LGBTQ Safe Spaces

The two pieces "Safe Spaces" by August and "11 and Gender Fluid" by Zelle talk about one of the biggest issues in todays society. Still in 2018, there are still arguments about accepting people for who they want to be. Gay marriage and adoptions have been legalized, but that hasn't  stopped everyone from talking negatively about LGBTQ members. 

In schools, LGBTQ isn't really talked about. This is August's biggest argument. Schools are supposed to be a safe place where students shouldn't feel afraid of expressing themselves for who they are. As kids grow up, they are supposed to figure out who they are as a person, find what hobbies they like, and to find those who they can surround themselves with to connect to. Just saying it sounds like it should be easy by being able to experiment, but the way people are makes it ten times more difficult because judgements play a big role. In the article "11 and Gender Fluid" Zelle's argument connects with this. Her daughter struggled to fit in with the other kids in school because she wanted to dress differently. Kids that aren't up to fashion, are automatically left out of friend groups. People who don't look like they're part of the "norm" are left out of friend groups as well. August brings up how kids are easily shown that being LGBTQ isn't part of the "norm" by many indirect ways. The biggest message that indicates this, is when straight people automatically assume that everyone surrounding them is also heterosexual. A lot of times, I personally have heard different phrases that correlate with this. Two sayings that I've heard being said are, "I don't look gay enough today" and, "I would've never thought you were gay, because you don't look it".  I feel that the people who said those statements aren't to blame, but the real culprit are stereotypes.

Not saying thats its ok to be rude or negative but it is in human nature to judge others, even when you don't really mean to. Although, with learning about LGBTQ in schools would probably help with most students understanding and being more open to differences within one another. One passage I would like to point out in the "Safe Spaces" article, is the last paragraph on page 84 when August talks about an LGBTQ member who fell victim to negative judgements and bullying which led him to suicide at just the age of 15. The member's mother campaigned for school district's staff/faculty to advocate and protect their students who are LGBTQ members. This should be a part of every school district. Fortunately, in my old school there was a club meant to help members have a safe place to express themselves and just have a group to talk to. It was a goal to reach out to students from different towns to get together to share this safe zone. Again, because of the way society works, it was difficult because the school didn't want to get in trouble with parents that didn't support the club. People say that since its 2018 "a lot has changed", but most people who say that are heterosexuals and in all honesty there is still so much more to work on and it all comes down to just acceptance. 

Question: If the Gay-Straigh-Alliance club were to expand to more schools, even middle schools, do you think that this would promote a positive impact on the society as a whole.