[start.a.gay.straight.alliance]
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GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCES AND OTHER MODELS OF SUPPORT GROUPS
By Warren J. Blumenfeld And Laurie Lindop
This document consists of the following information for
students and teachers who are interested in establishing
gay-straight alliances at their school:
1. OVERVIEW OF GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCES AND OTHER SUPPORT GROUPS
2. TEN STEPS TO STARTING A GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCE AT YOUR SCHOOL
3. TOP TEN IDEAS FOR AWESOME MEETINGS
4. EXAMPLES OF GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCE ACTIVITIES
5. ABOUT BECOMING A FACULTY ADVISOR
OVERVIEW OF GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCES AND OTHER SUPPORT GROUPS
School-based support groups provide students with a place to meet
and talk about issues relating to sexual orientation. These groups
can help to change the climate of a school and make it safer for all
students. There are also numerous community-based groups that reach
out to young people. This section takes a comprehensive look at
different types of support groups in Massachusetts for students as
well as for teachers, parents, and community members.
GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCES
Gay/Straight Alliances are the most popular model for school-based
support groups for students in Massachusetts. These groups are
student-run and have a limited number of faculty advisors who help
facilitate the group, offer resources and support, and mediate
discussions. Some groups meet more often than others: Barnstable
High School's group meets once a month. Watertown High School's group
meets once a week. The sizes of groups also vary widely from school
to school from a few members to over fifty. It doesn't matter how
many people go to meetings; the work Gay/Straight Alliances do
fighting prejudice and discrimination can impact on the lives of
everyone in the student body.
The groups are designed to meet the needs of students who are
interested in addressing issues related to sexual orientation and
anti-gay prejudice and to address the concerns of lesbian and gay
students and their friends. They provide a safe and informal place
where students can:
* Talk about their feelings and experiences regarding homosexuality;
* Learn about homophobia and how it affects everyone;
* Educate each other and their school community about issues
relating to sexual orientation (including planning a Day of
Awareness for the school community); and
* Have fun going to movies and plays, hosting dances, going on picnics,
attending political rallies and marches, hosting speakers, writers,
artists, and musicians, etc.
Gay/Straight Alliances help to reduce anti-gay violence, harassment
and discrimination by educating the school community about
homophobia and by encouraging a greater degree of understanding from
students and school personnel. The groups also give gay, lesbian,
bisexual, questioning, and heterosexual students a safe place to
discuss their feelings and fears related to sexual orientation.
A brief sampling of high school campuses reveals a variety of names
for these groups. Some use "Gay/Straight Alliance" in their title--
for example, Belmont High School Gay/Straight Alliance--while
others choose more distinctive terms like SPECTRUM at
Concord-Carlisle Regional High School and Project 10 East at
Cambridge Rindge and Latin. Some unique names at private schools
include Northfield Mount Herman School Homo-Bi-Hetero Society, GASP!
(Gay and Straight People) at Milton Academy, and LeSGaB (Lesbian,
Straight, Gay, and Bisexual) at Noble and Greenough School.
Many groups suggest drawing up a list of rules that might include:
* Meetings and discussions are confidential--names of group
members and anything said at meetings are to remain within the
confines of that space;
* Students, teachers, and staff participate as equal
members;
* Members are in no way obligated to declare or define their
sexual orientation, nor are any assumptions to be made regarding
members sexual orientation.
Groups tend to change their agendas for each week depending on the
needs of the participants. Most try to strike a balance between the
political work of raising consciousness and reducing homophobia at
the school, and dealing with the more personal or emotional issues
of the members and offering the members support. (See sections on
OUT AND ABOUT: GAY STRAIGHT ALLIANCE ACTIVITIES and TOP TEN IDEAS
FOR AWESOME MEETINGS.)
Rachel Mazor, a member of Brookline High School's Gay/Straight
Alliance sees progress as a result of her group. "There has been a
change in the general atmosphere of the school. There is an enormous
awareness of what homophobia is and that there are homosexual and
bisexual students." She said that since the creation of the
Gay/Straight Alliance teachers have attended workshops to manage
their own homophobia and that of their students, and are learning
how to help students who are struggling with issues of sexual
orientation. "People are now willing to interrupt homophobic jokes
and slurs. People now include sexual orientation when talking about
diversity."
OTHER SCHOOL-BASED SUPPORT GROUPS
There are other models for support groups beside Gay/Straight
Alliances. Listed bellow are some of the more popular models for
groups that offer support to students, teachers and school staff,
families, and community members.
STUDENT AND FACULTY GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCES
Some schools have set up alliances that are open to all adults and
students. This model hasn't been as effective as the student-run,
faculty advised model. Students complain that faculty members spend
too much time talking about their own issues and dominate all
discussions. Over time, fewer and fewer students attend the
meetings. Faculty who want to join a group might consider forming
their own Parallel Faculty/Staff Support and Study Group.
PARALLEL FACULTY/STAFF SUPPORT AND STUDY GROUPS
These groups have sprung up in a number of high schools. They are in
addition to student-based support groups. Student liaisons are
invited to attend these groups and to offer their input or bring up
some of the issues that the student group has been dealing with.
Peter Atlas, a teacher at Concord-Carlisle High School, said that
his school has formed a committee on Gay and Lesbian Student Safety.
The committee has two faculty sub-groups in addition to the
Gay/Straight Alliance. One sub-group deals with issues of Curriculum
and Support by addressing ways that teachers can integrate gay and
lesbian issues into the curriculum and offering faculty training,
gathering resources. The second sub-group deals with Outreach to the
Community by looking at ways to solicit resources and help from the
community and to address concerns of the community and parents.
SUPPORT GROUPS FOR GAY, LESBIAN AND BISEXUAL STUDENTS
Emily Hollander, a student at Newton South, said "I think there
should be a group for only gay, lesbian and bisexual students so
they can feel less alone and more comfortable with themselves while
they are in or out of the closet at school." Some schools have
formed these groups. One student said that her school has a group
for gay/lesbian/bisexual/questioning/transgender students that meets
in the home economics room. She said that's a "good place because
there's a microwave in it and it's fairly out of the way." Some
students also advised against publicizing the group. "It should
be by word of mouth," one student said. "Otherwise people will be
snooping around." Of course, this presents the problem that
students who are extremely closeted may not learn about the
group. There may be no easy or perfect solution. Some schools
may be safe enough for students to be "out" and openly questioning
their sexual orientation. In other schools, they would be in
danger. Each school must make its own decision about whether
or not to publicize the group.
HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS OR DIVERSITY GROUPS
Patrick Tortora, a guidance counselor at Cape Cod Tech, said that
"Because we felt our school was not ready for a Gay/Straight
Alliance, the group was advertised as a Human Rights Support Group.
We have discussed instances of discrimination and harassment in
school, dealt with family issues, and talked about job
discrimination." Norwood High School has an "Alliance Against
Discrimination" that has 20-40 student members. Schools that are
particularly hostile to addressing gay and lesbian student safety
may want to establish Human Rights or Discrimination Groups. These
groups can look at the commonalties among various forms of
oppression including racism, sexism, ageism, classicism,
anti-Semitism, and homophobia. After educating their school
community, some of the students may be interested in forming a
Gay/Straight Alliance.
ALUMNI GROUPS
These groups are designed for school alumni interested in issues
affecting gay and lesbian students at their Alma Maters. Boston
Latin's Alumni helped students form their Gay/Straight Alliance.
Some alums have returned to their schools to offer presentations
about their experiences dealing with anti-gay harassment or
discrimination.
COMMUNITY-BASED SUPPORT GROUPS
COMMUNITY STUDY GROUPS
Patricia Boland, a teacher at Mount Everett Regional School, said
that "in our district at this time, I feel that it would be
difficult for students who are gay or lesbian to come forward, to be
in a school-oriented group. They may, however, feel safe enough for
a community group." Community study groups are usually open to all
interested students, parents, teachers, administrators, and
community members.
Pat Griffin, a teacher at UMass Amherst, has been involved with a
community study group in the Amherst area. She said the group has
focused on ways to implement the Board of Education's
Recommendations on the Support and Safety of Gay and Lesbian
Students in the junior and high school. The group began when a team
of teachers and an administrator from the high school went to the
Safe Schools Program Workshop in their area. The team was very
excited and inspired to organize a
parent-teacher-administrator-student group in their school to see
what they could do to make their school safer. They couldn't get the
students involved, however, and so have operated all year without
any student involvement. They meet every other week at the high
school and publicize their meetings in the local newspaper and the
PTO newspaper. They've distributed surveys and resource guides with
readings about issues effecting gay and lesbian students.
GAY AND LESBIAN PARENT GROUP
A number of communities have groups for gay and lesbian parents.
Some have invited speakers from the Safe Schools Program for Gay and
Lesbian Students to make presentations about the Board of
Education's Recommendations. Some have invited faculty advisors or
student liaisons from high school Gay/Straight Alliances to update
their groups on the work that is going on in schools and to
brainstorm ways that they can get together to make the schools safer
for gay and lesbian students and students with gay and lesbian
parents.
PARENTS, FAMILIES, AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS (PFLAG)
The PFLAG mission is "to promote the health and well-being of gay,
lesbian, and bisexual persons, their families, and friends through:
Support, to cope with an adverse society; Education, to enlighten an
ill-informed public; and Advocacy, to end discrimination and to
secure equal civil rights. Parents, Families, and Friends of
Lesbians and Gays provides opportunity for dialogue about sexual
orientation, and acts to create a society that is healthy, and
respectful of human diversity." There are 350 PFLAG chapters across
the United States and Canada, and eleven other countries in the
world.
In Massachusetts, PFLAG Chapters routinely receive calls from young
people. Some are requesting information, others want support and
advice about "coming out." Parents, friends and family members of
young gays and lesbians also call to learn more about issues related
to sexual orientation and how to help these young people. Jean
Genasci, the parent of a gay son, and the Northeast Regional
Director for PFLAG, said, "In the last nine months, I recorded a
total of 590 incoming calls to our home seeking information,
support, education, and/or advocacy." The educational portions of
PFLAG meetings often focus on the concerns of lesbian, gay, and
bisexual youth, and action plans are developed. Currently, PFLAG is
working with the Safe Schools Program to outreach to parents,
families and school, and to the general community, to facilitate
better understanding of the needs of lesbian, gay, and bisexual
students and their families.
COMMUNITY BASED, YOUTH-RUN, ADULT-ADVISED SUPPORT GROUPS FOR GAY,
LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER YOUTH (A.G.L.Y.'S)
Alliances of Gay and Lesbian Youth hold meetings for gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender youth 22 years and younger. There are AGLY
groups in 11 different areas of Massachusetts so far, and more
groups are developing all the time. The AGLY groups sponsor
meetings, drop-ins, and services for gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender youth. All AGLY's are different. Some groups are
large, some are small. Some address the special needs of rural
youth, others focus on urban populations. But all have the same
basic objectives:
1) To provide a safe place for gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender youth to get together and socialize with other young
people.
2) To address the isolation and invisibility of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender youth.
3) To provide educational services. AGLY's educate lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender youth about health issues, gay and lesbian
history and culture. They help students with their educational and
professional goals and provide services to get young people back in
school or keep them in school.
4) To provide Role-Modeling. The group introduces members to
positive role models--adults who are successful and out at their
jobs, people with families--to help young people realize that
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people can be valuable,
important members of society.
5) To empower young people.
Marilyn Cairnes, the advisor of NAGLY (North Shore Alliance of Gay
and Lesbian Youth) said, "the services we provide are quite
different from the in-school services provided in that our
organizations are solely gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender kids.
Therefore it is a very, very safe place for kids to identify
themselves. It may, perhaps, be a long time before all kids in
school feel comfortable identifying themselves [as lesbian, gay,
bisexual or transgender] in a school-based Gay/Straight
Alliance...For the most part schools that have alliances still
have kids in those alliances who are not out to the members of the
alliance or to their school. And that's probably going to continue
for long time... They look at [AGLY's] as completely removed from
the school setting. We provide different kinds of support. [In
AGLY's] you can be as gay as you want to and deal with some issues
that you maybe wouldn't talk about with anyone else and [in GSA's]
you can feel comfortable in your school setting, you can interact
with other kids at your school, and educate other people in your
school setting. Both groups are important."
