Volume I, Issue 2
Letter from the director:

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Dignity for All Students

On March 22, 1999 over 700 queer youth and straight allies from all over California converged on Sacramento to meet with representatives and lobby for AB 222. It was a very empowering day.

AB 222 (Kuehl), the Dignity for All Stu-dents Act, adds "sexual orientation" to the existing non-discrimination language of the California Edu-cation Code and removes the funding restriction on the Hate Violence Prevention Act, so that we can seek Federal funding for the prevention program. The prohibition against disrimination on the basis of sexual orientaiton would apply to all public schools and community colleges.

This bill requires the administration of each public school and campus to ensure that programs and activities are free from discrimination based on sexual orientation, as they now are on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, age, sex, color, and physical and mental disability.

AB 222 will be heard on April 7 by the Assembly Education Committee. If you didnšt get a chance to attend Youth Lobby Day, check out www.assembly.ca.gov and www.senate.ca.gov to find out who your representatives are and send them a letter or an e-mail telling them your story and why AB 222 is so important.

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National Day of Silence Update

Recently many Bay Area schools joined campuses around the country in the Day of Silence Project, a campaign to increase awareness about the silence that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people face. In conjunction with the April 7th Day of Silence, an event where participants remained silent from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and passed out cards explaining the project, a number of schools organized educational events -- ranging from panels on LGBTQ issues in schools to the opening of a resource corner in the library -- to focus on ending the silence.

At Miramonte High School, over three hundred students and teachers observed a Day of Silence on April 4th because the 7th fell over spring break. The day included a silent potluck, and participants wore all black clothes with rainbow ribbons around their arms and passed out explanation cards to classmates and teachers.

If your school did not get to participate on April 7th, you can still organize a Day of Silence event for another date. Check out the Day of Silence web site at for great information about how to plan a DOS project for your school.

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Maria Alvarado is a 17 year old junior at Woodside High School. She lives in East Palo Alto and currently serves on the East Palo Alto City Youth Council. I met Maria when she began working on getting a support group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth started in her city. She told me that she wanted East Palo Alto to have such a group because people shouldn't feel any shame in their own community. I interviewed her to find out more about what motivates her to be active in her community. - Carolyn Laub

Carolyn (C): Tell me about your involvement in your community.

Maria (M): I've been living here in East Palo Alto for 14 years. It's taken a long time for East Palo Alto to change from a real bad place to a safer place. In the early 1990s, it was named the crime capital of the U.S. There were a lot of drug dealers, drive-by shootings, and lots of homeless people. Now people are more involved in the community and involved in helping each other.

C: How have you gotten involved?

M: Ever since I was young, I volunteered. They had programs to turn a plot of land into a community garden. I also volunteered to tutor kids, help them with their homework. In the summer of 1998 I joined the East Palo Alto City Youth Council.

C: What do you do as a Youth Council member?

M: Well, there's five of us. And the City Council is asking for our help since we're youth and we know what's going on and where the future is. Our job is to go out there and find out what programs youth need and then build

stuff the youth of today need.

C: So far what have you accomplished?

M: So far we're in the process of getting bulletin boards in all of the schools that youth from East Palo Alto go to. The bulletin boards would have information on them that benefits youth from my city and other cities. People would be able to see it 24-7. Check it out. See what's going on.

C: Why do you think that's important?

M: East Palo Alto used to have its own high school but it got closed down. Now youth from my city get bussed to different high schools: Woodside, Menlo-Atherton, Sequoia, Carlmont.

C: How do you feel about all the youth from your city getting bussed out?

M: It's bad because you have to go a long way to get to school. A lot of people don't want to get up or go to school sometimes. If you want to get help after school, you can't because you'd have to miss the bus and walk home. It's good though because all the kids from East Palo Alto means that all those schools are more diverse.

C: Do you think homophobia is a problem at your school?

M: Well, my friend is out there. There are homophobic slurs but they are rare.

C: I know you proposed the idea of a support group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth in your city. What went into your decision to start that?

M: In East Palo Alto, there is currently no support group for youth who are questioning their sexuality, or who have HIV, or who come from troubled homes. But I was pretty sure there are a lot of people who would support these youth. It's hard to live in a community where you don't know you have support. You might not want to tell your friends because you don't want them to reject you. If you're so different then you feel like you don't belong. That can end up in suicide. If you're supported, though, you feel like you have the right to live.

C: What motivated you to start a group for youth questioning their sexual identity?

M: I was really motivated by my best friend. I saw how he was having a hard time explaining his sexual identity to his family. It was really hard for him questioning himself. I thought a support group in the community would

help someone like him.

C: So what have you had to do to get it started?

M: First, I proposed the idea to the Youth Council at one of our meetings. Then we had to prepare a public hearing. This was the first public hearing the Youth Council of East Palo Alto has ever had on any issue!

C: Who came to the hearing?

M: There were East Palo Alto residents, students from Stanford University, and people from community organizations in East Palo Alto and from many support groups in surrounding cities.

C: What happened as a result of the hearing?

