Looking for safe place? Looking for new friends who have similar experiences? Wanting to learn more about gender, sexuality, and the LGBQT community? We're here for you! Welcome to your new virtual Gay Straight Alliance (GSA)!

"To promote tolerance and acceptance throughout the school community and to provide a safe, non-judgmental space as a support network for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Straight youth who share a common vision of social equality." - ACLU GSA Mission Statement

Hi! My name is Mr. Rhoades (he/him). After sponsoring the GSA at my local high school where I have taught for many years, I thought it was more important now than ever that students have access to a club that supports their struggles with identity with special regard to issues of gender and sexuality. I want to help provide a self and welcoming environment for young people to talk and be heard! As this is an ongoing class, our central theme that we will focus on is "exploring our identity in what it means to be me." This is a middle grades class, and every activity, lesson, or practice will be seen through this lens. That means that while there are SO many topics in the LGBQT community, we will be focusing, in an ongoing fashion, on what it means to be a middle schooler exploring their identity as part of as safe and supportive community. With that, we will have a different short topic each meeting. **Our theme is QUEER IDENTITIES** and what it means to be queer or a good ally in middle school. THIS IS NOT COUNSELING - I am not a counselor. We will focus on the following list of meeting topics that will be updated every week. This will be the bulk of our meetings each week.

Week of...
December 6th: Pansexual/Panromantic Pride Day (December 8th)
December 13th: Human Rights Day (December 10th)
December 20th: Holiday Traditions

No classes Until January!

January 3rd: Identity and Acceptance
January 10th: Gender and Sexuality
January 17th: MLK Day
January 24th: Holocaust Remembrance Day
February 1st: Intersectionality and Identity
February 8th: Queer Science
February 15th: Day for Racial Justice (February 19th)
February 22nd: Aromantic Awareness
March 1st: Women's History
March 8th: Women's History Part 2 (ZINES!)
March 15th: Flags! 
March 22nd: LGBQT Comics
March 29th: LGBQT Music
April 5th: Transgender Day of Visibility (March 31st)
April 12th: ALA National Library Week
April 19th: Must see LGBQT Movies
April 26th: The Day of Silence
May 3rd: Asian American Heritage Celebration!
May 10th: Mental Health Awareness Month
May 17th: International Day Against Transphobia, Homophobia, and Biphobia
May 24th: Foster Youth Awareness
May 31st: GLSEN Respect Awards + Harvey Milk Day!
June 7th: PRIDE MONTH CELEBRATION
June 14th: Pulse Remembrance Day (June 12th)
June 21st: Juneteenth (June 19th)
June 28th: Anniversary of Stonewall Riot (June 28th)
July 5th: International Non-Binary People's Day (July 14th)
July 12th: Drag Day (July 16th)
July 19th: LGBT Summer Camp Week 1 - Special Guest - ASH <3 
July 26th: LGBT Summer Camp Week 2 - Dream Day
August 2nd: School Check-In + GSA Resource Page
August 9th: Self-Care Chat
August 16th: How to Grow our GSA
August 23rd: Marsha P. Johnson Day
August 30th: Positive Affirmations and Self Care
September 6th: National Suicide Week
September 13th: Latinx Heritage Month
September 20th: Bisexual Awareness Week
September 27th: Celebrate Bisexual Day
October 4th: Islamic Heritage Month
October 4th: National Coming Out Day (10.11)
October 11th: Indigenous People's Day 
October 17th: International Pronouns Day (10.21)
October 24th: Asexual Awareness Week
November 1st: National Homeless Youth Awareness Month
November 8th: Intersex Day of Remembrance
November 15th: Trans Awareness Week

GLSEN School Calendar: https://www.glsen.org/activity/glsen-2021-2022-school-year-calendar
*This list will be updated on an ongoing basis for 6-8 weeks of classes*

Each meeting will have a similar schedule:
-Introductory, ice breaker, Social Emotional Check In (these usually involve some kind of meme, art, expressive activity, or game. We will share positive affirming stories, or stories about our struggles and challenges while we help others in the group learn a little more about each other. We will share and discuss our central theme: "what it means to be me." (10-15 minutes).
-The topic for the meeting will be introduced and discussed. We will use curriculum from the GSA Network as well as the Gay and Lesbian Education Support Network (GLESN). We will have a topic of focus for each meeting (body image, healthy relationships, gender and sexual identity, trans-awareness, success stories from the LGBQT community, women's history, queer history,  the national day of silence, abuse, bias and bigotry, self love, and more! (15-20 minutes)
-Students will share their own experiences with the topic or respond to the film, reading, or lesson that was shared. We will also work on and share writing, art, photography, or crafts with each other as we collaborate and build relationships (remainder of the meeting).

Check out a sample class's presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1s0Zf7VFxBgevImrqi_Yep-4ykaapQpEHRWPSmcw0fzY/edit?usp=sharing

Students are not required to share, but are encouraged to participate. Reading materials, short film clips, and even short films will be used in the classroom. No prior knowledge is required, and students do not have to consider themselves LGBQT - However student participants must be committed to helping to create and support a safe space for others, and respect the views and choices of others. This is a judgement free community!