Gay–straight Alliance
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A gay–straight alliance, gender–sexuality alliance (GSA) or queer–straight alliance (QSA) is a student-led or community-based organization, found in
middle schools Middle school, also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school, is an educational stage between primary school and secondary school. Afghanistan In Afghanistan, middle school includes g ...
,
high schools A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...
,
colleges A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary education, tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding academic degree, degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further educatio ...
, and
universities A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
. These are primarily in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. Gay–straight alliance is intended to provide a safe and supportive environment for
lesbian A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexu ...
, gay,
bisexual Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, or the attraction t ...
,
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
, and all
LGBTQ+ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The group i ...
individuals, children, teenagers, and youth as well as their cisgender heterosexual allies. The first GSAs were established in the 1980s. Scientific studies show that GSAs have positive academic, health, and social impacts on schoolchildren of a minority
sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of romantic attraction or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. Patterns ar ...
and/or
gender identity Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it. In most individuals, the various biological determinants of sex are congruent and consistent with the in ...
.Goodenow, C., Szalacha, L., & Westheimer, K. (2006). "School support groups, other school factors, and the safety of sexual minority adolescents." ''Psychology in the Schools'', 43(5), 573–589Toomey, R., Ryan, C., Diaz, R., & Russell, S. T. (2011). "High school gay–straight alliances (GSAs) and young adult well-being: An examination of GSA presence, participation, and perceived effectiveness." ''Applied Developmental Science'', 15(4), 175–185.Heck, N. C., Flentje, A., & Cochran, B. N. (2013). "Offsetting risks: High school gay–straight alliances and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth." ''Psychology Of Sexual Orientation And Gender Diversity'', 1(S), 81–90. doi:10.1037/2329-0382 Numerous judicial decisions in United States federal and state court jurisdictions have upheld the establishment of GSAs in schools, and the right to use that name for them.


Terminology

* ally – In the context of the founding in 1988, an ally is a cisgender, heterosexual person who supports equal rights for gay people and challenges
homophobia Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who identify or are perceived as being lesbian, Gay men, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred, or ant ...
. The meaning later expanded to include rights for all
LGBTQ+ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The group i ...
individuals, orientations, and gender identities. * Gay–Straight Alliance – name proposed by straight ally student Meredith Sterling for the original club in 1988. Sometimes with slash instead of dash. * Gay Straight Alliance – in title case, and without hyphen on the founder website. * gay–straight alliances – in lowercase, a generalized term for any club of this nature * Gay–Straight Alliance Network (GSA Network) – an organization founded in California in 1998 to support and promote GSAs. * gender–sexuality alliance – updated name for gay–straight alliance, the old name appearing "too binary" for a later generation * Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network – new name (2016) for the Gay–Straight Alliance Network * Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) – organization founded in 1990 in Boston * GSA – originally, designated a gay–straight alliance club, later, a gender–sexuality alliance club * QSA – is used for more inclusive use, as the community is more than 'Gay', the use of Queer being used allows other students that may fit the
queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are non-heterosexual or non- cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against LGBTQ people in the late 19th century. From the late 1980s, queer activists began to ...
definition, like
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
or
bisexual Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, or the attraction t ...
students, to be represented in these support groups. * Sexuality And Gender Acceptance/Awareness/Alliance/Association (SAGA) – unspecific general term, used as an alternative to both LGBTQ and GSA.


History


Founding


Concord Academy

The first gay–straight alliance was formed in November 1988 at
Concord Academy Concord Academy (also known as CA) is a coeducational, Independent school, independent University-preparatory school, college-preparatory school for boarding and day students in Concord, Massachusetts. CA educates approximately 400 students in ...
in
Concord, Massachusetts Concord () is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the town population was 18,491. The United States Census Bureau considers Concord part of Greater Boston. The town center is n ...
, when Kevin Jennings, a history teacher at the school who had just come out as gay, was approached by Meredith Sterling, a student at the school who was straight, but was upset by the treatment of gay students and others. Jennings recruited some other teachers at the school, thus forming the first gay–straight alliance. One of the first to join was Sterling's classmate S. Bear Bergman. Jennings credits students for both the establishment of the club, as well as for setting the agenda of struggling against homophobia, and for changes to CA's nondiscrimination policy. Jennings would go on to co-found the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in Boston in 1990. According to a thirty-year retrospective about the history of the group, Concord Academy reported in 2018 that students at the academy had renamed the group "a few years ago" to "". Faculty mentor Nancy Boutilier said, "That gay–straight language was really important at the time. Times change, though. To students today, that sounds so binary."


Phillips Academy

A few months after Concord started the first Gay Straight Alliance club, another Massachusetts preparatory school north of Boston,
Phillips Academy Phillips Academy (also known as PA, Phillips Academy Andover, or simply Andover) is a Private school, private, Mixed-sex education, co-educational college-preparatory school for Boarding school, boarding and Day school, day students located in ...
, started one of their own. It began with a meeting called by Phillips student Sharon Tentarelli for February 7, 1989, with little advance notice. A dozen people attended, including a mix of student, teachers, and staff. This was the second such group, after Concord Academy. The group was well-received, and some staff and faculty became supporters, both gay, and straight. Athletic director Kathy Henderson was one of the supporters, and she later went on to co-found the GLSEN two years later, along with Kevin Jennings of Concord Academy.


