Gay-Straight Alliance Network -- Outright, Volume II, Issue 2

Table of Contents

Letter from the Director

Youth Lobby Day 2000: Make it Real

Overcoming Homophobia Meeting for Youth (OHMY)

GSA Leadership Trainings

And the Survey Sez...(Part II)

Anti-Homophobia Training a Success!

GSA Resources

Activism Spotlight

Straight Allies Speak Out

Fighting for Recognition

Letter from the director:

Happy New Year! I am pleased to write this letter knowing that the start of Y2K brings with it the enactment of the California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2000. Students across California are now protected from discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity. Although we don't know yet how this law will be interpreted or when it will first be tested, we are already preparing students with knowledge about their rights and skills for making the law a reality. Queer Youth Lobby Day in San Francisco is less than a month away...January 29, 2000...and I'm looking forward to it being well-attended by hundreds of youth who want to make change!

The queer youth movement is becoming larger and more powerful every day. But we still have a long road ahead of us in the fight for social justice. In the months to come, youth will be organizing against Prop 21 and Prop 22 which are part of a larger anti-youth, homophobic, and racist attack on marginalized communities in our country. I hope to see more youth from GSAs involved in these crucial political battles.

We're also promoting more activism through our website (www.gsanetwork.org). For example, we've just put up an online handbook for how youth can make sure AB 537 gets implemented at their school. And the 4th annual OHMY Conference we're helping organize is right around the corner. Don't miss out on this opportunity to meet other GSA organizers, network, learn, and get empowered!

I am also proud to announce the addition of several new members to our Youth Council. Welcome to Christian, Jeff, and Geoffrey! With Geoffrey joining from Davis High School, we are now branching out to include the greater Sacramento area. The Bay Area GSA Network is bigger and better than ever.

-Carolyn

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Youth Lobby Day 2000: Make it Real

Who: Youth up to age 23 in the Bay Area

When: Sat., January 29
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
(Registration begins @ 9 a.m.)

Where: Mission H.S.
3750 18th Street
San Francisco

If you have questions, please contact Carolyn Laub:
carolyn@gsanetwork.org or call 415.442.4726

The scoop:
We got AB 537 passed in 1999! The new law protecting students from discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity will go into effect on January 1, 2000. Now we need to make sure that the law gets implemented.

Join queer youth activists from around the state to celebrate our victory and make sure that this new groundbreaking law truly protects the students it's meant to protect.

This is an excellent opportunity to once again connect with your activist friends who made this bill a law. This regional Youth Lobby Day will focus on students' rights under the new law and will teach youth how to lobby at their own school to make the law become reality.

"All Night Long"
a dance to follow QYLD
in Kensington (near BART)
8 p.m. to midnight
For more info call 925.687.8844x304

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Overcoming Homophobia Meeting for Youth (OHMY)

A conference to empower youth and support Gay-Straight Alliances in Bay Area schools

Saturday, Feb. 12

Registration @ 9a.m.
Conference 10a.m.-5p.m.

Everett Middle School
450 Church Street at 16th
San Francisco

OHMY is youth run and youth produced, and is co-sponsored by the Bay Area GSA Network, LYRIC, and the S.F. Un-ified School District.

Highlights

Keynote Speaker: Tom Ammiano

Comedian: Marga Gomez

Possible Workshop Topics:
* How to Start a Kick-Ass GSA
* Transgender Issues
* Religion/Spirituality
* Coming Out
* AIDS/STD's/Health
* Diversity Issues

For more information, visit www.incite.org/ohmy
or contact OHMY organizers at
ohmy@gsanetwork.org or 415.703.6150x39.

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GSA Leadership Trainings:

Wanna meet other youth fighting homophobia?
Wanna learn how to improve your GSA?
Wanna become a leader?

...Come to a GSA Leadership Training!

Learn how to facilitate a meeting, make your GSA more inclusive, and build coalitions with other students.

South Bay
Saturday, February 26
@ Billy DeFrank Center, San Jose

Peninsula
Date TBA
@ Palo Alto YWCA

North Bay (Marin, Napa, Sonoma)
Saturday, March 11
@ Drake High School, San Anselmo

East Bay
Saturday, March 18
@ Rockridge Library, Oakland

All youth in GSAs are invited. * Food Provided.

