While the school tries it’s best to make a welcoming environment, students within smaller communities often feel left out — especially the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) youth. For example, the LGBT rights tape art display during the 2020-2021 school year was taken down, deemed “distracting.” Whether intended or not, this decision sent the message that LGBT youth are not welcome to the school. 

Students have the power to right this wrong. They can create an environment by LGBT students for LGBT students to bring comfort and safety. This can be achieved by forming a club called a Gender Sexuality Alliance- GSA. 

Making a GSA would benefit students because it’s a student-led club, meaning students can choose what they want to do with the GSA in itself. There are three types of GSAs: social, support and activist. Social GSA acts as a hangout for LGBT students to meet with each other. A support GSA functions as a safe space for students to discuss discrimination and issues they face as an LGBT student. Activist GSA acts to bring improvement to the school outlook towards the LGBT community by holding fundraisers and raising awareness. The LGBT students themselves could pick what type of GSA fits their needs at this school.

Starting a GSA is not difficult at all. For students who are interested, there are simple steps to follow to add one. First, a group of students must come together to ask the principal for permission to start one. Then, the next important step is having a teacher oversee the meetings as a sponsor. To much comfort, there are several teachers interested in overseeing a GSA for students. The easy accessibility of starting this club would impact future LGBT students positively by already having an established club they can join. It is up to the students of today to make decisions that can positively impact students in the future.  

It is entirely within students rights to participate in and lead a GSA. It upholds a legal status in which students have the right to form a GSA, as protected by the constitution and by the judiciary. Other clubs and organizations that appeal to only certain groups of students exist at this school, for example the Christian group Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Having groups that appeal only to certain people is normal and not exclusionary, but appeals to a certain set of people. There is a legal right to start a GSA that no one can deny. 

In conclusion, starting a GSA would not only benefit current LGBT students by giving them a place to talk and understand one another, but also benefit future students by giving them that opportunity. The addition of a GSA could potentially change the environment at the school to be a more welcoming environment for LGBT students. The easy process of making one should encourage interested students to assemble and make a GSA. It is a legal protected right, meaning if a mature and organized group of students comes forth to attempt to make one, they cannot be shot down. There are no cons to adding a GSA to the school. It will have a positive impact for people who have been pushed down time and time again.