United States

Described as "perhaps the most important precursor of the GSA movement," Los Angeles' Project 10 is seen as the start of the GSA movement. Founded in 1984, Project 10 was widely recognized as the first organized effort to provide support for LGBTQ youth in schools across the United States. The majority of its facilitators were heterosexual, and was named after the commonly-held statistic that 10 per cent of the adult male population is "exclusively homosexual". Project 10 focused on issues such as substance use, and discussing issues of high-risk sexual behaviour. The first GSA was started in 1988, in
Concord, Massachusetts Concord () is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the town population was 18,491. The United States Census Bureau considers Concord part of Greater Boston. The town center is n ...
at
Concord Academy Concord Academy (also known as CA) is a coeducational, Independent school, independent University-preparatory school, college-preparatory school for boarding and day students in Concord, Massachusetts. CA educates approximately 400 students in ...
by Kevin Jennings. The first public school gay–straight alliance was started at Newton South High School (
Newton, Massachusetts Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located roughly west of Downtown Boston, and comprises a patchwork of thirteen villages. The city borders Boston to the northeast and southeast (via the neighborhoods of ...
) by teacher Robert Parlin. GSAs made headlines in 1999 with the Federal Court ruling in ''Utah–East High Gay/Straight Alliance v. Board of Education of Salt Lake City School District''. This ruling found that denying access to a school-based gay–straight alliance was a violation of the Federal
Equal Access Act The Equal Access Act is a United States federal law passed as Title VIII of the Education for Economic Security Act in 1984 to compel federally funded public secondary schools to provide equal access to extracurricular student clubs. Lobbied fo ...
giving students the right to use facilities for extra curricular activities at any school that receives public funding—regardless of private standing or religious affiliation. On January 24, 2012, the
United States Secretary of Education The United States secretary of education is the head of the United States Department of Education. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States, and the federal government, on policies, programs, and activi ...
,
Arne Duncan Arne Starkey Duncan (born November 6, 1964) is an American educator and former professional basketball player who served as the 9th United States secretary of education from 2009 to 2015 and as Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools ...
, released a video on YouTube commemorating GSA Day and endorsing GSA clubs in schools.


Inclusivity

Approximately 28 per cent of participants at GSA Network identify as heterosexual.


Opposition

Some students face opposition from school administrations, elected school boards, or local communities in starting a school GSA. In 2015, students at Brandon High School in Rankin County, Mississippi, attempted to start a GSA, but the school board met and publicly stated they wanted to prevent the formation of "gay clubs" in the school district. They then created a policy requiring parents to provide written permission before a student can join any club. Students then protested with support from the
ACLU The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit civil rights organization founded in 1920. ACLU affiliates are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The budget of the ACLU in 2024 was $383 million. ...
. Students at
West Carteret High School West Carteret High School is a public secondary school located in Morehead City, North Carolina on Country Club Road, and is part of the Carteret County Public Schools system. The school serves the student populations of Morehead City, Newport, ...
in
Morehead City, North Carolina Morehead City is a port city in Carteret County, North Carolina, Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its foundi ...
, tried to start a GSA but the Carteret County Board of Education turned it down. In 1999, the
Orange Unified School District Orange Unified School District (OUSD) is a Public school (government funded), public school district headquartered in Orange, California. Orange USD serves the cities of Orange, California, Orange and Villa Park, California, Villa Park, the un ...
in
Orange County, California Orange County (officially the County of Orange; often initialized O.C.) is a county (United States), county located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population ...
, moved to prohibit the formation of a GSA at
El Modena High School El Modena High School, colloquially called El Mo or ElMo, is a traditional four-year public high school located in the El Modena neighborhood of the City of Orange in Orange County, California. It is one of four high schools in the Orange Unifie ...
. The students then sued the school board, claiming that their rights under the
First Amendment First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
and the 1984
Equal Access Act The Equal Access Act is a United States federal law passed as Title VIII of the Education for Economic Security Act in 1984 to compel federally funded public secondary schools to provide equal access to extracurricular student clubs. Lobbied fo ...
had been violated. In the first-ever ruling of its kind, Judge David O. Carter of the
United States District Court for the Central District of California The United States District Court for the Central District of California (in case citations, C.D. Cal.; commonly referred to as the CDCA or CACD) is a United States district court, federal trial court that serves over 19 million people in South ...
issued a preliminary injunction ordering the school to allow the GSA to meet. The right of students to establish a GSA at school is guaranteed by both the
First Amendment to the United States Constitution The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prevents Federal government of the United States, Congress from making laws respecting an Establishment Clause, establishment of religion; prohibiting the Free Exercise Cla ...
(with regard to every level of schooling) and the federal
Equal Access Act The Equal Access Act is a United States federal law passed as Title VIII of the Education for Economic Security Act in 1984 to compel federally funded public secondary schools to provide equal access to extracurricular student clubs. Lobbied fo ...
(with regard to secondary schools as long as other student clubs are allowed, with the definition of secondary school for purposes of the federal law including middle schools and high schools).


