GSA Support
GSA stands for Gender Sexuality Alliance (previously known as a Gay-Straight Alliance).
These are clubs, typically within the school, that are safe spaces for youth of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions. GSAs provide a supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) students, as well as those who are perceived by others to be LGBTQ+, are questioning their identity, have LGBTQ+ friends or family members, or just care about LGBTQ+ issues (allies).
Oftentimes, school is the only safe space where our LGBTQ+ can authentically be themselves. GLYS strives to make sure all of the schools we are connected with are safe spaces for their LGBTQ+ students. We are currently in over 90 schools in Western New York.
GLYS GSA Advisor Liaison: Faith Winship (she/her), youthleadership@glyswny.org
Register Your GSA
If you have a newly developed GSA at your school, are a new advisor, or want to update your information - please fill out this form
Have GLYS Come to Your GSA Meeting
Contact our GSA Advisor Liaison, Faith (she/her) to schedule GLYS to come and speak with your GSA!
Annual GSA Conference
Our annual GSA Conference is an opportunity to invite all our local GSA members to attend a day full of workshops and build a sense of community across WNY for our LGBTQ+ Youth. Dates for 2022 are TBD - stay tuned!
GSA Advisor Materials
As a sub-chapter of the national organization, GLSEN, we recommend their resource materials for GSA Development. These are very helpful if you are developing a GSA or are a new advisor!
Monthly GSA Advisor Support
GLYS hosts two monthly GSA Advisor Meetings, via Zoom:
The Second Tuesday from 4-5 PM
The Last Monday from 3-4 PM
Classroom Inclusivity Form
Keeping up with the names and pronouns your students are currently using can be overwhelming - you want to make sure you are refereing to them correctly, especially with your LGBTQ+ students. To help you manage that information and stay in the know with your students identities we have currated a google form to keep track of this infromation! Download this form and share it with your students and ask them to fill it out (they can fill it out as many times as they want!). If you turn on notifications you will always know when your students are updating you on their chose names and pronouns.
