Maddie Findley, Staff Writer
At Newtown High School a club called the Gay Straight Alliance has formed. This club is a way for every sexual to make an alliance with straight students. Also, it develops the school into a safer environment for people who may be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. Every student is free to express themselves in any form they want too. The bonds between each of the students are very strong and they have developed an unbreakable relationship with the other students and advisor. As the club fully developed, they all realized how lucky they were.
In NYC, over 1600 or 40% LGBT people are living on the streets without a proper shelter or lifestyle. The Ali Forney Center is a place for LGBTQ people to stay, but unfortunately it only has 150 beds a night according to GSA
NHS GSA is holding a sock drive for homeless LGBTQ people in NYC. The socks can be used in a few different ways such as mittens and can help poor footwear.
Newtown High School senior Nikole Giovannone who is a member of GSA said, “The thing about socks is not a lot of people would think to donate them to homeless shelters but they can be doubled up and used to supplement poor footwear and can be used on the hands as mittens and we are giving these socks to the Ali Forney Center which is a homeless center for LGBTQ.”
The GSA club is used to inform people about the situations of others that may be struggling or are in a hard place. Sometimes when people come out to their families about being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer their parents and families may not accept them. The sock drive provides a way to help others when they are in need.
Mr. Rovello, an advisor for the GSA club says he thinks this club is fully about raising awareness to others about LGBTQ people and how they can help.
“I’d say it is about obviously one this is raising awareness of issues and the LGBTQ community but a lot of it I think is just really building sort of association, empathy, I mean and the facts that it’s a gay straight alliance it’s not just members who are gay but you know people who want to support that community, it’s really about raising awareness and I think really tolerance. I think like anything else when you take, stop talking about an issue or a topic people forget about it and then are no longer aware of it and I think that’s where the danger comes in,” Rovello said.
To continue his thoughts, NHS junior Ellie Nikitchyuk said it is a good way to hang out and talk.
“We just provide a safe place for LGBTQ or whatever students to come and hang out and talk about stuff they don’t usually get to talk about in normal everyday life,” Nikitchyuk said.
Having this program in the school gives students a chance to become friends with straight students and become more comfortable with who they are and the setting of the school.
“Improving everyday school and activities for gay kids and improving relationships between gay and straight kids,” NHS senior Hannah Bartlett said.
Rovello also continues to speak about being treated equally no matter your differences and how this club has had a big impact on the schools social aspect.
“I would just like to add that having a chance say in a high school or school setting that’s had a significant drop in suicide rates as well, even if the numbers aren’t that big,” Rovello said.
No matter their race or sexuality, many homeless can benefit from the help of the NHS sock drive.
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