The GSA Difference: LGBTQ and Ally Experiences in High Schools with and without Gay-Straight Alliances

Abstract

Abstract:We examine the lived experiences of high-school students who participated in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ)-centered activism of some kind, highlighting the promise of gay-straight alliance groups by comparing the experiences of students at schools with gay-straight alliances (GSA schools) with the experiences of students at schools that did not have an LGBTQ-specific group (no-GSA schools). We compare students at GSA and no-GSA schools based on their experiences of harassment, experiences of support from authority figures, and patterns of friendships. We find that students at both types of schools experienced harassment and heard negative comments about lesbian and gay people. However, students at GSA schools reported more support from teachers and administrators than students at no-GSA schools, who have stories of teachers and administrators actively opposing equality for LGBTQ people. Students at GSA schools reported a wide variety of friendships across sexual identities, while students at no-GSA schools felt more isolated and withdrawn. This much-needed qualitative comparative analysis of students' experiences brings a human face to the improved quality of life that schools with gay-straight alliances can bring to young people.

Gay‐Straight Alliances, Inclusive Policy, and School Climate:LGBTQYouths’ Experiences of Social Support and Bullying

“…LGBTQ youth in schools with a GSA also report more support from classmates, teachers, and administrators (Fetner & Elafros, 2015;Kosciw et al, 2016). Notably, with the exception of a few recent studies (Fetner & Elafros, 2015;Poteat, Heck, Yoshikawa, & Calzo, 2016), most studies of GSAs do not distinguish between sexual orientation and gender identity.…”

“…LGBTQ youth in schools with a GSA also report more support from classmates, teachers, and administrators (Fetner & Elafros, 2015;Kosciw et al, 2016). Notably, with the exception of a few recent studies (Fetner & Elafros, 2015;Poteat, Heck, Yoshikawa, & Calzo, 2016), most studies of GSAs do not distinguish between sexual orientation and gender identity. The recent change in name from the "Gay-Straight Alliance Network" to the more inclusive "Genders and Sexualities Alliance" network encourages consideration for how these programs may provide differential support for LGB and transgender youth (GSA Network, 2016).…”

“…School-sponsored programs such as Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs; also known as Gender and Sexuality Alliances) and school policies focused on support for LGBTQ students (LGBTQ-focused policies) have also been identified as effective means for improving school climates, especially for LGBTQ youth (Chesir-Teran & Hughes, 2009;Fetner & Elafros, 2015;Goodenow et al, 2006;Heck, Flentje, & Cochran, 2013;Kosciw, Greytak, Giga, Villenas, & Danischewski, 2016;Marx & Kettrey, 2016;McGuire, Anderson, Toomey, & Russell, 2010). Enumerated antibullying policies that are inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity are associated with stronger feelings of safety, less victimization (Kosciw et al, 2016;O'Shaughnessy, Russell, Heck, Calhoun, & Laub, 2004), and lower rates of suicidal behavior among LGB youth (Hatzenbuehler & Keyes, 2013).…”

The push for transgender inclusion: Exploring boundary spanning in the gay–straight alliance

“…Regarding GSAs, much of the research to date has focused on the development, implementation, and impact of these safe space programmes, especially for gay and lesbian students (Fetner & Elafros, 2015;Mayberry, 2013;Russell, Muraco, Subramaniam, & Laub, 2009). Less attention has been given to understanding the changing relational dynamics of internal GSA activities, with a specific emphasis on how the GSA movement is using boundary-spanning strategies to cater to the inclusion of transgender members.…”

Tending toward friendship: LGBTQ sexualities in US schools

“…Beyond Bullying elicited numerous stories of young people losing friends after coming out as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and other stories of young people securing friendships that support their LGBTQ identities. The empirical literature affirms the importance of 'peer social support' in school and justifies concerns about homophobic and transphobic bullying (Kosciw et al, 2013; see also Difulvio, 2011;Fetner and Elafros, 2015;Williams et al, 2005). Gay-straight alliances (GSAs) offer a pool of potential friends for queer and allied youth, though formally, GSAs and other educational campaigns call young people to move from the passive 'bystander' category to the more robust 'ally' hetero identification (GLSEN, 2015).…”