With the efforts of creating awareness of the LGBTQ+ community within Layton High School in mind, a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) club has been formed this year by senior Dominic Hussain. LGBTQ+ itself stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, with the plus sign representing all parts of the queer spectrum such as pansexual and asexual. While GSAs have been a part of schools outside of Utah for 10+ years, the concept of a GSA is fairly new within the state.
Nikki Weekes, Sociology teacher and advisor to the GSA, said she’s excited that the GSA has formed this year, because it’s a good opportunity to have a supportive environment where the students can have in-depth conversations about LGBTQ+ issues and spread awareness of the community. Hussain said, “They (people) think of things in a polarized way, there’s always a binary, so there’s no way to slide on the scale.” He plans on spreading awareness of the LGBTQ+ community by facilitation and communication, so that people will begin to question and critically think about this subject. Mrs. Weekes hopes to create a ripple effect, so that the group will be seen and heard as a group that can be related to.
The reason the GSA was formed was to create a safe space where people can communicate and support one another and have people acknowledge the existence of LGBTQ+ kids in Layton City. Though, Hussain put no stress on “coming out”, instead acknowledging the fact that it’s not always the safest decision to make for some teens. “If not just come out, then just learn more about themselves, even if they aren’t gay, even if they don’t identify on the queer spectrum in any way, if it’s just like knowing where they stand in relation to other people and how it’s not that much different,” said Dominic.
As Mrs. Weekes said, “We are all of one humanity.”
Meau, The Centurion
Nikki Weekes, Sociology teacher and advisor to the GSA, said she’s excited that the GSA has formed this year, because it’s a good opportunity to have a supportive environment where the students can have in-depth conversations about LGBTQ+ issues and spread awareness of the community. Hussain said, “They (people) think of things in a polarized way, there’s always a binary, so there’s no way to slide on the scale.” He plans on spreading awareness of the LGBTQ+ community by facilitation and communication, so that people will begin to question and critically think about this subject. Mrs. Weekes hopes to create a ripple effect, so that the group will be seen and heard as a group that can be related to.
The reason the GSA was formed was to create a safe space where people can communicate and support one another and have people acknowledge the existence of LGBTQ+ kids in Layton City. Though, Hussain put no stress on “coming out”, instead acknowledging the fact that it’s not always the safest decision to make for some teens. “If not just come out, then just learn more about themselves, even if they aren’t gay, even if they don’t identify on the queer spectrum in any way, if it’s just like knowing where they stand in relation to other people and how it’s not that much different,” said Dominic.
As Mrs. Weekes said, “We are all of one humanity.”
Meau, The Centurion