the initialism... there's always going to be someone left out. That's just how it is. Better to use an umbrella term.

 

gay straight alliance and LGBT are both very poor choices for representing the atypical sexuality spectrum-one thing have always wondered why it leaves out asexuality.

what about something like atypical sexuality spectrum,divergent sexuality [=divergent meaning a positive way of saying different to majority],broad sexuality spectrum...

using initials for names,especialy when they get longer is to confusing,difficult to remember,to restrictive & off putting to those unfamiliar with sexuality.

then again,every long established charity/company/organisation/alliance usualy started out with a less than inclusive or respectful name-look at the charity scope; used to be called the spastics society,or mencap; who used to be known as the national association of parents of backward children.

equality has a long way to go in many ways.

 

I don't particularly like it too much, but it doesn't completely offend me, either. I know most GSA's in my area are usually called another name like spectrum, equal, pride and unity.

There has to be a reason for the name change, though, and they just simply don't have someone to point the mistake out to them. That's where you come in I would encourage you to join the club and help it a long. If you don't like it, then go ahead and try to change it however you can. If you don't do it, then who will?

 

I generally use the word 'queer' as my umbrella term. I'm aware that there are people who really get offended by that word, but it's the umbrella term used most where I live.

 

But what about people who are not cisgender who then believe that their issues will not be covered in the "gay-straight alliance"? I'm inclined to believe that that will be just as off-putting for people who need groups like this as having crazy alphabet-party names.

And, at least at my school, we do a pretty good job of advertising our straight allies so everyone can use that excuse if need be. Or you know, if they're straight. We're careful to do so.

 

Completely agree with Chip. He said pretty much everything I was thinking.

 

This covers everything I was going go say. I'd rather see a Gay-Straight Alliance than an LGBT Alliance because it makes it more welcoming to straight folk and closeted people. I think the alphabet soup term, while more accurate, is also more confusing to those who aren't as well-versed in our culture and can be a bit off-putting and I don't think we'd eve manage to cover everyone, anyway. Queer is my umbrella term of choice and it's generally what I use to describe myself, but the term makes some uncomfortable.

I also kind of think of Gay-Straight as a spectrum and see it more as "gay though straight," if that makes any sense.

 

It doesn't really bother me at all, my high school (which I'm not in yet) calls it Gay Straight Alliance. But I understand why some people may be offended. It shouldn't be either GSA or LGBT, because both are leaving people out and thus will cause controversy.
But I personally don't really like pride alliance, because I don't believe in being proud that you're gay. Not that I'm not okay with who I am, I'm perfectly fine with it. But straight people aren't going around saying they're proud of sexuality. And I feel Pride just makes gays "different" in yet another way. People are judgemental about gays because they feel they are segregated from straight people, and being proud is a way of being segregated even more.
Anyways, I really like Unity or Equal, like TheEdend said.

 

it's possible that they hope to attract more straight people who support lgbt stuff. in that case, let it be called a gsa, it is still the same all-welcoming group.

 

I agree with this wholeheartedly. The main point of all LGBT groups is to be supportive of whoever comes through the door. That main purpose won't change with whatever name they choose.

What has been happening in a lot of GSAs lately is that, for the better or for the worst, a lot of them aren't focusing on closeted people anymore. They are focusing more on having a safe environment for the people that are already out and providing events for those people which is the reason its a trend to have a more "accepting" name for the group and to be recognized as the gay group on campus. I personally don't completely agree with it, but I do understand where a lot of people are coming from and it is a big deal for a lot of people.