Sooo I kind of live in a small town, and the closest lgbt related stuff is an hour away,and what I found from google looks like its just hook-ups...and thats not what I want. So I have talked to my friend on here -Britt. and some of my lez friends at my school to start a lgbt group at school...but I honestly don't know if I want to be publicly out...like I'm out to all my friends,and I make it very very obvious that I'm gay (I'm very flamboyent) but I dunno...its a big step I gess? But one of my friends said that it takes a long time to start those,even if you have the school's approval...and then there is having to talk to the counclers to start it. Would I have to talk to a councler?or can I talk to a teacher I trust? Can I do it without being publicaly out? I'm I even aloud to make a lgbt group at school? It's almost summer though...so i was hoping to start it when school starts back up...I just don't know, I know there are quite a bit of gay people for this small town...so any ideas,sugestions,etc would be much appreciated!
I would say talk with a teacher you trust. From there they would be able to help you / know who to talk to to get it going. It's always important to have an early ally in the system. Best of luck.
Good for you. Putting a face on us never hurts. Glad to hear that you seem to be keeping your eyes open, too. Respect your comfort zone, and make sure your small town isn't the modern Laramie.
Contact the Gay-Straight Alliance national office in San Francisco (I think). They started out as a California-only group but now they are supporting formation of chapters in high schools all over the US, and they will have the resources and all the necessary information, including how to approach school officials and how to get past any bureaucratic hassles put in your way. And... I have long suspected that the reason it's called "gay-straight alliance" is because it provides a thinly veiled cover for people who aren't out yet. One of my friends founded the GSA chapter at his high school, and he claimed to be straight right up until he graduated, even though he was the president of the GSA. It worked... even though he was president and started the thing, most people thought he was straight until he came out, though some weren't surprised. So you don't need to be "out" to start it, as long as you're comfortable claiming that you're only "supportive to your gay friends."
okay, I will try that then,thanks everyone nd chip I can't just say I'm not gay now since I'm pretty out haha but I get what you are saying and I will try to contact them
Doing this is really hard, especially since I went to a catholic school, I had kids and teachers all for and against the idea, but it's the principals and directors you want to convince. I say grab all the "out" students, and all work on one, if not, create your own, show them it would be a good idea, don't post anything around the school, don't announce it, kinda keep it "underground" kinda idea. I'm not saying closet yourself, just try and keep yourselves out of trouble. If trouble doesn't start, they possibly might take it into consideration. Again, I had a hard time doing this in highschool, seeing as I went to a catholic school, they said no left right and center. If you go to a catholic highschool, I don't mean to crush your hope or anything, it's just, its going to be a LOT of work.
GO TO THE GLSEN WEBSITE!!!!!! they have ALL the info you need to start a GSA (which schools are required to allow you to have) and please PLEASE make sure your GSA is active and gets stuff done (not like mine which is super lazy and full of people who don't care). It may be a big step but part of getting people to be more tolerant is exposing them to these things. My GSA started 4 years before i was there by 3 people as a secret after school meeting, if those 3 hadn't done that i may have never been able to learn that i was interested in LGBT activism changing my life. Do it for future kids at your school who can be helped greatly by an active GSA
just sent a msg to GLSEN in dallas texas, sicne there is not one in new mexico,hopefully it goes good
