The Gender Sexuality Alliance Club is a more recent club as the high school that has 25 official members. Dr. Griffiths, a Media Center aide, and Mrs. Carr, an English teacher, co-advise the club. “[GSA] is a group that provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ students and allies. Our mission is to combat homophobia and transphobia at HHS and to help create a more accepting school environment for all students,” shared Griffiths.
The club has official meetings every other Tuesday during Explorer Period in C214 and on the off Tuesdays, members of the group simply hang out in the same room. Griffiths explain, “The Explorer Room is a multi-purpose space that can be used for prayer, meditation, club meetings, decompression, quiet study, interviews and audio recordings for class projects. During alternate weeks, the GSA students are welcome to use the room during Explorer Period as a safe space to eat snacks, do coloring or other craft projects and hang out.”
The Explorer Room meetings feel “Pretty chaotic to be honest. Anyone’s welcome to come, but it gets a little crazy sometimes. We do have our serious moments though,” said Freshman Sophie Daniel.
The actual club meetings, though, are very informative. Normal news sources may not cover important bills, and this club does that. Freshman Cody Schedler reported, “A lot of great information is shared during the meetings. It’s really important to know about things happening currently, especially relating to queer people.”
He continued. “I view GSA as a place where people can be themselves without having to worry about the transphobia and homophobia (and general discrimination) that plagues modern life. Although society has become more accepting of diverse people in recent times, it still is hard to escape the bigotry of conservative people, so it’s really important to have an escape and have the ability to validate others.”
Allies and queer people alike are welcome to the club. Daniel is an ally to the community and is also a member of the club. She said, “I don’t have any feelings towards being an ally. It’s just normal to me, because I don’t see any point in being disrespectful.”
Resources are available to students. Griffiths informs that “We also have a bulletin board in the Explorer Room with information about local LGBTQ+ groups. The Media Center has an extensive collection of both fiction and nonfiction books about LGBTQ+ topics. Students are always welcome to approach Mrs. Carr or me if they have specific questions or need us to help them find a specific resource.”
While not well-known, the Mosaic Club at the middle school shares the same purpose as the GSA at the high school. Dr. Griffiths feels that these clubs are important to LGBTQ+ students.
Queer students may feel that they are alone in their struggles. This club is meant to bring queer people together to unite and feel belonged.
“I have always been a fierce ally and I have many family members and friends who identify as LGBTQ+. When the former advisor of the group had to step down last school year, I was asked to take on the role of advisor. I care deeply about the students in the group and I feel it is a privilege to get to work with them. I am pleased that Mrs. Carr has come on as a co-advisor this year,” shared Griffiths.
The Gender-Sexuality Alliance promises to guide and comfort queer students in their journey throughout high school. Griffiths wants the school to know that, “It’s easy for teenagers to feel isolated and like they are the only ones experiencing difficulty. This is especially true for LGBTQ+ teens. However, I want students to know that they are absolutely not alone. There is an incredible community of supporters here in Hudson and many organizations in the area that can help with almost any issue.”
Posters for the Gender-Sexuality Alliance are hanging throughout the school and the calendar dates can be accessed in their website and in their Google Classroom.