Case law

In the United States, the right of students to establish a GSA at school is guaranteed by both the
First Amendment to the United States Constitution The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prevents Federal government of the United States, Congress from making laws respecting an Establishment Clause, establishment of religion; prohibiting the Free Exercise Cla ...
(with regard to every level of schooling) and the federal
Equal Access Act The Equal Access Act is a United States federal law passed as Title VIII of the Education for Economic Security Act in 1984 to compel federally funded public secondary schools to provide equal access to extracurricular student clubs. Lobbied fo ...
(with regard to secondary schools where other student clubs are allowed, with the definition of secondary school for purposes of the federal law including middle schools and high schools). Since 1998, there have been at least 17 federal court cases in which high school and middle school students have conclusively prevailed in defending the free exercise of their civil rights on this issue, with federal courts consistently ruling that students have both a right to establish a GSA at school and to use the name ''Gay–Straight Alliance'' instead of an alternative name. In 2000, the
United States District Court for the Central District of California The United States District Court for the Central District of California (in case citations, C.D. Cal.; commonly referred to as the CDCA or CACD) is a United States district court, federal trial court that serves over 19 million people in South ...
ruled in favour of high school students whose attempt to form a GSA had been blocked by the school board, in the case of ''Colin v. Orange Unified School District''. In 2009, the
United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (in case citations, M.D. Fla.) is a federal court in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, Eleventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against ...
ruled in favor of high school students whose attempt to form a GSA had been blocked by the school board, in the case of ''Gay–Straight Alliance of Yulee High School v. School Board of Nassau County'', with the federal court also ruling that the school must allow the students to use the name ''Gay–Straight Alliance'' instead of an alternative name that excludes the term ''Gay''. In 2016, the
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (in case citations, 11th Cir.) is a federal appellate court over the following U.S. district courts: * Middle District of Alabama * Northern District of Alabama * Southern District ...
unanimously ruled in favor of middle school students whose attempt to form a GSA had been blocked by the school board, in the case of ''Carver Middle School Gay–Straight Alliance v. School Board of Lake County, Florida''.


Outside the United States

Worldwide, gay–straight alliances are not as common as the organizations are in the United States, but are beginning to spread, particularly in Canada.


Australia

As of July 2020, as reported by the media Star Observer, Australia has one gay–straight alliance set up within the
Melbourne Grammar School Melbourne Grammar School is an Australian private school, private Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican Day school, day and boarding school. It comprises a co-educational preparatory school from Prep to Year 6 and a middle school and senior s ...
. However, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada and some parts of the United States have had gay–straight alliances within schools for decades. In Australia, the group Safe Schools Coalition Victoria piloted a system of reducing homophobia though teacher training and student groups that promote inclusion of LGBTQ young people, which ran from 2014 to 2017. Started by The Foundation for Young Australians and Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria, along with La Trobe University, the program was expanded to run Australia wide. The program was supported by Beyondblue, Headspace, the
University of Canberra The University of Canberra (UC) is a public university, public research university with its main campus located in Bruce, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The campus is from Belconnen Town Centre, and from Canberra's Civic, Australian ...
,
Macquarie University Macquarie University ( ) is a Public university, public research university in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the Sydney metropolitan area. ...
,
University of Western Sydney Western Sydney University, formerly the University of Western Sydney, is an Australian multi-campus public research university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The university in its current form was founde ...
,
Curtin University Curtin University (previously Curtin University of Technology and Western Australian Institute of Technology) is an Australian public university, public research university based in Bentley, Western Australia, Bentley, Perth, Western Australia. ...
, various family planning and HIV prevention groups, government bodies and Uniting Church organizations.


Bulgaria

In 2016, Bulgaria became the first country in the
Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...
to open a gay–straight alliance in Sofia American College.


Canada

As Canada has two official languages, LGBTQ student clubs may be referred to as gay–straight alliances (GSA), queer-straight alliances (QSA), alliance allosexuelle-hétérosexuelle (AAH), or alliance gaie-hétéro (AGH). In May 2010 Egale Canada launched MyGSA.ca, a website focused on GSAs and their role in making Canadian schools safer and more LGBTQ inclusive. Their website includes educational resources for GSAs and information about available bursaries and funding. While MyGSA previously included a directory of registered Canadian GSA, this feature is no longer available on their website. Prior to closing the public directory, more than 283 GSAs had registered with the website. Currently there are no federal laws in Canada regarding GSAs. Any laws are specific to each province or territory.


= British Columbia

= The first GSA in Canada was started in 1998 at
Pinetree Secondary School Pinetree Secondary School is a high school in School District 43 Coquitlam. It is located in Coquitlam, British Columbia across from Lafarge Lake, Town Centre Park and next to the David Lam Campus of Douglas College, Pinetree shares several fac ...
in
Coquitlam Coquitlam ( ) is a city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Mainly suburban, Coquitlam is the List of cities in British Columbia, sixth-largest city in the province, with an estimated population of 174,248 in 2024, and one of th ...
, British Columbia. The start of the Pinetree GSA garnered national media attention, and its members continued to play a role in public affairs by meeting with successive provincial Ministers of Education, testifying before the B.C. Safe Schools Task Force on anti-bullying, and delivering workshops to students and educators about LGBT-sensitive inclusive language and how to start GSAs. In early 2002, the Pinetree GSA held the first Pride Day at a high school in Canada. The Pride Day included an information fair with booths from various local LGBTQ organizations, PrideTalk workshops delivered in numerous classes, and an assembly with a talk on transgender rights and a performance by G.L.A.S.S., a local LGBTQ youth choir. As of 2011, 41% of schools in British Columbia were reported to have a GSA.