GSA Leadership Trainings are co-sponsored by the Bay Area GSA Network and a number of other organizations. More details coming soon.

For more information or to schedule a leadership training in your area, contact Carolyn at the Bay Area GSA Network: 415.442.4726 or carolyn@gsanetwork.org

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And the Survey Sez... (Part II)

In our last newsletter, we highlighted several surveys that Bay Area GSAs had given out to assess the climate of their schools. Here are some survey results and suggestions for what to do once your surveys are collected and tallied.

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Harmony, the Carlmont H.S. GSA, gave out a survey to 400 students in October. These are some of their results:

How often do you hear anti-gay slurs at Carlmont?
10% never 50%daily 29%weekly 9%monthly

Are you bothered by comments like "That's so gay?"
20% yes 80% no

Do you use such comments?
58% yes 40% no

How often do you hear staff intervene?
5% always 29% sometimes 38%rarely 28%never

How often do you intervene?
5% always 15% sometimes 26% rarely 52% never

Do your friends infulenc the way you treat GLBTQ people?
19% yes 80% no (many who said yes added that it was in a positive way)

Would you like to learn more about how to support GLBTQ people?
37% yes 61% no

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Alhambra H.S. surveyed approximately 230 students. Here are some excerpted stats and quotes (in response to the question: "If you think that things need to change on campus to make LGBTQ students feel safer, then what should happen?").

How often do you call people names such as "fag, dyke, queer, homo, etc?"
61% never 24% 1-2 times/wk 7% 1-2 times/day 14% 2+ times/day

Is Alhambra is a safe campus for students to be openly gay?
34% yes 66% no

Is Alhambra is a safe campus for straight allies of gays?
62% yes 30% no

Do things need to change at Alhambra to make LGBTQ students safer?
72% yes 28% no

"I think that this topic isn't openly addressed and should be. It's not fair to have to come to school and be afraid of the comments that will be said to you."

"I think L.G.B.T.Q. education is key. If people knew more about it, they would be less afraid."

"Sometimes I think that the teachers don't know what to say when they hear discriminatory language in the classroom."

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So We Gave Out a Survey... Now what?

* Publish! Make a write up of why you did the survey, the results, quotes from GSA members, etc. and submit it to your school newspaper.
* Identify some of the major issues with your school environment as indicated by the survey results (ie. teachers don't intervene when homophobic comments are made in the classroom) and design projects to address them (like coordinating an anti-homophobia workshop for teachers... see Outright Vol. I, Issue 1 at www.gsanetwork.org for more details)
* Think about giving out another survey at a later date to measure if your school climate is changing.

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First Anti-Homophobia Workshop Training a Success by Geoff Winder, Davis High School

On Sunday December 12, 1999 in Concord a comprehensive training was done on how to organize and present an anti-homophobia workshop within a class period's time (45 minutes). The training, organized by Carolyn Laub of Bay Area GSA Network and Julie Lienert of GLSEN/SF-EB and Catholic Charities of the East Bay, covered everything from how to give your personal story to how to deal with an unresponsive audience. The object of the workshop was to increase the awareness of the impact that anti-gay harassment & homophobia have on students, increase the knowledge of what homophobia is, and create a safe place for people to ask questions about LGBTQ issues. The morning started with learning how to play and how to run some 'Ice-Breaker' games to introduce the subject of homosexuality into the classroom. These included such games as Agree-Disagree, The Wind Blows, and LGBTQ Bingo. The afternoon consisted of pointers on how to tell your personal story, how to facilitate discussions and how to deal with unresponsive and/or homophobic audiences. The training was an excellent opportunity to train students on how to be peer educators in a subject that is controversial but desperately needs to be talked about. "I think the training went very well, and I'm excited to see if this can be implemented as part of the Health curriculum at my school," said one training participant.

