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GSA Help!

Discussion in 'General Support and Advice' started by G8house1, Jan 9, 2015.

  1. G8house1

    Regular Member

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    Location:
    Milton Keynes, England
    Gender:
    Male
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Hey guys, First this post might be in the wrong place, sorry! :confused: And second, I could use a hand! :help: So basically I'm trying to set up a GSA type deal in my school. As a school we do lots to support our students in terms of bullying and learning support however when it comes to sexuality, gender and to a further extent even mental health there is none. I want to change this, as someone who would have benifited from a GSA whilst I was coming out I want to be able to provide that support for my fellow students. Involved in this project is the leader of our anti-bullying team and the teacher who is in charge of the sex Ed programme that, this year, has introduced lots of LGBT related subjects and discussions. As far as I know I am one of the only 'out' people in our school however confidentialy students have been asking for something similar to a GSA.

    So that's what's happening in my school at the moment which is why I think now is the best time to set one up! My problem comes with how best to do it... I don't want to be too 'we're here and we're queer' about it for fear of scaring away the students who do need support, but don't want to come out. But at the same time don't want to be secretive about it as that sends the wrong message...

    Sooo yeah, if you guys could give me ideas, about my predicament, maybe why you would/wouldn't go to a GSA meeting? How best to do it that sort of thing! Any help at all is much appreciated and I will hopefully keep you up to date as we progress! Cheers! (&&&)
     
  2. TempUsername3

    Regular Member

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    Well, big plus for GSAs is friendship, its a great place to meet new friends and share experiences/stories but also to gain more knowledge. A GSA doesn't have to be just [not so PC word coming up next] queer experiences, it can be heterosexual experiences/how they feel although you might want to keep that to a minimum but still, it'll get people thinking more about why GSA stands for the Gay-Straight Alliance. Its also a place to discuss controversial topics but that's best discussed with a trained discussion facilitator because they can get out of hand.

    Honestly speaking, a GSA is a great idea because pretty much anyone can join and gain some friends/experiences/knowledge.
     
  3. ModernCat

    ModernCat Guest

    May I add that in the US it's illegal for a school to stop GSA from setting up? Check the law in your country in case you'll have trouble setting up GSA.

    Good luck!
     
  4. Vashta Nerada

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    Myself and a few friends set one up in our school one or two years ago and it was (and still is) a huge success, try and get one teacher whose really behind it and the rest should fall in pretty smoothly
     
  5. Moonflower

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    Congrats on wanting to start an organization to help other students. If I'm right, you seem to have two faculty members to sponsor the activity, you're just wondering where to go from there?
    When you set up an organization, the first thing you want to think about are the goals of the organization. You have already listed one, which would be to provide a supportive environment for students who are questioning and in the process of coming out. You also might want to think about other goals, such as provide a safe place for LGBT and allies to meet, host group activities for LGBT students and allies in the community (like going to an amusement park, bowling alley or other outings)-things like that. The organization is activist by its very existence---promoting a safe, supporting place for LGBT students and allies lets students know where they can go if they need help and promotes unity in the larger community---but it can engage in more activism and education if you like after you form a core group of students. That's going to be your next challenge, actually. Brainstorming your ideas is one thing, getting your fellow students to help you make it happen is another, but it's through this that you will learn leadership. I wish you the best of luck with the group this coming school year. Having been the founder of an organization can look really good on your application to college, which is another bonus.
     
  6. Mariliss

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    I've found that it's really the kind of the people there that shape what kind of club it is. I found that amidst the formation of our GSA club last year, we were kind of stuck on what we wanted to do and what we wanted the club to look like. Eventually, it just kind of.. happened.

    For example, my school's GSA, every meeting we go around and just say how our week's been going. Sometimes it's just the usual, sometimes someone's been going through a rough time. From there topics usually come to mind, and after we've gotten through everybody someone usually branches off of what someone had said earlier. That, or usually there's some LGBT news someone brings up, and usually the conversation takes off from there. We usually have a few snacks, too. We don't do too many activist-like things, other than running Day of Silence at my school. We might bring up issues at our school and come up with ways to make things a little better individually. Overall, pretty small and super chill.

    A neighboring school's GSA, however, is completely different. It's huge, and they're super into activist-type things, both at their school and in the community. They're always coming up with new ideas and new plans, and constantly talk to teachers and administrators about things. When they're not doing that, it's either like a support group or just playing around. Overall, very energetic and active.

    Neither is really better than one or the other, it just depends on the type of people in it and what they want to do.
     
    #6 Mariliss, Aug 18, 2015
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2015