Pointlife
GSA changes as an organization to promote diversity adequately
The Pointer
mbaum925@uwsp.edu
Starting Friday, the Gay-Straight Alliance will be conducting Pride Week on campus. Not every student is readily familiar with this organization. It desires to promote a message of tolerance and diversity. Before GSA engages the student body with it’s week of promotion, additional thoughts were garnered from the organization.
Every April, Gay Pride Week is run on campus, but other events checker the GSA’s calendar throughout the year.
“There is coming out day, day of silence, welcome back picnic and counter protests; for example, we counter-protested the Faithful Soldiers for Pro-choice,” said Emily Haider, GSA Web weaver.
Reflecting on the main goals of the GSA, it was created to provide a social, emotional and education support group for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and ally populations on campus and in the surrounding communities. The Gay-Straight Alliance also acts as an educational student organization to provide greater awareness of the issues that concern the members themselves, the university and the surrounding communities.
This group has gradually progressed to form these beliefs as they have shaped and changed since the organization began in 1978, which was when homosexuality was still illegal. GSA, since its inception, has gained support from most of the communities on campus. But not all organizations and individuals have joined them in the fight and discrimination has not entirely disappeared.
“Things have gotten better, but discrimination is still present on campus and off,” said Haider. “There is still more work to be done to reach the point of zero discrimination.”
Toward a further end of promoting equal rights the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community worked with the Student Government Association to create a director for the organization. Unfortunately, it was recently voted down. The GSA, which works with the LGBTQ community, believes that this will not weaken the resolve of the group.
“This vote, if anything, will make pride week even stronger. It will encourage those to speak louder and continue to spread awareness. This vote will definitely be on the minds of the GSA members and other GSA allies,” said Haider.
Pride Week’s purpose will be to spread awareness by educating the community and a celebrating of open identity.
“It encourages people to be confident in who they are no matter what,” said Haider.
More information regarding the Gay-Straight Alliance can be obtained at http://www.uwsp.edu/stuorg/gsa/.