Geoff Winder is President of the Davis H.S. GSA and just joined the Bay Area GSA Network Youth Council

If you are interested in receiving training on an anti-homophobia peer education workshop, contact the Bay Area GSA Network office at 415-442-4726 or carolyn@gsanetwork.org

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GSA Resources:

Fundraising Opportunity:
This is Lynbrook GSA dropping a line. We're new this year but we'd like to let you in on some of the things we've been doing. On Wednesday November 3, we had our first fund-raiser. We invited everyone to come to Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream for a few hours for ice cream and a little fun. For every customer that told the cashier that they wanted to support us, we got a portion of the money. We were surprised by its success, and we had so much fun. If you'd like to set up a fund-raiser with a Ben & Jerry's near you, for your GSA, you can contact the company at (310)546-1717.
Your friends at Lynbrook GSA.

Updated Contact Info for Prop. 21 (Juvenile Justice Initiative): Join the Fight to Save Our Youth: The campaign to stop Pete Wilson's War on Youth is gathering steam. Go online to www.noprop21.com and find out how to volunteer, get regular email updates, donate to the campaign or get an action packet to organize in your neighborhood. There are also links to local parent and youth coaltions across the state working to stop prop 21. If you can't get online, call 437-4009.
Remember: Adult Courts, Adult Jails - Kids Don't Fit!!!

Check out these online resources:
* Set up an e-mail list serve for your GSA to use for announce- ments and discussion. Onelist.com and egroups.com pro vide this service free of charge.
* Go to gsanetwork.org/ab537 for an online handbook about implementing AB 537, the California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act of 2000. Sections include: overview of AB 537, student activism, and ideas and strategies for implementation. Keep in mind that the handbook is still being revised -- keep checking for updated versions.

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Scholarships!!! Here are several scholarships available to queer youth and straight allies in the Bay Area. For a more complete list of general, regional, and campus-specific lgbtq-related scholarships, check out www.finaid.org/otheraid/gay.phtml.

Peter Kaufman Memorial Scholarship (CA): To be eligible, you must be a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender high school senior who has worked with the GLBT community. The scholarship amount is $1,000 per year. For more information, visit http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/lausd/offices/glec/ or contact:
Kathy J. Gill, Director (kgill@lausd.k12.ca.us); Gay & Lesbian Education Commission;
Los Angeles Unified School District, Room 242;
450 N. Grand Avenue;
Los Angeles, CA 90012;
213.625.6392

PG&E/LGBEA Scholarship (Bay Area): This award provides financial assistance to students from the San Francisco Bay Area. To be eligible, you must be a graduating high school senior in one of the following counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma, or Solano. The scholarship amount ranges from $500 to $1,000. The award was established by the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Employees Association of Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E/LGBEA) and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). For more information, contact: PG&E LGBEA Scholarship Committee (anthony.abdullah@pge-corp.com); 415.973.6837; PO Box 191311; San Francisco, CA 94119-1311

George Choy Memorial Scholarship/Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (Bay Area): The Gay Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA) offers this award to provide financial assistance to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Asian and Pacific Islanders. To be eligible, you must be an Asian/Pacific Islander graduating from a Bay Area high school (counties of Alameda, ContraCosta, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Napa, Sonoma, and Solano). You must have a GPA of 3.0 or better. Theaward amount varies. The deadline is June 15. For more information, contact: The Horizons Foundation (horizonsfd@aol.com); 870 Market Street, Suite 1155; San Francisco, CA 94102; 415.398.2333

Peninsula PFLAG (San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties): This scholarship is for high school seniors in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties who are in good academic standing and whose "educatoinal histories, personal plans and activities demonstrate support for justice and equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons." Five awards of $1000 each will be given out. The deadline is April 1. For more information, contact: Peninsula P-FLAG Scholarships; 408.269.8418

Bobby Griffith Memorial Scholarship (Contra Costa County): This award provides financial assistance to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth who contribute to the community by improving the environment for GLBT youth. To be eligible, you must live in Contra Costa County and be a graduating senior. The scholarship amount varies. For more information: e-mail BobLatham@aol.com

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Activism Spotlight: An Interview with Katie Webb

Katie Webb is a 17 year-old bisexual activist from West Pittsburgh. She currently goes to Olympic High School and used to attend Clayton Valley High School where she was the president of her GSA. She became an activist in June 1999 when she became a member of the Queer Youth Action Team at the Center for Human Development (CHD) in Contra Costa County. I met Katie earlier this fall and she impressed me with her passion and commitment to community organizing. Since she is working on enforcing AB 537, I thought she would be a good person to interview for this issue of "Activism Spotlight." -- Carolyn

Carolyn (C): What activism have you been involved in? Katie (K): In addition to being president of the GSA at Clayton Valley, I became involved with CHD's Queer Youth Action Team (QYAT) in June 1999. QYAT was set up to decrease homophobia in Contra Costa County schools. I also recently started to be involved with C-Beyond, a youth activist group in Concord that works for youth rights. For example, just recently I went to a rally in protest of PG&E because they are supporting Prop 21, the initiative that aims to incarcerate more youth in adult jails that provides no funding for prevention of youth crimes.