= Alberta

= The first GSA in
Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...
was started in 2000 at the Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School in
Red Deer The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or Hart (deer), hart, and a female is called a doe or hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Ir ...
. While members initially feared backlash, there was little-to-no negative reaction to the club. In 2011, the
Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
public school board introduced a policy which mandates that all school principals must establish a GSA if asked for one by students. The same year, the school board assigned a district consultant to provide support for GSAs within the city and host a monthly meeting for GSA members to network. In 2017, the NDP government of Alberta introduced Bill 24, the ''Act to Support Gay–Straight Alliances'', which mandated that all schools within the province allow student to create a GSA, allow them to explicitly name it a gay–straight alliance or queer-straight alliance, and prohibits school officials from notifying parents if their child joined a GSA. Schools that do not comply with the bill's requirement are subject to lose government funding. Following the release of the bill, there was disapproval from some politicians and parents. In April 2018, the
Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) is a Canadian legal advocacy group, advocacy organization specializing in a libertarian approach to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The libertarian organisation has partnered w ...
(JCCF) filed a Court of Queen's Bench challenge application claiming that prohibiting school officials from notifying parents when their child joins a GSA violates their constitutional rights. The
New Democratic Party of Alberta The Alberta New Democratic Party (Alberta NDP; ), is social democracy, social democratic List of political parties in Alberta, political party in Alberta, Canada. The party sits on the Centre-left politics, centre-left to Left-wing politics, left ...
filibustered for changes to the Bill 8 (The Education Amendment Act) since the
United Conservative Party The United Conservative Party of Alberta (UCP) is a conservative political party in the province of Alberta, Canada. It was established in July 2017 as a merger between the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta and the Wildrose Party ...
(UCP) defeated all amendments that would protect LGBTQ teachers and staff over their sexual orientation and gender identity. The UCP have removed protections that were in the 2017 Bill 24, Bill 8 allows for students to be outed by school teachers, administration or staff if a student asks for there to be a GSA or QSA. Albertan schools are no longer compelled to act in an urgent manner in the student's request for a GSA or QSA, allowing the school to take as much time as desired without facing penalties that were in Bill 24.


= Saskatchewan

= In
Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...
, Carlton Comprehensive High School houses one of the first GSA movements in the city of
Prince Albert Prince Albert most commonly refers to: *Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819–1861), consort of Queen Victoria *Albert II, Prince of Monaco (born 1958), present head of state of Monaco Prince Albert may also refer to: Royalty * Alb ...
. The first GSA in the city of
Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
first met on March 18, 2003, at Mount Royal Collegiate. Since then, GSAs have been established at Nutana, Walter Murray, Evan Hardy, Marion Graham, Bedford Road and Aden Bowman Collegiates. The city of North Battleford Saskatchewan, had their first GSA in 2004 at Sakewew High School, a
First Nations First nations are indigenous settlers or bands. First Nations, first nations, or first peoples may also refer to: Indigenous groups *List of Indigenous peoples *First Nations in Canada, Indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Mé ...
school. Saskatchewan's first GSA summit took place on April 15, 2016, in Saskatoon.


= Manitoba

= In 2013, the Manitoba government introduced Bill 18, ''The Public Schools Amendment Act (Safe and Inclusive Schools)''. This act required school board to accommodate all student requests to form GSAs.


= Ontario

= The first elementary school GSA in
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
was started in 2008 at the Sunnyside Public School in Kitchener. In
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, Arnprior District High school, a small rural Ottawa Valley town started a GSA created by the students in 2009. This GSA won one of three
Jer's Vision The ''Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity'' (CCGSD) was a Canadian charitable organization that operated from 2005 to 2024. CCGSD worked towards stopping bullying, discrimination, and homophobia in schools and communities in Canada. C ...
"Youth Role Model of The Year" awards in April 2009. The next year a GSA was founded by students in 2010 at Renfrew Collegiate Institute in the town of
Renfrew Renfrew (; ; ) is a town west of Glasgow in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It is the historic county town of Renfrewshire. Called the "Cradle of the Royal Stewarts" for its early link with Scotland's former royal house, Renfrew gaine ...
. In December 2011, the government of the most populous Canadian province, Ontario, announced it would bring a legislation making it mandatory for all publicly funded schools to support the formation of "tolerance clubs" and student associations. Gay–straight clubs were to be specifically mentioned in that act. The main focus of that Bill 14 would be to counterattack bullying of students, particularly those of a racial or sexual minority. Beyond a school group the
Toronto District School Board The Toronto District School Board (TDSB), formerly known as English-language Public District School Board No. 12 prior to 1999, is the English-language public-secular school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The minority public-secular franco ...
has been committed to an unwritten alliance with their students. In addition to co-hosting the OUTShine GSA National Summit in 2013, they funded the Triangle Program at OASIS Alternative School, designed for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students who are at risk of dropping out or committing
self-harm Self-harm refers to intentional behaviors that cause harm to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own skin tissues, usually without suicidal intention. Other terms such as cutting, self-abuse, self-injury, and s ...
because of harassment in regular schools. As of 2011, 37% of schools in Ontario were reported to have a GSA.


