St. Louis High School’s new club Gender Sexuality Alliance, formerly known as Gay-Straight Alliance, will be holding a meeting Sept. 8, in Ms.Stowell’s room 107. This meeting will take place during lunch and after school allowing for students to be able to come when they are available. 

Due to Gay-Straight Alliance only referring to two sexualities, Stowell and student-advisor Curtis Brashaw decided it was best to change the name of the club for more diversity. any other GSA clubs changed their names to Gender Sexuality Alliance and SLHS decided to change the club name as well. The new name allows for more inclusiveness to all sexualities and genders. 

Ms. Stowell stated, “At our first meeting, we primarily want to get to know each other, and discuss the hopes and goals that each person has for the group. This will help us decide what the group will do moving forward this year.  We also will decide what days and times work best to hold regular meetings.” 

Stowell also added, “The importance of this club will depend on students’ individual needs. To some students, this will be the support they need, and therefore be vital to them. While other students who already have support from other places, may view this club as an extra opportunity to connect with their peers, or even to be that supportive person for others. No matter what, I feel it is important to our school as a whole, not just the members, because it is providing a culture of inclusion and representation.”

Brashaw expressed, “I am hoping that the people who attend will see that they have a safe space and community to talk about their experiences at St. Louis High School.” He believes that this club will bring the importance of having a safe and accepting environment to LGBTQ+ community and its supporters. GSA will also allow for students to express their opinion on how to improve SLHS and help become a more open school for the LGBTQ+ community. Brashaw also stated, “I think that just like any school, we experience a level of homophobia and prejudice that we could help fix and create a safe space for those who experience that.” 

Future member of GSA sophomore, Sophia Denman stated, “I’m hoping that GSA will make people in our school understand more about the LGBTQ+. I’m joining GSA because I’m a part of the LGBTQ+ community and I’m grateful to see people in the same community/supporters want to make a safe place for people like myself and feel welcome in our school.” 

Finally, Stowell expressed, “I am very proud of the students at SLHS. I feel that students here are generally open and accepting to others, and it is that culture that exists here already that helped lead to an open door for GSA to be created. I feel GSA is going to further promote acceptance at our school.  I have already had many students come up to me expressing their excitement for GSA this year, and I can already tell that there will be amazing leaders who emerge to help both our group, and school culture, grow.”