M: The Youth Council decided to approve a support group focusing especially on questioning sexual identity and HIV -- whatever youth in the community need the most. Now we take the idea to the City Council. Right now, I'm writing an outline of the presentation.

C: What has happened for you since you started this project?

M: I really didn't think we'd get this far. Ever since, people in my own city have been coming out to me. People are too scared to come out until they know they have support.

C: What does it mean to you to be active in your community?

M: It means a lot. I never imagined that after that one little sentence I said at the Youth Council, I would get so much support for my idea. That's the proof that one person can make a difference in the community by speaking

out. That's an example for if you ever feel alone to never give up.

C: Anything else you want to say to the people reading this newsletter?

M: Peace to all my people. Everybody.

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GSA Leadership Trainings
Are a Success!

Over the last two months, 22 schools participated in one of our GSA Leadership Trainings -- a day long training designed to help GSA youth and advisors meet each other and learn how improve their GSA. On February 21, the Bay Area GSA Network co-sponsored a GSA Leadership Training in Concord with GLSEN/SF-EB and Catholic Charities of the East Bay. On March 13, the Bay Area GSA Network held a second GSA Leadership Training in Redwood City for GSAs in the South Bay and Peninsula. Participants played icebreakers, networked with each other, and brainstormed solutions to common obstacles GSAs face. Youth Council members demonstrated how to be organized and run a good GSA. After lunch, participants did The Power Shuffle and discussed issues of diversity and inclusion in GSAs and then participated in a roleplay about coalition building. At the end, each GSA group got together and made an action plan for what new ideas and goals they wanted to take back to their GSA. For example, Campolindo HS students went back to their school and, after building a coalition with the Leadership Class, made signs that say "HATE FREE ZONE" and "NO ROOM FOR SEXISM, RACISM, HOMOPHOBIA OR OTHER KINDS OF PREJUDICE" which are now posted in classrooms. Contact us about the progress of your action plans and we will include an update in our next newsletter!

Quotes from GSA Leadership
Training Participants:

"The training has empowered me to be more outspoken and not let my fear stop me."

"I haven't had the opportunity to discuss diversity issues in relation to gay issues before, and it was very eye-opening."

"As a result of this training, us leaders of our GSA will work to make our GSA more organized and actually have a purpose."

"All of the information and ideas I gathered today will hopefully help me develop a successful GSA at my school."

"When we go back to our school we're going to work on building a coalition with the Asian Student Union, Black Student Union, and La Raza Unida clubs about diversity and tolerance on campus."

Eric (Oceana High School and Harjant (Piedmont Hills High School) get empowered at the GSA Leaderyhip Training in Redwood City

Schools Attending the GSA Leadership Trainings:

Acalanes
Albany
Alhambra
Arroyo
Athenian
Campolindo
Encinal
Gunn
Head-Royce
James Logan
Las Lomas
Leigh
Maybeck
Menlo
Menlo-Atherton
Mills
Miramonte
Oceana
Piedmont Hills
Pinole Valley
Pioneer
Skyline

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Gender?

I have been questioning my gender identity lately, and a lot of questions have been running through my mind, not only about what my gender is, but about what gender is as a concept. What is a man or a woman anyway? Why is gender assigned to us when we're babies because of our physical bodies? Do my genitals really determine that much about me? I think that all my genitals determine is my genitals. We treat men and women as if they're different species or something. We aren't like cats and dogs. I'd like to see a cat that can take hormones and get an operation and become a dog. Physically we aren't all that different. We're all human. I think most of the differences between men and women are there not because we're biologically supposed to be that way, but because we're trying to fit in or we were raised that way and we were taught by society that it is the right way to be. I wonder why sexual attraction is based on gender. It's a very small amount of people that are completely straight or completely gay. Do you really just like people because of their body, or is it the traits associated with the gender assigned to their body? Where do people fit in to sexual orientation who don't fit in to gender? I fear that if I am able to be myself, and I am a man or somewhere inbetween, no one will want to love me. Even if I become a man and I only like girls, I will never be straight. Never. People base their attraction on gender, but where do I fit in to that? I don't particularly want to put myself into gender, but how can someone who bases their love on gender love someone who has no gender? I don't consider myself very likable as it is, this just makes it more difficult. Why are identities so important to people? When I'm confused because I don't fit into what society says I should be, I want to know what I do fit into. I want someone to understand me so I won't be alone, and to find other people like me, I have to decide what I am. But identities are limiting. Once you've decided you're something, it's hard to say you're something else. I identified as a lesbian for about 2 and a half years and took a lot of pride in being a lesbian. It hurt me so much when I realized that, while I may have been okay being a girl who likes girls when I was 13, I do not now only like girls, and I am not all that happy with being a girl. Why does it have to hurt so much to leave an identity behind? Why does it hurt to be uncertain as to what you are? I don't want to identify as transgender because I'm afraid I'll get stuck in that identity, but by not identifying, I'll probably get stuck in the identity of not having an identity. People ask me what I am. Am I transgender? Why does that matter? Why do names have genders associated with them? Is the name Jason actually better fitted for someone with a penis? I dislike words like he and she. Why do we need to determine a gender to talk about someone? Why do we need to determine a gender at all, for anything? We're putting ourselves into boxes. I'm growing to become okay with not knowing what I am and not shoving myself into a box before I'm ready or even ever, but it's very hard. I am very scared.