= Quebec

=


= New Brunswick

= In 2008, the non-profit organization Pride in Education was founded to protect the safety and wellbeing of LGBTQ students in
New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
. In 2010, they held the first annual Pride in Education GSA Conference for students and teachers interested in creating GSAs. The first GSA in
New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
was founded in 2013 at Woodstock High School following the suggestion of Svend Robinson.


= Prince Edward Island

= The
University of Prince Edward Island The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is a public university in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the only university in the province. Founded in 1969, the enabling legislation is the ''University Act, R.S.P.E.I 2000.'' H ...
's
Social Justice Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...
Studies program founded shOUT!, an annual conference aimed as GSAs but open to the public, in 2013.


= Nova Scotia

= In 1998, The Youth Project, a non-profit focused on LGBTQ youth in
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
, received funding from
Health Canada Health Canada (HC; )Health Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Health (). is the Structure of the Canadian federal government#Departments, with subsidiary units, department of the Gove ...
to increase education about LGBTQ in schools. Through this initiative, the organization was able to found the first GSA in Nova Scotia at Millwood High School. The Youth Project currently hosts a list of all GSAs in the province on their website.


= Newfoundland and Labrador

= The first GSA conference in
Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...
was held at Corner Brook Regional High in 2013.


= Yukon

= While the
Yukon Yukon () is a Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada, bordering British Columbia to the south, the Northwest Territories to the east, the Beaufort Sea to the north, and the U.S. state of Alaska to the west. It is Canada’s we ...
Department of Education does not have specific legislation regarding GSA, it does have a policy which mandates safety and inclusion for LGBTQ students which has been used in the justification for GSAs. Additionally, the territory mandates that all schools must appoint a staff member as a "safe contact" to provide support for LGBTQ students. In 2013, a group of student requested to start a GSA at Vanier Catholic Secondary in
Whitehorse Whitehorse () is the capital of Yukon, and the largest city in Northern Canada. It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1426 (Historic Mile 918) on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas ...
. The school initially denied this request as it conflicted with the school's Catholic, anti-gay policies. Students of the school protested the denial by wearing pink shirts and holding a
sit-in A sit-in or sit-down is a form of direct action that involves one or more people occupying an area for a protest, often to promote political, social, or economic change. The protestors gather conspicuously in a space or building, refusing to mo ...
at the Yukon legislative building and wearing
rainbow A rainbow is an optical phenomenon caused by refraction, internal reflection and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a continuous spectrum of light appearing in the sky. The rainbow takes the form of a multicoloured circular ...
socks to their graduation ceremony. Following the protests, the Yukon Department of Education overturned the school's policy regarding GSAs as it did not meet the mandates outlines in the department's Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Policy


= Northwest Territories

=


= Nunavut

= The only GSA in
Nunavut Nunavut is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' and the Nunavut Land Claims Agr ...
is at Inuksuk High School in
Iqaluit Iqaluit is the capital of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. It is the territory's largest community and its only city, and the northernmost city in Canada. It was known as Frobisher Bay from 1942 to 1987, after the large bay on the coast on ...
.Ritchot, Mélanie. (20 February 2021)
'New LGBTQ society gets off the ground in Iqaluit'
'' Nunatsiaq News''.
Iqaluit Iqaluit is the capital of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. It is the territory's largest community and its only city, and the northernmost city in Canada. It was known as Frobisher Bay from 1942 to 1987, after the large bay on the coast on ...


Hong Kong

In 2008, students at
The University of Hong Kong The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is a public university, public research university in Pokfulam, Hong Kong. It was founded in 1887 as the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese by the London Missionary Society and formally established as t ...
founded Queer Straight Alliance (QSA), a registered society under Hong Kong laws. For several years it was the only GSA in the city, and it serves students in all campuses through social activities, career support and advocacy. In more recent years, university students in the city have formed other student LGBTQ groups. However, GSA efforts in secondary schools remain limited, if any.


India

The first GSA in India was started in Tagore International School in New Delhi in 2014 by a group of students and their mentor Shivanee Sen who had formed a pro-LGBTQ group initiative known as 'Breaking Barriers' which was the first student-led campaign in India to address LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex) issues. This group was first inspired to care and focus on the lives of oppressed students and hijras, a community of transgender women, intersex individuals, and
eunuchs A eunuch ( , ) is a male who has been castration, castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function. The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2 ...
in India who are marginalized both socially and economically. At Presidency University, Kolkata, around 100 students have formed a GSA group called Ardhek Akash, which also produces a magazine of the same name. In recent months the group has formed new chapters at
Jadavpur University Jadavpur University ( abbr. JU) is a public state funded research university with its main campus located at Jadavpur, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It was established on 25 July in 1906 as ''Bengal Technical Institute'' and was converted into ...
and St. Xavier's College—also in Calcutta—and is looking to expand further.


Mexico

The first GSA in Mexico was begun by a group of students in 2004 at the American School Foundation, a private American school in Mexico City. The GSA was initially opposed by several school board members and a small group of religious conservative parents. But the students eventually won and formed the student club. The GSA's co-advisor, Ian K. Macgillivray, wrote several articles detailing his students' experiences, as well as the book, ''Gay–Straight Alliances: A Handbook for Students, Educators, and Parents'' (2007, Harrington Park Press).


