top of page
Featured Posts

Gay Straight Alliance


As a relatively conservative school, one might not expect to see something like a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) take place at LVHS; however, it is and it is thriving.

Licking Valley High School senior Chelsey Wells serves as the president this year, the 2016-2017 school year.

Created in the 2014-2015 school year by Mr. Weaver’s eldest daughter, Zoe Weaver, the club started out small and insignificant to those outside of it. With a member count of about four to seven people, it wasn’t much of a force at first but most clubs aren’t a booming success right from the get-go anyways.

Members made posters announcing the club, did projects in order to call attention to the harm of stereotypes and the reality of homophobia.

It was during the 2015-2016 school year that the club ran into some obstacles. With Zoe gone, the club’s new and equally as ambitious leader Raleigh (formerly Marina) Miller had big plans for the small but at least now known about club. Starting the year off with a warm welcome and an assurance of safety and anonymity, there was nothing but hope in room 222 that Friday after school.

As the year flew by, GSA had many projects, some repeats from the previous year, some not. They started off with posters advertising the club and soon went on to realize that as a whole, focusing on helping those in the group took priority over bringing awareness to the school. With things like bullying and many people seeking help to come out, it was obvious there needed to be a shift, and so there was.

Every Friday members would be able to let go of the walls and worries that they had built throughout the day. They could ask questions without fear and feel a sense of community that isn’t present most of the time. We had days dedicated to different types of advice such as how to come out, whether or not a member should come out as well as its effects on their life and the lives of those around them. The Gay Straight Alliance also discussed gender identity and expression as well as the fact that there is no rush to find, or even to have, a label.

At the end of the year came the biggest and most successful project thus far: The Day of Silence. During the Day of Silence, participants remain completely silent throughout the school day or the entire day depending on what they chose. The silence is to commemorate or honor all the LGBTQ+ children, teens, and adults who have experienced harassment and/or a lack of support so severe that they felt no other choice but to harm themselves and/or commit suicide. It is to represent what the lives of everyone around them would be like if they were gone.

Due to its success, the group plans to participate in the event this year on April 21st and will be sitting at a table in the Commons during lunch periods to hand out participant information to those who want it. At the end of the day, they will then have a “Break the Silence” meeting after school in room 222 and all students and teachers are welcome to come whether they were able to participate or not.

For the first project this year, as many students might know, the GSA made a flag representing all of its members’ romantic orientation and gender identity. The flag was hung up in the math hallway near the middle of the beginning of the year. However, it didn’t last long. Due to confusion about what the flag represented, specifically due to the presence of the word ‘pansexual’ and the implication that the school endorses teenagers being sexual.

To ensure equity, the school policy now states that no club that isn’t school-sponsored is allowed to place posters or any other advertisements in the school.

To clarify, the flag was meant to show that other students who aren’t heterosexual or cisgender aren’t alone. It was also meant to show that GSA isn’t composed entirely of LGBTQ+ people, as there were also 4 straight flags on the entire flag itself. After a setback such as that, the club decided to use its voice by means of social media. An instagram account by the name @LVHSGSA1 contains posts about the group’s projects and other important information.

As a whole, Licking Valley High School’s Gay Straight Alliance was formed in order to spread awareness and acceptance and to educate those who are willing to listen.

They continue to spread that message to this day.

Recent Posts
Archive
Search By Tags
Follow Us
  • Facebook Basic Square
  • Twitter Basic Square
  • Google+ Basic Square
bottom of page