"A Group of Lions Is a Pride": Launching a Gay-Straight Alliance in a Small Community School

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: Identity, Activism, and Resistance

Abstract

This session presents the experiences of students and advisors as they launch a new Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) in their small community high school. Having a GSA can result in increased student well-being, a safe space for LGBTQ youth and a safer school climate (Kitchen & Bellini, 2013; Marx & Kettrey, 2016). GSAs, however, still face issues within smaller communities and there is little research on starting a GSA (Hanna, 2017) especially in a small community (Snively, 2004). The results showed that the GSA had a largely positive affect on the student members, advisors, and the school climate. Although there was some pushback, the new GSA was successful in challenging heteronormative practices in the school and empowered the group moving forward.

Author

• Erin Mikulec, Illinois State University