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Grant’s GSA struggles against stereotypes and a lack of awareness |
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Written by by Katie Gilbert
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Tuesday, 26 January 2010 |
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During lunch on Fridays,
Room 219 houses a group of about 12
vibrant, outspoken, and colorful people.
These students make up Grant’s Gay-
Straight Alliance (GSA). At first sight,
the club seems like a quirky and fun
environment with people telling stories
about their winter breaks, introducing
themselves based on their favorite kinds
of bagels, and even leaping out of their
seats occasionally. The students quickly
grow solemn, however, when one
member gains the courage to talk about
an issue much more serious than her
breakfast foods.
“The kids in my gym
class were calling people fags and my
teacher was standing right there,” says
one member, obviously disturbed by
the incident. “I tried to talk to [her],”
the student continues, but subsequent
dialogue reveals that the teacher wouldn’t
hear a word of it, opting instead to let
the kids experience the realities of high
school gym class remarks and fight these
issues themselves.
Such social injustices have led the GSA to become an outspoken student-led advocacy group and a valuable tool for its members. It is a club meant to create a fun and safe place for students to enjoy at lunch, and also a place for students to voice their concerns over issues that are insulting to the Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender (LGBT) community, explained the president of the club, senior Carolyn O’Brien-Dunn. It is important to the club members to have a group of people who will accept them, especially, as O’Brien-Dunn said, when others in our hallways won’t.
As Gosia Wozniacka of the Oregonian pointed out in a recent issue published January 16, 2010, the Portland area may seems like a “haven for gay and transgender folks,” but in reality is still an unaccommodating place for many of the LGBT community. Many feel that the same is true of Portland schools. The population of Grant’s GSA has declined significantly and there is little awareness of its existence among Grant’s population.
This trend is very apparent to O'brien-Dunn, who comments that when she was a freshman, the club had over 40 members, but now has the lowest turnout she has ever seen, with about 12 regular members this year. This may be a result of the loss, due to recent budget cuts, of the club’s faculty supervisor, Cynthia Zyrini. It could also be due in part to the lack of recognition of the club among the Grant community.
O’Brien-Dunn has hope that several future activities will raise awareness for the clubs purposes as well as educate others. This year’s project will be a screening of the educational documentary "Straightlaced" at Grant and other Multnomah County high schools.
As a part of the Respect for All project being launched by Groundspark films, "Straightlaced" “unearths how popular pressures around gender and sexuality are confining American teens” according to the organization's website. Through a series of candid interviews the film illustrates
how gender expectations and homophobia are interwoven with each other, as well as how specific genders, racial groups, and social classes are seen by society.
“Gender stereotypes are one of the biggest things that the homosexual community has to fight against,” explains O’Brien-Dunn, who thinks seeing the film will be an important and enlightening experience for high school students. “We are going to screen the film and then open a panel for discussion,” she says. “We want to address
JANUARY 26, 2010
FORUM
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According to ORS 336.477, student journalists are responsible for the content of this publication, except under limited circumstances. The subject matter, content, and views of the news, feature, and opinion sections in this paper do not reflect the views of Portland Public Schools or Grant High School.
GSA struggles with awareness and gender stereotypes
T
here is tolerance and respect for the LGBT community here, [but] there is not acceptance.
—Ahmed Kelso
Carolyn O'Brien-Dunn and eight other members of Grant's Gay Straight Alliance. Photo by Rehane Ghara Gozly
some really important issues and talk about gender stereotypical slang as well.”
This is an important issue to both O’Brien-Dunn and the club’s faculty supervisor, Ahmed Kelso. They both feel that Grant has a lot learn about gender stereotypes. Kelso has noticed, for example, the frequent use of expressions such as “you’re so gay” and “that’s gay.” “It’s demeaning,” he says.
GSA clubs across the nation strive to be a supportive community for teens dealing with issues of acceptance and to be a place for others to show their support for the LGBT community. Kelso explained that this is important at Grant, reporting that although “there is tolerance and respect for the LGBT community here, there is not acceptance.”
GSA is a club that hopes to solve these problems, and despite the challenges O’Brien-Dunn has experienced as president of the club, she has shown little concern over the lack of awareness surrounding GSA. She has hope for its future and knows that she will be able to promote the club by organizing both the screening of "Straightlaced" and Grant’s participation in the Day of Silence. This national event takes place every year on April 16, protesting against the harassment of the LGBT community by as a symbol of the forced silence of these people and their supporters. "We have a great club and great members,” says O' Brien-Dunn. “Everyone is welcome. If you believe that the LGBT community should be treated like everyone else, then you are welcome to come. It doesn’t matter [whether you are gay or not]—there is a reason there’s an ‘S’ in GSA."
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