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Health & Fitness

We can't be afraid to educate our youth

I recently stumbled on an article from the Watertown Middle School newspaper “The Watertown Splash” informing the community of their newly established GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance). I am pleased to see that my town's middle school has joined other local towns such as Arlington, Cambridge, and Newton in establishing a GSA. With the first GSA being established a little over 20 years ago at Newton South High School by teacher Robert Parlin and Massachusetts being the first state to initiate marriage equality I would hope GSAs at the middle school level would be flourishing.

GSAs create a safe and welcoming place for people of varied backgrounds including but not limited to sexual orientation and gender identity. Gay-Straight Alliances not only allow students to build a community of like-minded people but also creates a place where everyone is celebrated for their differences.

Many are fearful to establish GSAs at the middle school level for fear of students’ age and “sensitivity” to various topics. However, to withhold from students an opportunity to learn about and celebrate differences hinders our young people from growing into adults who are not afraid to peacefully and freely live their lives and fight for those who cannot. The lack of GSAs in the middle schools provide students with the false belief that who they are, who they might be, the families that they come from, and the ones they love are so different from the comfort of the norm that it is wrong.

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Media has conditioned children from an early age to freely participate in gender stereotypes (we see it in toy marketing daily), society has encouraged the “American dream” of having a family that consists of a mother, father, and two children. My concern is that the kids who are not part of society and media’s ideals are not represented properly in our schools. Let’s teach our children that sexual orientation and gender identity isn’t a taboo topic and that they are not too young to understand that even though everyone is different we all have value. We do not shy away from talking to our children about heterosexual relationships and many times we support gender roles/stereotypes, so why are we silent about the varied lifestyles of those who are part of the queer community? Shushing students when the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) topics arise sends negative messages to students. It tells students that the families they may come from, the friends they may have, and the role models they look up to are not worth being talked about openly.

The Equal Access Act has enabled most high schools to establish a GSA, however at the middle school level, an age which students need to be taught about various cultures including the LGBT community, there is no law permitting an establishment of such club. Middle school is already difficult as it is, with schoolwork, puberty, and finding one’s identity. Our schools should be making it a little less scary by openly offering a place for students to be educated and freely talk about cultural differences and participate in activities that unite them. GSAs send the message to students that everyone is valued and is supported by the administration, teachers, and community. So I commend the Watertown community and Watertown Middle School for taking the necessary steps in creating a safe place for all students to celebrate their similarities and differences.

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