Commonwealth Welcomes GSA with Open Arms
Commonwealth Parkville School has taken a step forward this year by starting the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Club. According to the GSA Network, the main goal of the club is to “provide a safe place for students to meet, support each other, talk about issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, and work to end homophobia and transphobia.” The founder of the club, senior David San Miguel’s, main focus was to allow fellow students to be themselves.
“From experience, growing up a part of the LGBTQ community is not an easy thing to do in modern society, and facing graduation, I wanted to make sure that nobody in our school would ever again have to grow up ashamed of a part of who they are... That’s why I feel we need this club: to target the aspects of society that aren’t welcoming to different kinds of individualities,” said San Miguel.
Even though there have been major steps taken to stop the discrimination against the LGBTQ community, such as the legalization of same-sex marriage in Puerto Rico on July 15th, the community is still discriminated against. According to the Human Rights Campaign, 4 in 10 LGBT youth (42%) say the community in which they live in is not accepting of LGBT people. San Miguel hopes this club will change people’s point of view on others, and not be quick to judge things they do not understand.
“I want this club to open people’s minds to the vast diversity that surrounds us. There is so much more to life than what people are exposed to by society and the media. My hopes are that this club will help transform our school community into one that is more accepting of all different kinds of preferences and backgrounds, and that, in doing so, students will both feel free to be themselves, and be better prepared for the real world after high school,” said San Miguel.
At the moment GSA Club meeting dates are still undecided, but will be posted soon. For any questions regarding the club, Danielle Hall, the club advisor, and San Miguel are open to questions. GSA is a very welcoming club, so anyone from any age can join.
“Members do NOT need to be a part of the LGBTQ community in order to participate in this club. It’s a club for anyone and everyone who believes in the equality of our students here at Commonwealth and who wants to help protect it,” said San Miguel.
