Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) is an organization that allows LGBT students to socialize and fight homophobia and transphobia, as well as allowing heterosexual students to support their LGBT peers and educate themselves. GSA is sponsored here by English II teacher Andria Benmuvhar.

I attended GSA this past Monday. Before doing so, I asked Mrs. Benmuvhar what regular attendance was like.

“On a good day we have five people. If every person who’s ever came showed up, we’d have about fifteen,” Benmuvhar said.

This was upsetting to hear. Fifteen people or less in a school of approximately 1200 is extremely marginal. When I attended on Monday, there were seven people besides Mrs. Benmuvhar.

This is a good start, but more representation is needed for the LGBT community at this school. Currently, there are no posters up in the hallways advertising the club and based off of the announcements listed on the school website it has not been advertised in the daily announcements for the past month, if not more.

There is a significant lack of student leadership in the club as well. There’s no president or vice president and no events have been planned outside of school. If students were to step up and take charge of advertising and planning for GSA, attendance would increase, as would acceptance of the LGBT community.

GSA meets every Monday after school in Mrs. Benmuvhar’s room. If you would like to show your support, please attend. Everyone is welcome.