TEN EASY STEPS TO STARTING A GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCE IN YOUR SCHOOL
Here's a step-by-step plan for starting a Gay/Straight Alliance in
your school:
STEP ONE: FOLLOW GUIDELINES
Establish a Gay/Straight Alliance in the same way as you would
establish any other group or club at your school. In your Student
Handbook, there should be a section detailing the procedure for
forming a club or group at your school. Follow those guidelines. In
some schools, this may mean that you have to get written permission
from an administrator. In other schools, this may mean that you
simply have to put up fliers announcing the first meeting and find a
faculty member to act as your group advisor.
STEP TWO: FIND A FACULTY ADVISOR
Some Gay/Straight Alliances have advisors who are teachers, others
have faculty advisors who are guidance counselors, nurses or
librarians. Just like student members of a group, the faculty
advisors don't have to be "out" to be part of the group and many
existing groups have straight allies as advisors. How do you pick a
faculty advisor? Ask a teacher or staff member whom you think would
be receptive.
YOU CAN ENCOURAGE THEM TO JOIN YOUR GROUP BY DOING THE FOLLOWING:
* Explain to them what issues the group might address and why you
think the group would be an important addition to your school.
* Offer them a copy of the MA Governor's Commission Report on Gay and
Lesbian Youth, this Resource Guide, phone numbers and names of
faculty advisors at other schools, and the phone number for the
Department of Education Safe Schools Program for Gay and Lesbian
Students is (617) 388-3300.
STEP THREE: INFORM ADMINISTRATION OF YOUR PLANS
It is important to immediately inform the administration about your
plans to establish a Gay/Straight Alliance. Having an administrator
on your side can be very useful, but is not imperative. They can
help you to arrange Days of Awareness, speakers for School
Assemblies, teacher trainings, etc. They can work as liaisons to the
community and school board. Some administrators may be uncomfortable
with the formation of this group and you can help them to understand
why you want to form a Gay/Straight Alliance by doing the following:
* Offer them a copy of the Governor's Commission Report on Gay and
Lesbian Youth.
* Encourage them to speak with other administrators who work at
schools that have formed Gay/Straight Alliances.
* Ask if they would like to speak with a representative from the
Massachusetts Safe Schools Program for Gay and Lesbian Students.
* Encourage them to speak with PFLAG (Parents and Friends of
Lesbians and Gays) members from your town or community.
It is common for administrators to be initially reticent and anxious
about the formation of a Gay/Straight Alliance, but it is important
to try to educate them. IF THEY REFUSE TO ALLOW YOUR GROUP TO FORM,
AND HAVE ALLOWED OTHER SIMILAR CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS TO FORM, THEY ARE
BREAKING THE LAW.
STEP FOUR: INFORM GUIDANCE COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS ABOUT GROUP
They may know students who would be interested in attending meetings
that you don't know. They may be able to encourage students to
attend the group who are dealing with these issues, whether they are
questioning their own sexuality, know someone who is gay or lesbian,
or are interested in issues affecting gays and lesbians. It can be
useful to invite social workers and guidance counselors to come to
meetings to help facilitate discussions about difficult issues like
"talking to your parents about homosexuality," "coming out to
friends and family," "being with a friend or relative who is gay."
The meetings may also bring up issues that students will want to
discuss in greater detail with a supportive adult.
STEP FIVE: PICK A MEETING PLACE
If possible, find a classroom or spot in your school that is off the
beaten track. At first, students may feel a little nervous or
uncomfortable about attending a meeting. They may feel worried that
others will harass them if they join the group or make assumptions
about their sexual orientation. It is important to acknowledge that
homophobia is a problem in many schools and that unfortunately being
gay or being perceived to be gay or even being a supportive straight
ally can put someone at risk for harassment. Try to find a meeting
spot that gives members a sense of security and privacy. Some groups
meet in rooms that require anyone who's interested in what's
happening inside to walk into the room. This makes it impossible for
students to hang around outside, spying in on the proceedings. Some
groups have to meet off-campus because the fears of homophobic
retribution are so great.
Nellie Zupancic, from Newtonville, said that her group meets at
lunch time. "Its a good time because most people are around and free
then." She also added, "Its a good idea to make it as clear as
possible that straight people are also welcome at meetings to reduce
the assumptions that are made."
STEP SIX: ADVERTISE
Advertising the formation of the group is one of the first,
important steps you can take to fighting homophobia in your school.
For some students, seeing the words Gay or Lesbian on a poster can
be the first time they feel that there are other people like them in
their world. Some of these students may be questioning their own
sexual orientation or someone close to them may be gay. These
students may never even attend a meeting, but seeing the posters may
give them a great deal of comfort knowing that are other people in
their school addressing these issues, or that there are other people
who feel the same way as they do.
The posters can also spark campus-wide discussions. Traditionally,
there has been a great deal of silence around issues of sexual
orientation. Fear, ignorance, misinformation can make discussing
homosexuality a frightening, even taboo experience. Putting up
posters can be the springboard to beginning conversations. The
posters may give people a reason to bring up their own feelings,
questions, or thoughts about homosexuality. Of course, not all these
feelings will be positive or supportive. However, breaking the
silence is often the first-step a school takes in educating people
about these issues and addressing the myths and the questions people
have about homosexuality. The more people talk and the more
education your group does, the more likely you will be able to begin
to dispel some of the myths and assumptions people carry with them
about gays and lesbians.
Don't be discouraged if the posters are defaced or torn down. Almost
all groups have had this experience. Keep putting them back up. The
longer you persist, the less often they will be defaced. Josh
Bennett-Johnson, a student in the Concord-Carlisle alliance known,
Spectrum, said that he was "in the lunch room and a guy started
taking down one of our posters. We said 'Don't do that. Leave it
there.' And he did." Pauline Pease, another student from Spectrum
said, "At first the posters were shredded and torn down. But now I
haven't seen any ripped down and every time I walk by this one
poster I put up months ago, I'm amazed its still there." Noah Rubin,
a student from Concord Academy, said that they put up a poster that
said "One in Ten People are Gay" and someone came along and
scribbled anonymously, "That means 90% of us are normal." The group
made an announcement saying that "We cannot even deal with people
that don't have the guts to sign their name. No more homophobic
graffiti like that has been encountered since."
