HC Gay Straight Alliance holds panel to celebrate LGBTQ+

By William Begley

Many high schoolers are unaware that HC is home to hundreds of students who are different sexual orientations or gender identities. On Friday, The Gay Straight Alliance at HC celebrated that special and important part of HC’s culture with a panel designed to help students who are part of the GSA tell their stories and explain the complexities and importance of the LGBTQ+ community at HC.

The GSA began as away to help students be comfortable and open with their sexuality and gender identity. It has since transformed and grown into a space where anybody can come once a week and be comfortable and open about who they are. HC Choir Teacher Isaac Jones, who took over the club last year, is the teacher behind this change. Jones, as well as the rest of the GSA created this panel discussion as a way to help inform students know how to be respectful and why it’s important to understand the intricate nature of sexuality.

“The primary purpose was to educate, “ Jones said, “We wanted to focus on the fact this is an alliance… This not us asking for special treatment, we just want to be able to live as comfortably everyone else.”

This panel consisted of nine GSA members who spoke on their specific sexual identity or gender identity, while also talking about how it affects their life as well as ways we can help to make HC a more welcoming space for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Throughout the presentation and discussion, the GSA made point of the importance of respecting and understanding people who identify as different sexualities and gender identities. With jokes about the LGBTQ+ community being rampant, this took massive courage by the students on the panel.

“We want to be able to live experiences without fear of being harassed,” Jones said, “and help everyone understand [that] people are people.”

The GSA is open to any members of any sexuality every Wednesday in Room 117 after school. The club encourages anyone who wishes to learn more about this community or share their experiences to attend.