In an ideal society, Allentown High School (AHS) wouldn’t need a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people would all be accepted for who they are, and equality would be their inherent right. Although society is making great strides toward this ideal, we are not there yet.
Kudos to AHS students and staff who took the initiative to start a local GSA. Kudos to the administration for treating the proposal with the same fair hand it would lend to those who wanted to start other types of clubs.
We recognize the GSA’s potential to help provide students who might otherwise face ignorance, hatred and even persecution with a safe place where they can be together with open-minded people and feel accepted regardless of which stage they are in in terms of finding their identity.
We see the GSA as a means to generate more public dialogue that could actually result in political and other actions that get gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders the human rights and equality they deserve. We see the potential in today’s youth to change the world we live in while many television and radio programs, movies and people in general still perpetuate the use of homophobic language and stereotypes.
Like the Lifesavers Club at the high school, we hope the local GSA will bring in guest speakers, hold student panel discussions, participate in activism events and help in general with volunteerism throughout the community.
By its mere existence, we believe the GSA will bring AHS’ student population closer together and improve the lives of many closeted and fearful lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders, as well as straight students and those individuals who continue to question their identity.
It is vital for all communities to have public discourse about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. It is vital for all communities to show support for their youth regardless of anyone’s sexual orientation.
We take pride in the youths who started this club in an effort to better educate themselves and the student population, and we hope for them that one day soon identity politics will no longer be an issue in society.