What to include in your posters:
* Meeting time and location,
* Describe what the group does, what meetings are like,
* Highlight that Everyone is Welcome!
* Keep the posters positive.
Donna Georges, from Amesbury High School recommends using "language
that is encouraging and supportive."
Brookline High School's Gay/Straight Alliance recommends putting up
posters in as many places as possible so if they get torn down,
there are still some up. Also, go back and replace the ones that
disappear. You might also want to put some posters in a safe place.
Boston-Latin used grant money from the Safe Schools Program to buy a
glass case that couldn't be broken into. They put posters and
announcements about the group in the case. (Please see Gay-Straight
Alliance Activities for more poster ideas. )
STEP SEVEN: GET SNACKS
Providing food at your meeting can be a great idea. Food gives
people something to do with their hands. It is a good icebreaker. It
gives them something they can share with each other. It can give
people an excuse to come to meetings: "I was hungry so I just
thought I'd stop by and get a handful of chips..."
STEP EIGHT: HOLD YOUR MEETING!
Now that you have a faculty advisor, food, a meeting spot, posters
advertising your group, you're ready to actually hold the meeting.
Some groups begin with a discussion about why they feel having such
a group is important. You may want to play group building exercises
or see a movie. (Please see page... for Top 10 Suggestions for
Awesome Meetings for additional ideas.)
STEP NINE: ESTABLISH GROUND RULES Some ground rules that other
groups have established include:
* No one will make any assumptions about members' sexual
orientations.
* Confidentiality will be maintained. It may be hard or impossible
to insure that people don't talk about things brought up in the
group, but names or identities should never be revealed.
* You must be respectful of each other, but you don't have to be
politically correct all the time. Respect each other and realize
that everyone is learning about the issue. It's OK to say
something that may sound homophobic. Learn why it is problematic.
* Faculty members participate on an equal basis with students.
Faculty may help encourage discussion or participation, but they
are not there to teach or lead the group. They are there as
participants.
STEP TEN: PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
You may want to write out an outline of goals that you would like to
work towards for the future. A group in Worcester made a list of
Assessment Plans and Action Plans. The former included various ways
to assess the climate of their school and determine what work needed
to be accomplished in the future. The latter was a list of goals for
their future which included going to Pride March and to a movie.
(See Gay/Straight Alliances: Out and About for more action plan
ideas on page...) The Best Meeting We Ever Had...
TOP TEN IDEAS FOR AWESOME MEETINGS
This Top Ten list was compiled after surveying groups from all
across Massachusetts. The following are some of the best
suggestions:
1) "THINGS I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW BUT WAS AFRAID TO ASK..."
Newton South has a Question and Answer Day. Students anonymously
write down questions on any subject they want and then spend the
rest of meetings discussing the questions and coming up with
answers.
2) BRING-A-FRIEND DAY
Concord-Carlisle hosts a Bring-A-Friend Day when every member is
supposed to bring someone new to their meeting. They said it changed
a lot of people's minds about the group and destroyed some of their
stereotypes about homosexuality.
3) "NO ADULTS ALLOWED" (OR ONLY ONE)
Some groups have complained that their advisors are too domineering,
and having this sort of meeting could be a good change of pace. Tell
the adults that only one of them is invited to this special meeting
and that they aren't supposed to talk unless absolutely necessary.
4) "WHAT WOULD THE WORLD BE LIKE IF 10% OF PEOPLE WERE STRAIGHT AND
90% WERE GAY?"
Imagine that instead of living in a heterosexist society, you lived
in a homosexist society. What would it be like if parents wanted
their children to grow up gay? What would it be like if you had to
come out as straight?
5) "HOW CAN THE GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE WORK WITH OTHER SCHOOL CIVIL
RIGHTS GROUPS?"
Newton South is planning a meeting with other groups to discuss how
they can all work together and educate each other to make their
school better for everyone.
6) COMING OUT
Some groups have found that coming out discussions are very helpful
and important. Plan a meeting where people will talk about how they
think people would react, what might happen, how to establish
support networks, etc.
7) GAMES
Brookline High School's Gay-Straight Alliance plays a game called
Common Ground. The students and faculty advisor stand in a circle.
One person begins by saying, "I've got a younger sister," or some
other statement that is true for them. Everyone for whom this is
also true, steps into the center of the circle. Everyone who doesn't
have a younger sister, stays on the outside. You can always lie and
choose not to step into the circle. The game often brings up
personal and important issues that students may not want to discuss
in a more formal setting. Sally Rubin, a Newton student, recommends
a game her group calls the "Culture Walk." She said, "There are one
or two mediators and they begin by asking a group of people, for
example, the women, to move to one side of the room. The guys then
ask them questions they've always wanted to know and the women give
them answers. Then the women get to tell the guys what they want
them to know about them. This game gradually becomes more personal.
You don't have to talk or walk."
8) THE THINGS YOU'LL LEARN
Some groups plan meetings where one student researches a topic
related to gay and lesbian life, culture, history, oppression, etc.
and then reports to the rest of the group what they've discovered.
Topics don't have to be dry and boring. They could include: Rock
Stars Come Out, The Stonewall Riots, Bisexuality: The Conflict
within the Movement, What the Heck is Transgender Anyhow?, etc.
Other groups pick current events from the newspaper, such
as Gays in the Military and discuss how they feel
about these issues.
9) WORKING FOR CHANGE
Most groups have spent at least some meeting time working to
institute change in their schools or communities. Some have written
editorials for their school papers describing the work of their
group, their plans for the future, what they'd like to see change in
their school, how to combat anti-gay prejudice, etc. Other groups
have detailed instances of homophobia on campus including the
defacing of GSA posters, anti-gay slurs or remarks they've heard,
etc. and then distributed them to students, teachers, administrators
and school board members. Groups have written editorials for their
school newspapers, PTO newsletters, and community papers about
topics like "Homophobia Hurts Everybody," and "Why I'm a Straight
Ally." Groups have also spent their meeting time planning political
action strategies. Brookline High's GSA made posters to carry at
rallies for the Anti-Discrimination Law, sent letters to their state
representatives, and distributed petitions to the student body.