Netherlands

The first GSAs in the Netherlands were started in 2009. At the beginning of 2011, a nationwide campaign was started on television to promote GSAs in Dutch schools, featuring several well-known young actors and singers. A number of GSAs already exist in a wide variety of Dutch schools throughout the country, most of them at the university level, but increasingly popular on secondary school level.


New Zealand

Nelson College Nelson College is the oldest state secondary school in New Zealand, a feat achieved in part thanks to its original inception as a private school. It is an all-boys school in the City of Nelson that teaches from years 9 to 13. In addition, it r ...
, the Nelson College for Girls, Nayland College and other schools have had GSAs set up, often with the support of youth mental health bodies. Kira Byrne, a GSA leader at Nelson College for Girls, says that the legalization of
same-sex marriage in New Zealand Same-sex marriage has been legal in New Zealand since 19 August 2013. A Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013, bill for legalisation was passed by the New Zealand House of Representatives, House of Representatives on 17 April 20 ...
in 2013 created shifts in attitudes towards LGBTQ people in New Zealand, but that boys at Nelson College were afraid to go to the GSA there because "other boys would wait outside to beat up anyone that came out."


Portugal

ILGA Portugal, inspired by the gay–straight alliance model, introduced the Aliança da Diversidade (Diversity Alliance) project in the northern region of the country. The initiative, similar to GSA, aimed to establish secondary level student groups, including teachers, to enhance the safety and inclusivity of Portuguese schools. The focus was on fostering an environment that embraced diversity, particularly regarding
sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring personal pattern of romantic attraction or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. Patterns ar ...
,
gender identity Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it. In most individuals, the various biological determinants of sex are congruent and consistent with the in ...
and expression, and
sex characteristics Sexual characteristics are physical traits of an organism (typically of a sexually dimorphic organism) which are indicative of or resultant from biological sexual factors. These include both primary sex characteristics, such as gonads, and sec ...
(SOGIESC). The primary objectives included integrating LGBTI students, eradicating the various forms of discrimination experienced related to SOGIESC within the school context. The overarching goals were aligned with promoting citizenship, human rights, and gender equality. The project received co-financing from the Programa Operacional de Inclusão Social e Emprego, Portugal 2020, and the European Social Fund. As a complementary effort to ADD, a national school environment Study was initiated. This study aimed to gather insights into the experiences of LGBTI or questioning youth. Telmo Fernandes, the ADD project coordinator, highlighted that the collected responses underscored the persistent issues of isolation and discrimination, emphasizing the need for the intended change. Alianças da Diversidade groups were established in various schools across the country, including locations such as
Ovar Ovar ( or ) is a city and a municipality in Aveiro District, Baixo Vouga Subregion in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 55,398, in an area of 147.70 km2. It had 42,582 eligible voters (2006). The municipality includes two cities: Ovar (16 ...
municipality, Ramada parish and in the city of Ermesinde. The project officially ran from mid-2017 to February 2019, but the groups created during this period could continue independently, promoting the same objectives. In addition to the ADD project, GSA-like groups have also been formed in universities, including those in
Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
and
Braga Braga (; ) is a cities of Portugal, city and a Municipalities of Portugal, municipality, capital of the northwestern Portugal, Portuguese Braga (district), district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality ...
.


United Kingdom

In the UK, there has always been more of an emphasis on stand alone lesbian and gay youth groups that take place outside of the school setting, often funded by the local health authority or education service. The first GSA in the UK was founded in 2000 by
CN Lester CN Lester (born 1984) is a British classical and alternative music, alternative singer-songwriter, as well as an LGBT rights, LGBT and transgender rights activist. They were rated 41st on ''The Independent on Sundays 2013 Pink List, which ack ...
at Putney High School GDST, and led in part to the formation of Queer Youth Network. The second GSA in the UK was started in 2010 at Shimna Integrated College in Northern Ireland. Another GSA started in 2012 by Copland Community school in Wembley. The setting up of the club has subsequently resulted in the school being known for "tackling homophobic prejudice". Acland Burghley school in Camden set up a gay–straight alliance in 2012 called ''Connected''.


Goal

The goal of most gay–straight alliances is to make their school community safe, facilitate activism on campus, and create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ students. They are part of the LGBT student movement and participate in national campaigns to raise awareness, such as the Day of Silence, National Coming Out Day, No Name Calling Week,
Transgender Day of Remembrance The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), also known as the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, has been observed annually from its inception on November 20 to memorialize those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia. The ...
, Harvey Milk Day, GSA day or locally organized campaigns, such as Take It Back: Anti-Slur Campaign, Beyond the Binary, LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum and others. Many GSAs work with local chapters of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) or Gay–Straight Alliance Network, a national organization supporting youth leadership. The registered number of GSAs with GLSEN is over 4,000, as of 2008. In California, there are over 900 GSAs registered with GSA Network, representing over half of California's high schools. Over half the states in the United States have one or more statewide groups that work with GSAs. Many of these state based groups and local chapters of GLSEN participate in the National Association of GSA Networks. GSA Networks have been formed to help local area students to network and connect to local resources, provide training for youth leaders, and sponsor local GSA efforts. The inclusion of cisgender heterosexual allies in the missions of these groups "is an important distinguishing factor from early support groups for LGBTQ teens, and recognizes the need for a comprehensive approach to youth safety", and attempts to build a network of support for
non-heterosexual Non-heterosexual is a word for a sexual orientation or sexual identity that is not heterosexual. The term helps define the "concept of what is the norm and how a particular group is different from that norm". ''Non-heterosexual'' is used in fe ...
and
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
teens, as well as raise awareness of
homophobia Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who identify or are perceived as being lesbian, Gay men, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred, or ant ...
and heterosexism.


