Did you know that 63% of queer kids committed self harm in 2023? 

This result comes from a 2023 survey done by The Trevor Project, a non-profit organization that provides suicide prevention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer people alike by trained counselors. The Trevor Project hopes to save those at risk of that statistic by both giving assistance to those who call their number and by raising thousands of dollars for other organizations that also advocate for queer people. 

A more local way people choose to share support for the queer people in their community and create an accepting environment in schools is by creating a GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) club. There are over 4,000 GSAs across the U.S. and Paschal has been a part of that total since Paschal’s club was created in 2007. Since then, Paschal’s GSA has continued to flourish as teachers volunteer to be the sponsor for the club. But this year, the GSA seems to be struggling for members.

The Paschal sponsor of GSA retired in 2023 allowing the opportunity for its founder,  Ms. Shannon to become the newest GSA sponsor. After almost 17 years, the responsibility of providing a safe space for queer kids has come back around, however, a large majority of the members graduated as a part of class 2024. This has left Mrs. Shannon to recruit interested students  in order to keep the club alive. 

When asked about the current state of the GSA, Mrs. Shannon explains, “So trying to get it off the ground again this year, which is kind of funny, because it’s like, not funny, but [an] interesting experience because, in the past, it was the kids who came to me who wanted to start it. Now I feel like there’s a need for it and I feel like it’s just a good thing to have, so I’m just trying to let kids know that it’s available.” 

GSAs are both necessary to provide a space to normalize other gender identities and sexual orientations and to protect them from bullying that one may face when surrounded by people who are so different from you. According to Ms. Shannon, queer students tend to see GSA’s as a second home, a place they can truly be themselves without facing judgment from others. Not only is a GSA meant to benefit queer people, but it’s also to unite them with allied students to create a diverse and welcoming environment for all. Such a small gesture of acceptance can make all the difference in lowing the suicide percentage for queer kids and to lessen the stigma around them. 

Despite a GSA club having many benefits, since it advocates for a marginalized community, it tends to be a target for protest or harassment. So, especially in 2007, when Paschal’s GSA was starting up, it obviously faced some push back, but thanks to the Equal Access Act of 1984, if a school offers other non-curricular clubs or organizations for students, it must also provide equal access to all other clubs, including GSA’s. 

“One of our counselors basically went to the community members who were not super supportive and said, actually, by law, you have to let this club exist,” Mrs. Shannon recalls, “So, they were like, okay, so that was kind of cool to be a part of that.”

As queer subjects continue to be involved in politics, the importance of GSA grows as an outlet to continue to provide a space for students to engage in activities and discussions related to LGBTQ+ topics. Unfortunately, due to an overwhelming workload and inconsistent schedules between members, Mrs. Shannon is struggling to find the perfect meeting days and hasn’t been able to set the first meeting yet, but is interested in trying to make it work for as many people as possible! Since there tends to be an overlap of queer students and the theater department, she is also trying to accommodate the rigorous theater schedule to ensure that everyone is able to participate in this resource. 

If you or others are interested in joining or finding more about Paschal’s GSA club feel free to answer the form below. The subject of GSA meetings depends on the school, but Paschal tends to watch videos about queer subjects, talk, do crafts, and snack. Let’s fight to keep Paschal’s GSA thriving for both current and future students!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8jXpkUJQYCIr1j6he22W7vzMBMnbNTWfmV-pROvSRXGL5cg/viewform