The Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) allows students at Logansport High School to have a safe and supportive space to be open about their feelings and their sexuality while participating in fun activities and events.

The students participating in this club express their feelings knowing that they will not be judged and/or outed in any way. Co-president junior Mazzie Schwering expressed these feelings about GSA being a safe place.

“GSA is a club that is known as a safe place for everybody and anybody to come have fun and make friends and be around like-minded people. My favorite part of GSA would be talking with new people as well as making new friends,” Schwering said.

Along with being a safe place, GSA is also a support group. Some students may find themselves questioning their sexuality along with other personal thoughts, and GSA is a great way to help them come to terms or speak about those tough situations.

“GSA is a support group for anybody on the LGBTQ+ spectrum as well as anybody that considers themselves an ally. Pretty much anybody that supports LGBTQ+ is welcome in our group,” English teacher Nathan Hedrick, the sponsor for GSA, said.

Each meeting is started off by everyone introducing themselves by their preferred name as well as their pronouns.

“Sharing our pronouns and preferred names at the beginning helps to normalize the practice. It takes effort to memorize other people’s pronouns and preferred names, and this is a way for us to model that behavior for others,” Hedrick said.

The Gay-Straight Alliance club is not just for those who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community, but they also welcome those who support and care about those in said community.

“Gay-Straight Alliance means the word ‘acceptance.’ It means normalization of LGBTQ+ values as well as their interests,” Hedrick said.

The word acceptance is defined on Dictionary.com as “an agreement with or belief in an idea, opinion, or explanation.” Hedrick explained that students feel accepted while at a club meeting. The students in this club agree that the feelings of those questioning are totally normal and understandable.

“It’s a place where all different types of people come together and feel like they are all included, and they all belong. When they come here, they have the ability to have a voice that is heard. My favorite part of GSA by far would be the inclusion,” freshman Justin Snay, a student involved with GSA, said.

In GSA, all are welcomed; all are included. Hedrick along with co-president junior Val Mooney explained how they both enjoy seeing new faces every week.

“All are welcomed with a smile,” Mooney said.