Unfortunately, middle school wasn’t much of an improvement. One day in particular, a group of boys cornered me in the hallway and said awful things—slurs I really don’t want to repeat. Plenty of people stood there, watching and laughing. The whole experience made me feel terribly alone.
During these difficult years, the thought of getting to high school gave me hope. I knew that the school had a GSA, or genders and sexualities alliance. That’s a club where LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning) kids and straight kids can come together.
Some GSAs are simply safe spaces where everyone can feel supported. LGBTQ kids are able to talk openly about their challenges and get advice from their peers. In other places, GSAs do important activism, such as holding anti-bullying assemblies and doing community service in their towns.