10) YOU'RE INVITED!
Groups have invited other alliances from neighboring schools to come
and join them at their meetings. Newton North holds an annual GSA
Conference which is attended by numerous groups from around the
state. Boston Latin will be holding a social for GSA's in their
area. Other groups have invited speakers to come and talk with them.
Winchester High School, for example, invited Michael Smith from the
gay and lesbian radio show 1 in 10. Newton North attended a special
talk by a history and social sciences teacher on "Gays in Popular
Culture" and invited Bill Johnson from the Boston Police Hate Crimes
Division to address the school.
OUT AND ABOUT: GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCE ACTIVITIES
Gay/Straight Alliances have done everything from going to picnics
to civil rights marches. Here is a list of some of the activities groups
have enjoyed:
BRING-A-FRIEND DAY
Many groups report that they wish they could get more students to
come to their meetings. Bring-A-Friend Day is one way to do just
that. On an appointed day, group members bring at least one friend
to the meeting. Some members might choose to bring someone whom they
think is supportive, but for whatever reason, hasn't gone to any
meetings. Others might pick someone they think needs to learn about
homophobia or heterosexism. Still others might just drag along their
best friend. Spectrum members said that at their Bring-A-Friend Day
some students "came out" during the meeting. They talked about
homophobia and heterosexism and it helped change a lot of people's
minds. And who knows? Maybe after going to one meeting, some of the
friends might decide to attend more regularly.
MOVIES, MOVIES, MOVIES
Duxbury students said that showing movies was one of their best
activities and Newton South has held Movie Nights. Norwood High
School went to see Schindler's List and discussed how lesbians and
gays were victimized in the Holocaust and the connections between
anti-Semitism, racism, and homophobia. You might decide to check out
a documentary about Massachusetts students who worked for the
Anti-Discrimination Law or maybe you'll decide to go down to your
local video store and pick up one of the increasing number of
commercial films with gay and lesbian themes.
GO TAKE A HIKE
Ralph C. Mahar Regional High School went on an outdoor hiking
adventure trip. Outward Bound offers a special program on Thompson
Island to assist schools to become safer for gay and lesbian
students. You don't have to do something structured! All sorts of
out door events can be a wonderful way to strengthen friendships
and give your group a chance to get outside of the school and
talk freely. Brookline High School's Gay/Straight Alliance held
a picnic where they played ultimate Frisbee. Sometimes it's
important for a group to just get together and have fun.
GAY, LESBIAN AND BI ALUMNI GO BACK TO SCHOOL
Alumni can be wonderful allies. They can serve as a bridges between
the school and the community. Many have access to helpful and
exciting resources. Your school's alumni may be able to help you
out with everything from vocal and financial support to free theater
tickets. Some groups have invited gay or lesbian alumni to return to
their Alma-Maters to talk about the experiences they had being a
lesbian or gay student. These presentations are informally known as
the "Going Back to School Program." They have the distance to talk
freely about the obstacles they encountered and can be useful allies
in getting support for your work.
How do you find and contact alumni? Your group can put a notice in
the town paper, the local community gay paper, or in your school's
alumni paper stating that your group would like to speak with
interested, supportive alumni. You might want to describe what your
group does, why it's important, and list a contact person readers
can call or write for more information.
PARENTS NIGHT
Concord-Carlisle's group has held two Parents Nights. These evenings
give parents an opportunity to learn about what activities Spectrum
has been doing and what they're planning for the future. At first,
Spectrum members were a little nervous. They were worried that
antagonistic community members would show up, but instead, lots of
supportive parents attended. The parents offered all sorts of
resources to the group and decided to establish support groups in
the community.
OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY
Gay-Straight Alliances are sometimes surprised by the support they
receive from their communities. At a community meeting in
Marblehead, students from the high school said they were interested
in forming a Gay-Straight Alliance. The meeting became
uncharacteristically animated as community members volunteered help,
asked what they could do to support the group, and shouted out
numerous suggestions. Another Gay-Straight Alliance was thrilled
when they got a surprise call from an ice cream store owner who
wanted to show his support by giving the group free sundaes!
There are a number of ways a group can reach out to the community.
In Dover Sherborne, there was a community meeting featuring a
diversity panel. Included in the group of speakers was a gay man who
explained how homophobia and heterosexism hurts everyone. Some
groups may feel it is important to address some of the questions or
concerns raised by community members. Brookline High School asked
and received help from the Brookline Adult Community Education
Program to organize an informational meeting. And Middleborough High
School's superintendent moderated a panel including a student, a
teacher, a member of the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian
Youth, and a representative from the Safe Schools Program.
TEACH THE TEACHERS DAY
Consider sponsoring an after-school training for teachers in your
school about issues facing gay and lesbian students, the things you
would like them to know. Put together a panel of students who want
to talk about their own experiences or things they have witnessed in
school. Invite a speaker from the Safe Schools Program for Gay and
Lesbian Students to talk about the Board of Education's
Recommendations and perhaps pick a video for the teachers to watch.
MARCHING WITH PRIDE
Many schools have attended civil rights and pride marches as well
as the annual From All Walks Of Life: AIDS Walk. Brookline High
School attended the March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Civil
Rights.
Pauline Pease, a student at Concord-Carlisle said, "Pride was a
wonderful sense of community. People were loud and happy about who
they were. It was also really sad, though. There was a Die-In where
everyone dies on the pavement in memory of AIDS." And Linda Shapiro,
the Newton North Advisor, echoed these sentiments. She said, "I'd
never been to Gay Pride before. There were incredible crowds on the
sidewalk. People yelling at us, 'Newton North, Class of '84' or
'Class of '72' People kept coming up and saying why wasn't [the
Alliance] there when I was in school?'
