What's News
Opening Reception and Additional Exhibition!
GSA for Safe Schools Update
Read the latest news and views from Executive Director, Cindy Crane
Date
Feature
GSA Update 2/2009
You are invited to our Midwinter Soirée on February 24th!
GSA Update 9/2008
Opening Reception and Additional Exhibition!
Exhibition Press Release
Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals 1933-1945
GSA Update 2/2008
Special Note: Remember Lawrence King in your hearts and thoughts
GSA Update 1/2008
GSAFE featured in "Our Lives," Madison's LGBTQA Magazine
GSA Update 7/2007
What's gender got to do with it?
GSA Newsarama
Come here for news and views, present and past.
Issue
Date
Feature
Vol 7, Issue 12
March 20, 2009
Apply for Leadership Training Institute
Vol 7, Issue 11
February 20, 2009
Meet the GSA for Safe Schools Spring Interns
Vol 7, Issue 10
February 6, 2009
GSA for Safe Schools Scholarship – Apply Now
Vol 7, Issue 9
January 23, 2009
Wisconsin Teacher Featured in “Teaching Tolerance” Magazine
Vol 7, Issue 8
January 2, 2009
Happy New Year from GSA for Safe Schools
Vol 7, Issue 7
December 11, 2008
LGBT Day of History on December 12th
Vol 7, Issue 6
November 21, 2008
Biggest GSA Conference…Ever
For older news, visit the Newsarama archive.
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.