Impact


Outcomes


Social

LGBTQ students routinely experience harassment in their schools. However, GSAs and other support clubs have been found to provide social support for LGBTQ students. Students have reported hearing homophobic remarks from both students and instructors in their schools.[null Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., Bartkiewicz, M. J., Boesen, M. J., & Palmer, N. A. (2011). The 2011 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in our nation's schools. New York: Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network.] In addition, the more harassment students reported, the more likely the student also reported higher levels of depression and lower self-esteem. However, LGBTQ students attending a school with an active support club reported hearing less homophobic expressions and experienced less victimization than LGBTQ students attending a school without a GSA or support club. In addition, LGBTQ students with a GSA in their high school reported more positive outcomes when it came to high school belonging and school victimization. In addition to the mere presence of a GSA on campus, level of participation in a GSA has also been linked to the amount of social support reported by LGBTQ students. A 2011 study by Toomey, Ryan, Diaz and Russell (2011) found that the presence of a GSA, participation in a GSA, and perceived effectiveness of a GSA were each individually associated with youth's well-being. In certain cases, research showed these three factors protected youth's well-being against victimization. Furthermore, youths who participated in a GSA reported lower levels of depression and higher self-esteem. GSAs are important not only at the individual level, but also to promote the education of LGBTQ issues to school populations.Stonefish, T., & Lafreniere, K. D. (2015). "Embracing Diversity: The Dual Role of Gay–Straight Alliances." ''Canadian Journal of Education'', 38(4). GSA's have been found to promote social activism. Researchers have argued that GSAs are a grassroots student initiated form of activism. The same researchers claimed that GSAs are important to challenge the status quo, confront discrimination, and reconceptualize gender.


Academic

LGBTQ youths in schools across the US are subject to serious obstacles that may impact their ability to perform in school. A 2011 study found that two thirds of LGBTQ students reported feeling unsafe at school. Some students felt so unsafe that they reported missing school due to safety concerns. The same study found that the GPA of LGBTQ children was, on average, half a grade lower than straight. This may be an indicator that LGBTQ youth face different barriers to education than straight youth. LGBTQ youth's school experience may impact their life decisions. LGBTQ youth in high school were less likely to report that they wanted to pursue further education than straight youth. These findings suggest that LGBTQ youths' negative experiences in primary education relate to their decision not to continue on in the education system. This then robs LGBTQ youth of all of the opportunities that advanced education offers. However, an active GSA on a high school campus has been associated with better academic outcomes for LGBTQ students. LGBTQ youth attending schools with an active GSA were less likely to report feeling unsafe at school and were less likely to miss school due to a threat to their safety. Additionally, LGBTQ youths who had an active GSA at their high school reported higher educational attainment than LGBTQ youth who did not have a GSA on their high school campus.


Health

GSAs/QSAs are associated with better mental health outcomes, such as less depression, less general psychological distress, and higher self-esteem than students without a GSA at their high school. The positive impacts of GSAs/QSAs in students' lives include: increase in school attendance and attachment to the school, sense of empowerment and hope, new friendships, reduction in stress and isolation, increase in confidence and sense of pride. Students in schools that had an active GSA also reported less truancy"Gay–straight alliances are associated with student health: A multi school comparison of LGBTQ and heterosexual youth." ''Journal of Research on Adolescence'', 23, 319–330.). LGBTQ students with a support club in their school also reported lower levels of victimization and suicide attempts in comparison to schools without a support group). GSAs have also been associated with other reduced health risk factors. LGBTQ students with a GSA in their high school reported more positive outcomes when it came to alcohol use and problems related to alcohol use. LGBTQ students with support groups in their schools reported half as much dating violence and less casual sex. Students with an active GSA in their high school were also less likely to be threatened or injured at school in comparison to students without an active GSA.


On students

GSAs are associated with benefits for LGBTQ students while they are attending school and beyond. The next important step is to understand why GSAs are associated with these benefits. One qualitative study found that the most beneficial aspect of a GSA was that it provides direct support to LGBTQ members and helps create a support network for LGBTQ students by connecting them. Another qualitative study found that GSAs were beneficial to LGBTQ students because they act as a protective factor for LGBTQ students' educational and social experience in school. The study further explained that GSAs provided LGBTQ students with a sense of identity within their school, improved their self-esteem, and even provided students with courage and support to come out to their families and peers. One study investigated some of the possible factors within GSAs to discover which specific components of GSAs were associated with which beneficial outcomes. This study found that when GSA advisors served for longer periods of time, students had better health outcomes. In addition, LGBTQ students who perceived they had more control over their GSA experience and LGBTQ students who perceived their school to be more supportive had healthier outcomes. In addition, this study reported that "students level of GSA advocacy also predicted students' sense of life purpose."


After secondary school

The relationship between having a GSA in a high school and attitudes towards LGBTQ individuals does not end after high school. The mere presence of a GSA, whether or not students participated in said GSA, is related to students' attitudes toward LGBTQ people beyond their time in their high school. University students who reported having a GSA in their high school were more likely to report positive attitudes towards LGBTQ individuals while attending their university. This was true for all students except students who were raised in the southern U.S. where having a GSA in one's high school actually correlated with less positive attitudes toward LGBTQ individuals.