FIND THE COMMON LINKS
Sponsor a Day of Diversity when other school groups interested in
civil rights issues get together and talk about the problems they've
worked on and the issues they address. Discuss the commonalities
between various forms of oppression. And look at ways that
oppressions overlap. For example, how homophobia and racism impact
on the life of an African-American gay man. Or look at how people of
color suffer from the same sort of erasure and invisibility--being
left out of textbooks, etc.--as gays and lesbians and how
stereotyping circumscribes the lives of people of color and
homosexuals. Or you might discuss how sexism and homophobia can work
together to keep women out of powerful positions. For example, look
at how strong, independent-minded women are labeled "dykes" or
"man-haters." Or how lesbian baiting keeps women from advancing in
the armed forces. Building coalitions among various school groups
can be a great way to meet new people, explore ideas, and increase
your base of support.
HEY, HOW ABOUT A PLAY?
Plays are a great activity for Gay/Straight Alliances. Recently,
"Angels in America," two blockbuster plays written by a gay man
about AIDS won several Tony Awards and are certain to make gay and
lesbian theater even more visible than ever before. In Boston, there
is a gay and lesbian theater group known as the Triangle Theater
Company. Some theaters offer discounts to groups and others may be
willing to offer cheaper seats to students.
OUTREACH TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Ellen Burchett, a freshman at Newton South, summed up a number of
students' feelings when she said, "My school didn't have a
Gay-Straight Support Group and they really needed it." Research has
found that homophobic slurs are the second most commonly used
insults uttered by elementary school children.
One of the members of the Newton North Gay-Straight Alliance said,
"It's important to go to the middle schools and teach sixth graders
that when they say 'fag' it's offensive and wrong." Members of the
Newton North group went back to their middle school and talked with
the administration about the homophobia they had encountered there.
They told the administration that they felt it was important to do
something to change the climate of that school. In June, three
members of the alliance went to the middle school and talked to
three different eighth grade classes. The eighth graders had lots of
questions. One little boy ran up to them in the school cafeteria,
stared at their pink triangle buttons, asked if they were gay, and
then ran off. The group members were exuberant, however, knowing
that they had helped to break the silence and fear surrounding
issues of homophobia at their Alma Mater.
AND THIS AWARD GOES TO...
Who doesn't love to win an award? The Cambridge Lavender Alliance
has given an annual award to the senior who has done the most for
the advancement and well-being of gay and lesbian students in their
schools. These sorts of awards can inspire students to work hard on
these issues and can also generate publicity for your group. Your
alliance could offer a yearly prize or you could try to get a
community group, store, restaurant, or company to offer a prize at
the end of the year.
SAVVY SURVEYS
A number of Gay-Straight Alliances have sent out surveys to assess
the level of tolerance their school has for gay and lesbian students
and to better target the work that needs to be done. Some have
surveyed students, teachers and school staff, and parents about
issues relating to gay and lesbian students and homophobia. SPECTRUM
gave out a survey to 849 students "to measure some effects of
homophobia in the school" and published the results in the school
newspaper. They found, among many other startling facts, that 36% of
the school reported that verbal harassment based on sexual
orientation occurred at the high school on a daily basis. 400
students at Lincoln-Sudbury High School were surveyed. 34% of them
said that their friends would be uncomfortable if they found out
"someone they knew was gay, lesbian, or bisexual." Surveys can be a
helpful determinant in figuring out what sorts of educational
activities to plan and what sorts of posters might help to make
people re-think their assumptions. Consider issuing a survey at the
beginning of the year and then one at the end of the year to see how
much progress you've made!
DIVERSITY PANELS
A number of schools, like Marblehead High School, have hosted
Diversity Panels which give spokespeople representing racial,
religious, and sexual orientation diversity a chance to talk about
their experiences and changes they'd like to see in the future.
Students from Watertown High School's Gay-Straight Alliance spoke at
the "Day of Respect" all-school assembly. This can be a good way to
work with other human rights groups to create change in
your school and to create alliances and friendships with other
students.
SOCIALIZE
"Gays for Patsy" hosted a two-stepping dance for Boston Area
gay-straight alliances. Boston-Latin has plans to host a social for
area groups. Getting together with other alliances and hosting a
dance can be a great way to make new friends and have fun. You might
also want to host a dance for your school. Many students have gone
to their proms in same-sex couples.
One such student was Jessica Byers, a student leader of Cambridge
Rindge and Latin's GSA, Project 10 East. Before her prom, she was
anxious about the response of others in her high school. "I didn't
have a girlfriend at the time, "Jessica said, "So I asked my good
friend Josie Gold (co-founder of the Gay/Straight Alliance at
Belmont High School) who also asked me to her prom. On the day of
the prom, the young women dressed in their finest party dresses,
exchanged corsages, and entered the hall like all the other couples.
Aside from one rude remark made by a male who had apparently come
intoxicated, and by some rather uncomfortable and prolonged glances
from some individuals, both proms were quite remarkable in that they
were not at all remarkable. The young women danced, drank punch,
stood hand-in-hand to have their pictures taken, laughed and chatted
with one another, with other students, and with staff chaperons.
Jessica reflected, "I'm glad we did it for a lot of the closeted
people at both schools. I think it was important for everyone to see
that we could do it, and it wasn't a big deal." (Excerpted from
"Gay/Straight Alliances: Transforming Pain to Pride" by Warren
Blumenfeld printed in the High School Journal Volume 77, Nos. 1 & 2)
FIELD TRIPS
Cape Cod Technical High School's group went to a local community
college program on homophobia. Watertown's Gay-Straight Alliance
went to a Red Sox Game. And Barnstable High School's Gay/Straight
Alliance went to a "Youth Day" at Cape Cod Community College and to
a Safe Schools Program Regional Workshop. GSA's from Boston Latin,
Newton South, Concord-Carlisle, Duxbury, and Winchester High School
attended a GSA Conference hosted by the Newton North High School
group.
Students from several schools across the state went to the State
House to rally for the Anti-Discrimination Bill. There were many
students like Sarah Longberg-Lew, a Brookline High School student,
and Mark DeLellis, from Belmont High, who spent every Monday for
weeks standing on the State House steps holding placards and signs
with slogans like "Gays Make up 30% of Youth Suicides."