C: Why did you become an activist?
K: I've always been passionate about things I believe in but I didn't always have an outlet for them until I was introduced to CHD's Queer Youth Action Team.

C: Is there a specific campaign QYAT is working on right now?
K: Yes, the campaign we're working on is in West Contra Costa Unified School District, working to get them to enforce AB 537.

C: What do you think it's going to take to get AB 537 enforced?
K: It's going to take voices from youth saying their demands. It's been a hard long struggle to get it passed and it's going to be a hard long struggle to get people to realize that it's now the law. It will take more groups like QYAT as well as individual GSAs going directly to their schools and districts because if no one speaks up, then the law is just on the books and doesn't mean anything.

C: You seem really passionate and committed to activism. Where do you think your conviction comes from?
K: I don't know. Probably being an Aquar-ian! Did you know Oprah is a an Aquarian? ...Really, I love people and I don't like to see them hurting. I don't like to see people, my friends, being harassed.

C: Have you encountered any difficulties as an activist?
K: I've experienced people's homophobia directly against me. And people in my family have questioned me, "Why are you so involved in this or that?" It's also hard to be an activist when you have a job and you have to always ask for days off to do things.

C: What about in your school?
K: At Clayton Valley, we would put a note in the office every week to announce the GSA and every week it was never read in the announcements. So I raised the issue constantly and finally the principal, himself, started reading the GSA announcement.

C: What advice would you give to other youth who want to make change?
K: Find out how to get involved. If there aren't groups already set up in your area, set one up. If you see a problem that needs fixing, don't wait for someone else to fix it.

C: Some youth don't want to call themselves an "activist" but you do. What does that word mean to you?

K: An activist is simply someone who is involved in programs that make change for the things they are passionate about.

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Straight Allies Speak Out

Why should straight people care about homophobia? What does it mean to be a straight ally?

The following comments from straight allies reflect some of the different reasons straight people become involved in supporting queer folks and fighting homophobia.

"...I became the president of my school's newly formed Gay-Straight Alliance last year. I am straight, but this is the best opportunity I have to help fight against bigotry and prejudice at school. I have always taken offense at homophobia just like racism and sexism. Because I am not gay, I do not know how damaging homophobia can be, but I do know what bullying is like. To an extent, it is all the same: picking on someone for being different. There is no excuse for it."

Nate Muhler, Skyline High School

"High school is probably one of the most confusing and difficult times in a person's life, and I've always considered myself lucky to not have to deal with questioning and accepting my sexuality on top of that. That is why I feel that it's my duty to stick up for those who are too afraid or confused to defend themselves and fight homophobia. It's everyone's right to go to school in a safe and comfortable atmosphere free of harassment and it's everyone's job to do everything they can to work towards that goal. Straight allies help prove that homophobia is not just an issue for homosexuals, but for everyone." Allison Reid, Bishop O'Dowd

"I recently met Ashley, a bright l6-year-old who is starting a Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) at her private high school. In addition to the solid goals she had developed to present to school administrators, I asked her what she personally hoped to get out of establishing the alliance. 'Personally?' She thought for a moment. 'I censor myself all the time. It is stifling. I want to fully participate. When I can't bring all of my experiences into the classroom like everybody else, I'm not fully participating. And I'm not fully learning.' Quite a common response from a GLBT teenager, right? Yet Ashley is not speaking as a teen who is GLBT. She is speaking as a daughter who has two lesbian mothers. Whether their families are very out or very closeted, children of GLBT parents typically deal with homophobia on a daily basis in their schools--often at an earlier age than their GLBT peers. It starts on the first day kindergarten when they are told to draw a picture of their families and share it with the rest of the class. It continues through the graduation ceremony when they arrange combinations of family members to pose for the camera." Abigail Garner, Coordinator of the COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere) chapter in Minneapolis, MN; taken from her website, "www.familieslikemine.com"

