What's News

Wisconsin State Journal Guest Editorial-April 13, 2008
Executive Director Cindy Crane had a guest editorial published recently recalling the march in Washington, D.C. in 1993 and other historic events. Read her editorial entitled "Exclusion and fear must give way."

Students All Across Wisconsin Take Part in a Day of Silence
Get ready for schools in Wisconsin to be a little quieter. On Wednesday, April 18th, students at middle schools, high schools and college campuses in Wisconsin and all across the nation will participate in a Day of Silence to protest the discrimination, harassment and abuse – in effect the silencing – faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and their allies in schools. Read the press release about the Day of Silence.

This is why we need a GSA
Teaching Tolerance magazine shines a spotlight on Madison middle school GSAs
The Spring 2007 issue of Teaching Tolerance magazine features a wonderful article that cites the growing success of (and need for) gay-straight alliances in middle schools. The article focuses on Madison, which has the highest per capita concentration of middle school GSAs in the country. Many local middle school students are quoted in the article, and we here at GSA for Safe Schools would like to THANK THEM TREMENDOUSLY for sharing their stories with us and the many readers of this magazine. The article also features quotes and anecdotes from local celebrities Bonnie Augusta, Brian Juchems, Jane Biondi, Rebecca Wennlund and Jo Jensen. To read the full article, click here.

Not in 'My Town'
Portage Daily Register gives October training front page treatment.
The December 5, 2006 edition of the Portage Daily Register ran a lead article highlighting the experiences of rural LGBT youth. The article was in response to the all-day training in late October, 2006 organized by GSA for Safe Schools for CESA 5. Portage area educators, including Portage High School principal Karin Exo and CESA 5 project director Genevieve Kirchman, as well as student leaders Jared Genova (Madison) and Monique Walmer (Edgerton) made the case for ongoing teacher training on LGBT safety issues.

Thanks especially to Jared and Monique for sharing their stories with the reporter.

Read the article here.

Response to the Constitutional Amendment to Ban Same Sex Marriage


Hey all,

I thought it was a bit cruel for yesterday to be such a gorgeous day. While I had prepared myself for the amendment to pass the fact that it did pass cast a pall over things. I wanted the day to match my mood cloud for cloud; chill for chill. So how dare the day go ahead and be so darn sunny, warm, and bright, right? This wasn't what I wanted. This wasn't how I was feeling. Who would play such a nasty joke?

Lunch with a good friend and colleague helped lighten my mood, as did a workshop with students at a local middle school. To be honest, being upbeat with the students was actually pretty hard at first, but their commitment to learning about how to stand up to bullying was quite persuasive.

Gradually, I was able see things in a different light.

At our last GSA conference participants were divided into small groups and asked to envision future success built upon the solid foundation of the GSA movement. We wanted to know where you thought we were heading as a community. Each group was given a blank puzzle piece and about 30 minutes. I've attached a photo of one of the completed puzzle pieces. It sums things up nicely.

We are a revolution in progress, and the ban is just a temporary set-back in our climb to equality. Tuesday was a significant down, and it's okay to feel the sting of such an unfair vote. But still, the future looks bright and we have much to be hopeful for.

Mike Tate, Campaign Manager for Fair Wisconsin, said after the election that the people of Wisconsin do not hate gays, they simply don't know them. I believe this ends with your generation. Through your daily acts of resistance as open and out LGBTQ and straight ally youth you are creating a community where no one can say they don't know us. The more and more people know us, the harder it is for them to vote to limit our status as full members of the community. This tells me that, despite our current and future struggles, we've in fact already won.

That sun was right to shine down on us, after all.

Be well and be gentle,

Mama J.