The Gender Sexuality Alliance club at Newtown High School held their annual Solidarity Week during November 4th through the 8th.
Solidarity Week helps people learn about practicing solidarity and about different identities. It’s also to help the concern for justice, and to have a better understanding of other people's experiences. The GSA is run by NHS English teachers Kristin Gelderman, Wendy LaBarge, and Jim Rovello.
“It used to be run by something called GLESN, which was the national organization that was responsible for coming up with GSA, they have since stopped doing that because there are lots of other days. But we decided to continue and bring it here because it is super important to show and have expressions of solidarity,” Co-Adviser Wendy LaBarge and NHS teacher said.
During this week, November 4th, this is the day where students can change their profile picture to a rainbow flag to a rainbow filter to show support for the LGBTQ+ community. November 6, is Open House day, where you get to meet the members of the Gender Sexuality Alliance, and this would take place in rooms B233 and B231. November 7th, Is rainbow day.
On this day, students can wear any color of the rainbow and may join the GSA at the beginning of wave 3 lunch in the lobby of the school. On November 8th, is Ally Day is a day where students can wear purple clothing or any Newtown pride gear, and students can stop by the table in the lobby to sign a pledge form.
“I think it’s great that Newtown is making sure that all of their students are being supported. Multiple teachers went to the open house. And a bunch of teachers went to show their support. It’s good to see Newtown be such active participants in it.,” NHS student teacher Hayley Arbitelle said.
Arbitelle had previously attended the open house herself and was also wearing a pride-ribbon pin to show her support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Support is not often shown towards LGBTQ+ community, and an NHS student has something to say about it. “If other people are gay, and shy to come out, we need to support that, like you are gay and we support it,” NHS senior Ethan Cameron said.
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