Start A Do Something Club!
Grab 4 or more friends and take action in your community! We'll give you tons of resources to help you get started and easy project ideas to make a difference at your school. More
How To: Start a Gay-Straight Alliance at School
Whether you're an LGBT student plagued by anti-gay harassment, or a student who just wants to promote tolerance, you can take action Starting a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) educates and challenges the student body in the values of tolerance and works with the administration to make school a safe place.
- Write your club mission. What will this club do? Include educating the student body, working with the administration, and hosting events that encourage tolerance.
- Find a sponsor. A teacher or staff member could help by lending their classroom and attending your meetings (if you want). Ask the teacher in person, and don’t get discouraged if the first person you contact says no. You want to find a teacher or staff member who is comfortable with this issue because they will make your job easier if you have a tough situation.
- Start the paper work. Look in a student handbook or ask an administrator on how to start a club. If the administration refuses your application, tell them that GSAs are protected under the Federal Equal Access Act.
- Register as a Do Something Club. Whether or not your school agrees to sponsor you, your GSA can still be associated with us. We'll give you the resources, tips, and tools you need to make change in your community.
- Pick a place and time Maybe your sponsor can offer space.
- Tell you school staff and faculty. Just because they aren’t your sponsors, doesn’t mean other teachers can’t help. You can ask teachers to hang your club posters, and some may even want to attend meetings!
- Promote your meeting. Try morning announcements or ads in the school paper. Your posters and flyers may get defaced, so be persistent. Keep putting new ones up and discuss the vandalism on your next poster (“This poster will probably be victim to intolerance”).
- Outline meeting plans. This should probably include
- establishing rules and goals for the year
- activities and events you could plan
- creating officer positions needed to get things done.
- Host Your meeting. Follow your outline, listening to what everyone has to say about each topic. Everyone should have a voice, but remind people to make statements based on facts and civil rights, rather than stereotypes and generalization. This meeting should get people excited about creating change in the school community! And remember, snacks at the meeting always help!
Sources & Resources:
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- Let us know if you're going to do this...
- Email a friend about this idea.
- Find more info on other causes:
Gay Rights: Only 24 states and D.C. include sexual orientation in their hate crime legislation.
Comments
I am starting a club for gay rights.
Thank you for the suggestions.
My school is has already established a gay/straight alliance club at our school. Our president last year was a good friend and is a LGBT activist.
I started one in my high school now that im no longer in hs i really wanna start some in schools I know dont have one
we just started this club at my school and i am a proud member
Our school doesn't have one but I would love to start one sometime! These guidelines make it seem a lot easier, though.
I am currently undergoing the process of making a GSA with my friends. We want our HQ to be at school but if not, we will still continue to help out.
I now officially have the "Go" for us to have an informational meeting with the students :) Thanks so much for the article!
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