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Menlo-Atherton HS Survey Reveals
Student Attitudes
by Haley Ausserer

Our Gay-Straight Alliance, "Flying Colors," made a survey to find out about Menlo-Atherton HS students' awareness of homophobia and queer people. We wanted to see what next steps would be appropriate for fighting homophobia at our school (e.g. speakers, diversity training). We gave copies of the surveys to all the English teachers and encouraged them to lead discussions. Two weeks later we collected all the surveys, tallied the results, and picked out some interesting, representative quotes. Then, we wrote up a report with a lot of graphs and quotes and a letter to teachers encouraging them to once again lead discussions. Next week we are having a gay pride/ awareness week with a Day of Silence.
Our Results:

• 64% of students reported that they know someone who is homosexual or bisexual.
• 71% of students agreed that Menlo Atherton should include homophobia alongside racism in Diversity Training Weeks.
• 88% of females and 74% of males said they are open-minded when it comes to the subject of homosexuality.
• Seniors were more likely than freshmen to say they are open-minded about homosexuality. Almost a quarter of the freshman said they were not open-minded.

Some Sample Quotes:

"I believe that homosexuality is wrong, but I do not believe anyone should be treated differently because of their orientation. I do not think that sexuality is on the same plane as race or ethnicity."

-- 10th grade male

"Blatant homophobia is prevalent at our school. People can call each other 'faggot' or openly harass someone they suspect of homosexuality without repercussions."

--12th grade female

Menlo-Atherton's GSA Survey

Grade: 9 10 11 12

Sex: F M

1) Are you aware of Menlo-Atherton's Gay-Straight Alliance? Y N

2) If so, how did you hear about it?

3) Sexual Orientation

4) Do you have any friends or know of anyone who is homosexual or bisexual? Y N

5) Do you agree that you are an open-minded person when it comes to the subject of homosexuality?

6)Do you agree that Menlo-Atherton should include homophobia and/or homosexuality alongside racism in Diversity Training Weeks?

Surveys are a great way to assess the level of homophobia at your school!

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GSA RESOURCES

ORGANIZING YOUR GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE:

Purpose of Your Organization/Club:

• Decide if you're a support group, activism club, or social group.
• Write a mission statement or a constitution that describes the nature of your organization and includes long and short-term goals.

Meeting Preparation:

• Make an agenda with a list of issues and topics to be discussed.
• Publicity: Figure out the best way to reach as many people as possible in your school, and -make announcements (ex. daily announcements, flyers); Designate a "publicity queen" to be in charge of all flyers and announcements each week.
• Buy food or create a club donation jar that says "$ for snacks."

Running a Good Meeting:

• Set ground rules.
• Establish a decision-making process (ex. majority rule, consensus).
• Designate a facilitator to make sure everyone is heard and keep the meeting focused on agenda items.
• Have someone take minutes at each meeting for members who couldn't attend, and post on a GSA bulletin board or web page so students can read them anonymously.
• Create a box for suggestions or comments.

USEFUL GROUND RULES:

• confidentiality
• active listening
• right to pass
• no interruptions
• no put-downs
• use "I" statements
• give equal time
• no assumptions/labels
• HAVE FUN!

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY:

Apply for $150 from the LifeLine National
Gay-Straight Alliance Grant Program.

The LifeLine National Gay-Straight Alliance Grant Program is the first fund of it's kind to provide mini-grants to school-based GSAs. The Program was inspired by the September 3, 1997 suicide of Jacob Orozco, who was to be the incoming president of East High School's GSA in Salt Lake City, UT. The fund is named after Jacob to honor his leadership and to inspire other students to believe in who they are and assert their legal right to form GSAs.

For a copy of the grant application, call Carolyn at 415/643-4850

Here are some movies that were suggested by Leadership Training participants for showing on a movie night or at a GSA meeting. Remember to check ratings and content before showing at school. Documentaries: The Times of Harvey Milk The Celluloid Closet Out of the Past Others: Beautiful Thing All Over Me Wilde! Trevor Sebastian Philadelphia Velvet Goldmine Ma Vie en Rose/My Life in Pink The Incredible True Adventure of Two Girls in Love Ellen's Coming Out Episode

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THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS!!!

Thank You to the following individuals and organizations that have given donations and in-kind contributions:

Catholic Charities of the East Bay
Chicago Resource Center
Gilbert Pickett
GLSEN SF/EB
Hobee's Restaurants
Malachi Larrabee
LYRIC
Peet's Coffee
John Rasche
Sister Roberta
Trader Joe's
Youth Leadership Institute

To make a donation, make a check out to "The Tides Center/Bay Area GSA Network" and send to: 812 Church Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114

Wish List... volunteer help laser printer fax machine brightly colored paper a logo