Students have also attended and made presentations at a variety of
conferences held across the state including the Gay and Lesbian
Student Rights Conference which was held at Northeastern University
on March 19, 1994. Students also spoke at the Equity for Gay and
Lesbian Students Conference: Progress and Promise in Our Schools
held at Lesley College on May 20 and 21, 1994 for school
superintendents, administrators, teachers, parents and students.
They have participated in numerous Safe Schools Program Regional
Workshops held on Fridays and Saturdays in various towns and cities
in Massachusetts.
HOSTING A DAY OF AWARENESS
A number of alliances have hosted Days of Awareness. Susanna
Kittredge, from Newton South, said that they passed out pink
triangle stickers on their BGLAD Day (Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian
Awareness Day) and tons of people wore them in support. On the next
pages are the agendas for Gay Awareness Days put together by Newton
North, Newton South, Brookline, and Concord-Carlisle's Gay/Straight
Alliances. Norwood High School's Day of Awareness focused on
"Respecting Yourself and Others." Donna Georges, an administrator at
Amesbury High School, recommends a Question-and-Answer Panel "For
youth and caring adults," so that people can find the answers to
their questions about gay and lesbian issues. Lincoln-Sudbury High
School had a Gay Day on Valentine's Day. They had a student panel
with kids from the GSA and students from FRAGLY (Framingham Area Gay
and Lesbian Youth Group).
SAMPLE AGENDAS FROM GAY AWARENESS DAYS
The following are examples of the sessions from the Gay Awareness
Days hosted by Newton South in 1992 and 1993. Use
their ideas as a springboard for your own Day of Awareness.
Students from B.A.G.L.Y. (Boston Area Gay and Lesbian
Youth) discuss how they came to terms with their sexual orientation
and what it is like to be gay in high school.
Panel of students from TRISKELION, an alliance of lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and straight students from Brandeis University
discuss issues faced by college students and changes in attitude
that occur when one make the transition from high school to college.
Homophobia 101. Newton South history teacher, Bob Parlin,
will deliver a presentation on the basic issues surrounding
homosexuality and homophobia.
"What can high schools do to combat homophobia?" Members of
Newton South's Gay/Straight Alliance lead an open discussion.
Arlene Isaacson, Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Gay and
Lesbian Political Caucus talks about the gay and lesbian civil
rights movement.
"Gay Rights and the Law." Katherine Triantafillou,
Cambridge City Counsellor, speaks about current legal issues.
"Gay Youth" Film and discussion.
"The Depiction of Lesbians and Gay Men in the News and
Entertainment Media." WBZ-TV Newsperson and openly gay man, Randy
Price, talks about positive and negative images of gay men and
lesbians in the media.
"The Common Roots of Oppression: What are the Connections
Between Racism, Sexism, and Homophobia?" A diverse panel of civil
rights activists talk about the links between oppressions.
"Openly Gay in High School." A panel of young lesbians and
gay men share their personal experiences.
"Hate Crimes." William Johnson, Deputy Superintendent of
the Boston Police Department, explains what hate crimes are an how
they are dealt with by the police.
"Transgender Issues." A panel of transgender individuals
talks about issues relating to transvestites and transsexuals.
SO, YOU WANT TO BE THE FACULTY ADVISOR...
Good intentions aren't enough to be a successful faculty advisor to
a student support group. You must be informed about the issues
affecting gay and lesbian students and come to grips with any
feelings you might have of discomfort or anxiety about dealing with
the group. Before the first meeting, here are some things you might
want to consider:
ASK YOURSELF SOME QUESTIONS:
AM I HOMOPHOBIC?
Its impossible to grow up in this society and not internalize
certain homophobic assumptions. As Janis Sommers, an administrator
at Provincetown High School said, "Homophobia is everywhere, in
everyone. Even those of us who think it's wrong. Educate yourselves."
You don't have to be an expert on gay and lesbian history and
culture, but you do have to be willing to educate yourself and
to assess your limitations realistically before deciding to
advise the group. Here are some questions you may want to ask
yourself before you make that decision:
* Do I have lesbian, gay, bisexual friends?
* How comfortable am I talking about homosexuality? About sexuality
in general?
* How do I respond to "fag" or "dyke" jokes?
* What was I taught about homosexuality? What do I believe?
* What would I do if I knew that my student was gay or lesbian?
* How would I feel if I found out one of my parents was gay? My best
friend? My colleague?
WHAT AM I ANXIOUS ABOUT?
Most faculty advisors report that they were initially anxious about
backlash from the school or community. Ellen Abdow, co-faculty
advisor at Brookline High School, says that she's found that
"People's fears are almost always worse than what they actually
encounter."
WHAT IF NO ONE COMES TO THE MEETING?
The silence that has surrounded these issues may make it seem as
though there is no one at your school interested in problems facing
gay and lesbian students. You may not know any "out" gay students.
But the Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 6% of
sexually active students had same-sex relationships. By advertising
a GSA, putting up posters with the words "gay and lesbian," you will
break the silence and will probably be surprised by the sudden
outpouring of emotion and opinion. Often, students just need an
icebreaker to begin the discussion. Further, if your posters state
that "Everyone is Welcome!" in huge, bold letters, a number of
students interested in everything from getting free food to gay
civil rights may show up. You'll probably be surprised by the
response. Beth Graham, a teacher and administrator at Watertown High
School says, "If the group is generated by students it will fly!"
WHAT IF PEOPLE THINK I'M GAY?
One faculty advisor suggested that if someone asks if you are gay
and you're actually straight, ask them back, "If I were gay, how
would that affect our relationship or the way you feel about me?" It
can become a good way to talk about homophobia and homophobic
assumptions that we all carry around with us.
Many groups have straight faculty advisors and for some students,
having at least one straight advisor is very important. They can
point to that person and say, "See, she's straight and she's
interested in these issues." Further, a straight advisor can role
model how to be a good ally. Similarly, having an "out" advisor can
also be very helpful to students. Finding out that someone you
respect is gay or lesbian can make people re-think their prejudices.
