Resources Available from GSA for Safe Schools

Resources to Download

GSA Nuts and Bolts

10 Steps for Starting a GSA
Would you like to start a Gay-Straight Alliance at your school, but aren't quite sure how to go about doing that? This resource will walk you through the basics, including what to do if your school says "no".

Elements of a GSA
Gay-Straight Alliances can serve a lot of different purposes. This activity will help students and GSA advisors think about what "kind" of GSA they would like to have. Are we a social group? Are we activists? Can we be both? Download this resource.

What the heck is a PGP?
Most of us use pronouns every day without giving it a second thought, but for some people the use of pronouns isn't so casual. This resource explains what we mean when we say "preferred gender pronouns" and contains two activities that GSAs and other groups can use to help them get into the practice of using gender neutral pronouns.

2009 Ready-Made Events
Is your Gay-Straight Alliance looking for new events to organize in your school? This document lists some common "days of action" that are perfect for GSAs and similar clubs, such as TransAction, Day of Silence and National Coming Out Day. Download it here.

GSA Leadership: What Does it Look Like?
This activity takes introduces four different models that GSAs frequently use to establish leadership teams within their clubs, and provides discussion questions to help students and advisors come up with the advantages and disadvantages of each model. Which model would work best for your GSA? Download it here.

Qualities of a Leader
Leaders come in all shapes and sizes. But are there any traits that every good leader possesses? This activity is designed to generate discussion around the qualities of a good leader in an interactive and colorful way. Download it here.

Teaching It Back
A guide to talking about HIV/AIDS with your GSA. Download it here.

Keeping the Momentum
Gay-Straight Alliances are a great way for students to practice their leadership skills and exercise social activism. But what happens when those students graduate? This resource discusses a number of ways to "keep the momentum going" and stay connected to LGBT activism in the state of Wisconsin. Download this resource.

GSAs and the Law

Legal Responsibility
This sheet gives short descriptions of three federal laws and one Wisconsin law that protect the rights of LGBT youth and GSAs in public schools: The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, Title IX of Education Amendments Act of 1972, the Equal Access Act, and the Wisconsin Pupil Nondiscrimination Law. Download this resource here.

118.13 "101"
Did you know that Wisconsin was one of the first states to specifically list sexual orientation in its pupil nondiscrimination policy? This resource breaks down state statute 118.13 into bite-sized, easy-to-swallow pieces and answers the question, "What does discrimination mean, exactly?" Download this resource here.

118.13 PSA
Students have the right to be free from discrimination in school. This public service announcement reminds students, by way of song, to let everyone in their school know about Wisconsin's Pupil Non-Discrimination Law 118.13.

The song was written by 2008 GSAFE Scholarship Recipient and Madison West High School graduate Miles Walser as part of a year-long campaign aimed at educating Wisconsin schools about the state Pupil Non-Discrimination Law. The PSA was produced by MMSD TV and includes art from fellow West graduate Hannah Johnson.

For this and other videos please visit www.mmsd.tv.

Sample Harassment Incident Report Form
So what do you do if you're being harassed at school? It's important to keep a record of incidents of harassment, and your school may have a form similar to this resource that you can use to file a report. If they don't have something like this, it's okay to keep record of what happened on a piece of notebook paper or in a journal. Just make sure you list as many details as possible: what happened, where it happened, when it happened, and who was present.

Harassment Report Flow Chart
Most incidents of harassment can be handled very quickly and effectively by a teacher, administrator, or other school professional. But what happens if your school isn't acting on your complaints, or if things aren't being handled to your satisfaction? You have the right to file a formal complaint, and this resource shows the steps you can take to do that.

Sample Letters of Complaint
If you are going to file a formal complaint either with the LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT or at the STATE LEVEL, your complaint letter should follow a certain format. At the local level, you will need to know who the district designee is for receiving such complaints. A list of Wisconsin school district designees can be downloaded from DPI's website at: http://dpi.wi.gov/sped/puplnondis.html.

Frequently Asked Questions about Day of Silence
Information about the legal responsibilities of schools and the rights of students. Download it here.

GSA Advisor Resources

Is it Chess Club or a Gay-Straight Alliance
Is advising GSA the same as adivising Chess Club? Download this document to better understand both the similarities and differences.

Best Practices for adults interested in working with Middle School Gay-Straight Alliances
What is the role of the middle school GSA advisor? Download this resource to get a a better idea.

Gay Straight Alliances: Best Practices in Youth Development and After -School Programs
How can adult advisors support the success of middle school GSAs? Created by Madison School and Community Recreation staff. Download it here.

LGBT History

Check out our free resources on LGBT History here.

Resources to Purchase
Below are a number of new visual resources you can use to educate, inform, and raise awareness. For prices and ordering information please download this form.

Safe Zone Sticker

Students regularly tell us that one of the easiest ways to show your support is to display a Safe Zone sign in your classroom or office. Now GSAFE has our very own Safe Zone sticker. The small print reads:

Lesbian ∙ Gay ∙ Bisexual ∙ Transgender ∙ Questioning ∙ Straight
This is a place where people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcomed and affirmed.

“I Just Heard You Say, ‘That’s So Gay!’” Poster

Our “I Just Heard You Say, ‘That’s So Gay!’” series was inspired by students at Velma Hamilton Middle School in Madison, WI and re-imagined by artist and student activist Kate Erickson. Hang this poster in prominent locations around your school and you’ve already gone a long ways towards setting clear expectations for language and behavior with students – and staff!

“I Just Heard You Say, ‘That’s So Gay!’” Postcard
The postcard is a smaller version of our poster. It’s perfect for your door or window – or for sending quick notes through the mail.

“I Just Heard You Say, ‘That’s So Gay!’” Business card
Educate on the spot with our business cards. The back side is the same as our poster and postcard. The front says, “Expand Your Vocabulary.” The next time you hear someone say, “That’s so gay!” simply hand her or him this card. They’ll get the point without you having to say a word.

“I am not a retard” Poster

This long-awaited addition to our "Expand Your Vocabulary" series, this poster addresses the casual use of the word "retard" and the phrase "that's retarded", another hurtful expression that we would like to see disappear from our hallways, classrooms and communities. A collaborative effort of students belonging to two different clubs - a Gay-Straight Alliance and Peer Partners - this poster was the product of a project called "Creating New Allies", which sought to help LGBTQ students, student with disabilities, and their allies learn how to create more inclusive and welcoming learning environments for all students.

“I am not a retard” Postcard
The postcard is a smaller version of our poster. It’s perfect for your door or window – or for sending quick notes through the mail.

“I am not a retard” Business card
Educate on the spot with our business cards. The back side is the same as our poster and postcard. The front says, “Expand Your Vocabulary.” The next time you hear someone say, “Retard!” simply hand her or him this card. They’ll get the point without you having to say a word.

For prices and ordering information please download this form.

The Panel Project


In November 2006 Wisconsin voters amended the state constitution to ban not only marriage for same sex couples but also civil unions and other similar forms of legal recognition. In the months leading up to the vote GSAFE worked with students to help them get engaged in speaking out about their views on the ban. One piece of that was the Panel Project. Almost 200 students expressed their views through decorated quilt panels. The individual panels are on view at www.thePanelProject.blogspot.com.

Please contact us if you are interested in bringing the Panel Project to your school, community, or state.

The Panel Project Guide
Do the Panel Project with your school, community, or state. Download the guide here.