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"Fighting for Recognition" By Erik Berg, St. Ignatius College Prep

I attend a private school, operated by Jesuits. Yet I am queer, and this does not seem to go over so well at my school sometimes. In schools there is a superior who holds all of the power (like an administrator), and an underling of sorts (like a student) who must obey the rules and regulations of those higher on the scale of power. There are only three options one can choose when you are not in agreement with such a system. You can fight it, leave it, or die. Now the latter two are very depressing to me, and truly are not an option. I will not let the system kill me, youth suicide rates are high enough, especially for queer kids. It is not a reality for me to leave my school. The third option is where I stand now: fight the system. One way I have fought the system at my Catholic school is organizing a safe space for students to be themselves, to be queer. GSAs can be very powerful tools for getting what you want. A major goal of mine was to change the rule about the rights of same-sex couples at my school. In previous years, it has been a great challenge for queer couples to buy a cheaper dual dance bid to school dances. However, with a voice that is loud enough, certain unfair rules can be changed. Is it right that a straight couple can be legitimately recognized and given a discount to attend a school dance, whereas a couple of boys do not deserve the same rights? I cannot fathom a place like a school institution, which is supposed to be supportive and accepting, denying specific students certain privileges and granting them to others. It very clearly suggests the superiority of a straight couple at a school and invalidates a queer couple, perpetuating the homophobia that is evident at any high school, especially private schools which are not prone to the same legal obligations that AB537 upholds public schools to.

There is an administrator of certain power who co-facilitates the GSA at my school. We call it GLEA, Gay and Lesbian Education in Action. Once we discussed these issues within the GSA, she pulled a few strings to change the rules. However, this new "understood" policy has not yet been applied, and it will be my job to challenge it, as soon as Junior Prom comes around. I'm going to bring a boy to the dance with me, and if they so much as hesitate to sell me the dance bid, I will cry louder than the boy who cried "Wolf"! It is the influence of organized action that can affect change in social systems, such as schools. Do not be afraid to assert yourselves for equality of rights. After all, if we truly believe that we deserve equal rights, than we will have to rally around the rainbow flag, and fight to keep our colors brilliant. Those colors would not fly if it weren't for the activists of our past, and we cannot lay dormant and let those colors fade. Fight for your rights!

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If People Knew by Monique S. Yanes, Stagg H.S., Stockton

If people knew what we are going through
if people would only see us through
through the pain
through rough times
through what they think is a crime
through the times we need them most
If only they would give us some time
some time to explain
explain we aren't different
that we are the same
Why must people think
that just because you like the same sex
that you are different
If people knew that you were the same friend
If people knew that you were the same daughter,
sister, or brother
then they would understand
If only the ones we loved would understand and still
be there
when our friends are still there
That day people, friends and parents will understand
When that day comes we will no longer say
"if people knew"

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS!

Individual Donors:
Jen Corn
Emilie Eagan
Daniel Gillmor
Carolyn Gramstorff
Sunny Greene
Heidi Hess
Kris Koblik
Brian Kutner
Julie Lienert
Laura Perez
Robert Perez
Christie Hardwick Vianson
Harriet & Sandy Wolf
Aly & Donnovan Yisrael

Foundations/Businesses:
Colin Higgins Foundation
Columbia Foundation
Hairmail
Peace Development Fund
Peet's Coffee

Computer Support:
Justus Brown
Marc Felton
Andres Le Roux
Mary/Max Toth
Matt Wolf

Volunteers around the office: Brian Pahl
David Rudolph
Jo Su
Patti Tietgens

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Still Wishing For:

* scanner (Mac compatible)
* graphic designer
* storage cabinet
* bookshelves

To make a donation, make a check out to
"The Tides Center/Bay Area GSA Network" and send to:
965 Mission St. Suite 218, San Francisco, CA, 94103

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"It is not difference which immobilizes us, but silence. And there are so many silences to be broken."
--Audre Lorde

© GSA Network/Tides Center, 1998-2002