For many students, an out faculty advisor may be the first adult
they've ever known who is gay. This is not to say that your group
has to have an "out" advisor, only that it helps.
WHAT IF PEOPLE FIND OUT I'M GAY?
Coming out is a personal and individual decision. But staying in the
closet as a faculty advisor may compromise your ability to deal
honestly with your Gay-Straight Alliance. Someone who has less
anxiety surrounding the issue may do a better job. Many groups have
straight advisors. A few have "out" advisors.
It is still a frightening thing for teachers to "come out." Many
justifiably fear reprisals from the administration or parents. But
many teachers find that they encounter more support than they ever
would have imagined. Bob Parlin, an "out" teacher at Newton South
said, "My students responded with thoughtfulness, compassion and
respect. Many came up to me later that day to tell me how much they
admired what I had done and how it had changed their way of thinking
about gay people."
Peter Atlas, the advisor to SPECTRUM, came out by publishing a
letter in his school's newspaper on National Coming Out Day. His
motivation was twofold: First, he did it for the students. "It was
an attempt to alleviate some of the fear, shame, loneliness, and
despair of kids in the high school today that I also felt as a
closeted teen." And second, he did it for himself and other staff
members. "It takes much more energy to be closeted than it does to
come out." He explained. "All of the energy I used in worrying that
I would say the wrong thing is now freed up to do other things. I
think I'm a much more effective teacher now on many levels." He said
that after coming out, "I got tremendous support which surprised
me."
If no other teacher has come out in your school, it can be
especially frightening to take the first step. Just about everyone
approaches the decision with anxiety and trepidation. A few teachers
found that their fears were confirmed. The majority of others found
a greater level of support than they had ever imagined. Only you can
make the call.
WHAT WILL I DO IF A STUDENT IS IN TROUBLE?
It is important to know whom you will turn to if a student in the
group is in trouble. Inform guidance counselors and social workers
about the group and the issues that might come up. Give them
information and resources such as the Governor's Commission Report
and this Resource Guide that they can use to learn more about the
concerns of gay and lesbian students.
A LITTLE HOMEWORK
To help yourself prepare to start a group, you might want to find an
existing group, similar to the one you're interested in
establishing, and attend some meetings. Pick the
brain of the advisors, see what being an adult advisor entails,
determine what ground rules the group has established, the role of
the adult(s), what seems to work, and what doesn't seem to work.
DEFINING YOUR ROLE
Many schools report that it is important to have students lead the
GSA's. At Brookline High School, the group is run democratically.
The faculty advisors participate on equal footing with group
members. They see their roles as being there to facilitate
discussion when necessary, to establish boundaries and ground rules,
to mediate disagreements, to keep an eye on anyone suspicious
hanging around the meeting room, to help set and keep the group
moving on their agenda, and to provide support and resources.
Existing GSA's have found that it is important to restrict the
number of adults participating in the group. Students at some
schools have complained that the faculty members dominate
discussions and activities.
Some Alliances form spin-off groups designed for students dealing
with their own issues of sexual orientation. It may be a good idea
to ask a person trained in counseling students to lead this sort of
group. The students may be dealing with problems that you don't feel
qualified to handle.
WHEN A STUDENT COMES OUT
It is important to not make assumptions about students' sexual
orientation. Sometimes there is peer pressure for students to be as
"out" as the most "out" member of a support group. Make it clear
that it is OK for students to be at whatever place they are and that
they should take things at their own speed. A faculty advisor can
help a young person think through the coming out process by
encouraging them to ask themselves these questions:
* Why do I want to tell other people?
* What am I likely to gain? What am I likely to lose?
* What can I do to move the disadvantages to the advantages side?
* If I am faced with the disadvantages, what can I do?
* If I do tell, what will the reaction be? What will I do then? Am I
ready?
It is important to remember to ask yourself: Where will students get
support during the summer once school is out? A possible answer is
through their community AGLY groups. Also, they can look to
supportive church groups, counselors, friends, relatives, etc.
Al Ferreira, the coordinator of Project 10 East points out that it's
important to be sensitive to a student's cultural and familial
background when discussing issues of coming out with them. He said
he talked with a student "who lived in a three-generation Vietnamese
family who said that if he came out his grandfather would forbid all
family members from ever mentioning his name again. It would be as
if he had never been born."
BE INCLUSIVE
Most groups are dominated by straight-identified students and it is
frequently tempting for students to make statements such as, "I'm
straight, but..." They may be feeling that others, both in the group
and outside the group, are making assumptions about their
orientation because they have decided to join the GSA. It is a
threatening and frightening thing to be gay or lesbian, or even to
be perceived to be gay or lesbian. Although it is understandable
that they would want to reassert their heterosexuality, for gay,
lesbian, bisexual and questioning students the GSA may be the only
place they can go and feel comfortable. Therefore, it can be a
difficult line to tread between making heterosexual students feel
comfortable, and insuring that the gay, lesbian, bisexual and
questioning students feel safe and fully supported. Finally, it can
be hard for students of gay and lesbian parents to feel safe opening
up to other students because to have homosexual parents is still
very taboo in our society. It is important to remember that some
students may be attending the meeting who go home to two moms or
visit two dads on the weekends.
BUILD A SUPPORT NETWORK FOR FACULTY CONSIDERED WITH GAY AND LESBIAN
STUDENTS' ISSUES
Most educators want to create support networks from the ranks of
sympathetic colleagues and people in the community. In Massachusetts
and some other states, school-based and community support groups
have formed for lesbian, bisexual, and gay educators and their
straight allies.
Attempt to form supportive alliances with other faculty and staff
members. Alliances among gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and supportive
heterosexuals can help to reduce the isolation that you might feel
addressing these issues that have been traditionally cloaked in
silence and shame. You may wish to be organizing informally over
lunch as a support group. Or you can organize a more formal faculty
"Gay/Straight Alliance" or "Human Rights Committee" to address all
forms of diversity and oppression.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Warren J. Blumenfeld
P.O. Box 929
Northampton, MA 01061
Tel: (413) 585-9121
Fax: (413) 584-1332
E-Mail: blumenfeld@educ.umass.edu
..................................................................
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