G.S.A., which stands for Gender and Sexuality Alliance, brings groups of people together with activities ranging from guest speakers to movie nights to making pronoun bracelets. The club meets every Tuesday around 3:00pm and is said to always have a fun time together. But why is it important here at Silver Creek High School to bring people together?

The LGBTQ+ club provides a community feel for students. It allows G.S.A. members to become comfortable and to feel safe around one another. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and build strong connections with all the members.

G.S.A. leader Vincent Redding says, “From my point of view it [G.S.A.] is just to bring our students together and know that there’s a safe space for them regardless of who they are and give them the opportunities to form an alliance and feel connected with each other.”

Building connections in high school is very valuable. Having a sense of belonging and being able to open up or relate to others provides the necessary support students need. Schools need inclusivity and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance club gives that to SCHS.

“I joined the club freshman year because I was looking for an inclusive space where I could learn more about the community and meet new people,” says G.S.A. member Kaitlyn Ruth, “The goal of the club is to inform people about the community, provide students with resources, and to build connections between students who are both part of the LGBTQ community and those who are allies.”

Not only does the club bring the necessary inclusiveness for LGBTQ+ students at school, but it also allows them to discover more about themselves and others. G.S.A. aims to show students that they are not alone and that there are many other people who share the same experiences in life.

“It’s really just to make people feel like they have a place to be and a place to go…and then also to learn more about themselves,” says G.S.A. member Mel Campie, “I feel like it [G.S.A.] is important because there are a lot of people out there that don’t know that there are other people like them.”

In addition to being able to find out more about one’s identity, the club can act as a place where people can let their guards down and truly be themselves.

“… it [the club] provides a safe space for students to ask questions and be themselves,” says Kaitlyn Ruth, “It [the club] allows them to stop pretending to be someone they’re not for a brief period of time.”

While students value having G.S.A. at Silver Creek, the importance of this club transcends the school setting. Making sure LGBTQ+ people feel safe and included in schools is just as important as making them feel safe and included in the real world as well.

Mr. Redding says, “Until society allows underrepresented individuals the same opportunities as the privileged, there is a need for clubs, and supports, and activists like this.”

Inclusiveness, bringing people together who share similar experiences, building connections, and forming a safe community are all reasons why clubs like G.S.A. hold so much significance.