To provide a safe community within the school, GSA provides an open space for students to express themselves and their identity. 

“The Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA) is a group that wants everyone to feel included and safe regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Everybody is a little bit different, so we don’t judge others,” GSA sponsor Brad Larson said. 

GSA meets Mondays and Thursdays after school on Google Meets. 

“Mondays are more formal, discussing specific issues and topics related to the LGBTQ+ community, and Thursdays are more informal – check-ins, discussions, games, and activities,” Larson said.

Sponsors Christina Sladek and Larson hope to support students with challenges and problems during COVID-19. 

“The hardest part of this year is not being able to see each other in person.  We can still connect online, but that is nowhere near the same as being together as a group and really getting to interact with each other and getting to know each other,” Larson said. 

Freshman Jamie Sticha hopes students join to educate themselves on the community. 

“GSA can inform many people about LGBTQ+ people as a group because not many people actually know about the different genders and sexualities that are in the community or even how gender, biological sex, and sexuality are different.  These are things that people are better off knowing rather than just being ignorant about them,” Sticha said.

Due to COVID-19, field trips planned were canceled in spring. 

“The Big Queer Gathering (BQG) at Elmhurst College was canceled due to COVID-19, so we couldn’t go to that,” Larson said. “We also often participate in a field trip during Pride Month, but that didn’t happen this year.”