Summary

GSAs are associated with positive social academic and health outcomes for LGBTQ students. The relationship between having a GSA in one's high school and certain positive social outcomes is known to last beyond high school, however little beyond that is known about the long lasting associations with high school GSAs. Further research should be conducted on the lasting effects if GSAs for LGBTQ individuals. Researchers have also claimed that GSAs are important not only to LGBTQ students, but also to change the school climate as a whole to be more informed and respectful of LGBTQ issues. It has also been claimed that GSAs are important to get students involved in social activism. Researchers should investigate the relationship between having a GSA in a high school the school's social climate. Due to the positive associations between GSAs and student outcomes, school faculty including school psychologists and counselors should become social justice advocates for LGBTQ students by supporting GSAs on their campuses.


Accomplishments

The various accomplishments since the founding of the GSAs include: * GSAs have played a great leadership role in the grassroots by organizing the passage of many ground-breaking, statewide legislations, like the AB 537: The California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2000 which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. * It has achieved a critical victory as the plaintiff in the first lawsuit filed under AB 537; which was a three-year settlement agreement which required the Visalia schools to enact sweeping reforms including mandatory teacher and student trainings that would be supportive to LGBTQ students. * It also helped to pass 11 key laws to protect LGBTQ youth and create safer school environment. * They also launched the National Association of GSA Networks in 2005 to unite statewide organizations to support GSAs and to accelerate the growth and impact of the GSA movement nationwide. To date, there are 40 states which have joined the National Association in the United States of America alone.


GSA Network

The GSA Network is an LGBTQ rights organization founded in 1998 by Carolyn Laub to empower youth activists to start GSA clubs in their respective schools to motivate and inspire fellow students to fight against
homophobia Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who identify or are perceived as being lesbian, Gay men, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred, or ant ...
and
transphobia Transphobia consists of negative attitudes, feelings, or actions towards transgender or transsexual people, or transness in general. Transphobia can include fear, aversion, hatred, violence or anger towards people who do not conform to socia ...
. Laub initially started working with this movement in 40 GSA clubs in the San Francisco Bay area during 1988–99 and then gradually expanded to other cities and states. By 2001, The GSA Network became a statewide organization having branches in other schools in different parts of the state. In the year 2005, it began operating programs nationally. The year 2008 saw the GSA network become incorporated as its own independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Prior to that, it was a fiscally sponsored project of The Tides Center. In 2015, the network hired two long time staff to serve as Co-Executive Directors to replace outgoing founder and Executive Director Carolyn Laub. In 2016, the ''Gay–Straight Alliance Network'' formally changed its name to ''Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network'' and continues to network organizations representing over 4000 GSA clubs across the nation. The GSA Network organization is based in Oakland and has regional offices in Los Angeles,
Fresno Fresno (; ) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley region. It covers a ...
, Chicago, and Atlanta.


See also

*
Campus Pride Campus Pride is an American national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded by M. Chad Wilson, Sarah E. Holmes and Shane L. Windmeyer in 2001 which serves lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and ally student leaders and/or campus o ...
(US) * National Union of Students LGBT Campaign (UK) * NOH8 Campaign * Queer Youth Network (UK) * Homosocialization * Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Straight Alliance (GLBTSA)


References


Citations in text


Bibliography

*


Sources

* Denina, Chris. "Gay Club Loses Touro OK." ''Vallejo Times-Herald'', September 9, 2006: A

* Buchanan, Wyatt. "Gay rights group's charter is revoked." ''San Francisco Chronicle'', September 12, 2006: B5.

* American Medical Student Association. September 11, 2006: "Medical Students at TU to protest Abolition of Gay–Straight Alliance Group" rchive.org/web/20081003224051/https://web.archive.org/web/20081003224051/http://www.amsa.org/news/release2.cfx?id=278* Gay Lesbian Medical Association. September 9, 2006: "GLMA Decries Decision by Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine to Ban Gay Straight Alliance Student Group.

* Denina, Chris. "Touro's provost says gay group wasn't dropped." ''Vallejo Times-Herald'', September 12, 2006: A1.

* Buchanan, Wyatt. "Gay rights group not banned, school says." ''San Francisco Chronicle''. September 13, 2006: B4

* * Press release GSA Netherlands


External links


Gay Straight Alliance

Site for Gay–Straight Alliances to register with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)

GSA Network

Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Official Site

MyGSA.ca Canadian GSA Directory

Gay/Straight Alliances: A Student Guide


* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20080828045814/http://www.queeryouth.org.uk/ Queer Youth Alliance website (UK)
"Hineini: Coming Out in a Jewish High School," 2005 documentary film profiling a student's attempt to start a GSA at her Jewish High School


* ttp://vimeo.com/1668116/ ''Can LBGTQ + School = Safe?'', instructional video for youth on how to start a GSA at their high school.
''Fish Almost Eaten By a Shark'', Documentary. Beyondmedia Education partners with a 17-year-old latina student who tries to start a GSA at her public high school.

GLSEN
{{Authority control LGBTQ student organizations Youth empowerment organizations History of youth Civil rights organizations LGBTQ and education