How to create a club

Genders & Sexuality Alliance Network, 10 Steps for Starting a GSA:

1. Follow Guidelines:

Establish a GSA the same way you would establish any other group or club. Look in
your Student Handbook for the rules at your school. This may include getting permission
from an administrator, finding an advisor, and/or writing a constitution.
Email faculty

2. Find a Faculty Advisor:

Find a teacher or staff member whom you think would be supportive or who has already
shown themselves to be an ally around sexual orientation issues. It could be a teacher,
counselor, nurse, or librarian.
CLMS- Ms. Metzgar, LKMS-

3. Inform Administration of Your Plans:

Tell administrators what you are doing right away. It can be very helpful to have an
administrator on your side. They can work as liaisons on your behalf with other teachers,
parent groups, community members, and the school board. If an administrator is
resistant to the GSA, let them know that forming a GSA club is protected under the
Federal Equal Access Act.
LKMS- email to Dr. Hamblin

4. Inform Guidance Counselors and Social Workers About The Group:

These individuals may know students who would be interested in attending the group.

5. Pick a Meeting Place:

You may want to find a meeting place which is off the beaten track at school and offers
some level of privacy or confidentiality.

6. Advertise (and Get Food!):

Figure out the best way to advertise at your school. It may be a combination of school
bulletin announcements, flyers, and word-of-mouth. Also get food and tell people there
will be food: people always come to meetings when you provide food! If your flyers are
defaced or torn down, do not be discouraged. Keep putting them back up. Eventually,
whoever is tearing them down will give up.

Besides, advertising for your group and having words up such as "gay, lesbian, bisexual,
 transgender, or questioning" or "end homophobia" or "discuss sexual orientation" can be
part of educating the school and can actually make other students feel safer -- even if
they never attend a single meeting.

7. Hold Your Meeting!

You may want to start out with a discussion about why people feel having this group is
important. You can also brainstorm things your club would like to do this year.

8. Establish Ground Rules:

Many groups have ground rules in order to insure that group discussions are safe,
confidential, and respectful. Many groups have a ground rule that no assumptions or
labels are used about a group member's sexual orientation. This can help make straight
allies feel comfortable about attending the club.

9. Plan For The Future:

Develop an action plan. Brainstorm activities. Set goals for what you want to work
towards. Contact Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network in order to get connected to all
of the other GSAs, get supported, and learn about what else is going on in the
community.

10. Register Your GSA

Now that you've started it up, register your GSA with the GSA network in your state! Visit
our National Directory to find your state's GSA network. And if you're in California,
register with GSA Network here and sign up for an event or request a site visit or training
at your school.

When you’ve got the club:

Establishing the Purpose:

1. Decide if if your GSA is a support group, activism club, or social group.
I think support/social group, but expose to activism, and if interest is expressed run with
it.
2. Create a Mission Statement; Address the nature of your organization and its goals
Sample mission statements in Google Drive

Preparing for Meetings:

1. Set Agenda; make a list of issues and topics to be discussed at each meeting
2. Publicize Meetings
Flyers around the school, possibly get it on the morning announcements
3. Bring Food (arguably the most important step)

Running a Good Meeting:

1. Ground Rules; To make sure the group members feel safe, establish ground rules such
as respect and confidentiality
● Any serious topics discussed will remain within the club
● No assuming anyone’s gender or sexuality or labeling them against their wishes
● Respect all pronouns
2. Decision Making; decide how group decisions will be made (majority vote, consensus,
etc.?), assign a facilitator me: makes sure group stays focused on meeting agenda,
ensure people do not feel ignored or disrespected
3. Notes; take minutes of each meeting for students who were unable to attend and post
them publicly if possible so students can read them anonymously
4. Create question box for suggestions or comments
5. [Rachel’s addition] Give contact info out to any kids who may want to get in touch with
me
6. [Rachel’s addition kinda] Set tentative dates; put deadlines, dates of meetings, or
anything else into official school calendars, follow schedule and take deadlines seriously

How to get more allies and members:

1. Provide food at your meeting

2. Put an announcement in the daily bulletin or assembly

3. Pass out rainbow ribbons or GSA buttons to GSA supporters

4. Make flyers or posters about specific meetings, topics, or events and post around
campus
Example: Make flyers defining what a straight ally is with information about your GSA at
the bottom

5. Ask teachers to permanently post your group's general flyer in their classroom

6. Hold a "bring-a-friend day" at your GSA meeting

7. Have an open GSA meeting where you show a movie or have a speaker

8. Make presentations at other clubs' meetings about your group; invite these clubs to
make presentations at your GSA meeting.
 9. Send group representatives to classes to make an announcement about your group's
meetings or activities

10. Put together a panel of speakers for a conference or similar event

11. Set up a time to speak to teachers at faculty meetings or help conduct an in-
service/teacher training

12. Create a display in your library (i.e. for Queer History Month) or display case in a hallway

13. Practice Guerilla Theater: stage a public exchange between GSA members about
homophobia or transphobia and your GSA

14. Partcipate in the Day of Silence Project: www.dayofsilence.org (link is external)

GLSEN’s Day of Silence, this year on Friday, April 27, is a student-led national event where
folks take a vow of silence to highlight the silencing and erasure of LGBTQ people at school.

15. Invite teachers, faculty, and staff to GSA meetings

16. Write a letter to your school board asking for support

17. Spread the word! Tell others about your GSA!

18. Make a website, myspace, or facebook page for your GSA

19. Keep a guest log at your meetings! Personally invite people back with a follow up thank
you card.

20. Have a contest to see which person can bring in the most new (and consistent!)
members

21. Take notes at meetings and then send them out. People are more likely to come back if
they stay updated on what's going on

22. Make business cards with location, time, and dates of your meetings. Pass them around
or just drop them in random places wherever you go.

23. Go out of your way to be nice to new folks! Make them feel super welcome!

Safety Resource PDF in Google Drive

Coalition Building:
Coalition building is when separate groups join forces to focus on one main issue.

Why Build a Coalition?:

1. There is power in numbers! With more groups involved, you are more likely to succeed.
2. You are guaranteeing a bigger impact on your campus, and ultimately, community by joining
forces with other groups that may not necessarily have anything to do with the GSA at first
glance.
3. Forming a coalition to work on an issue that is important to many groups gives your GSA club the
chance to understand and engage in anti-oppression work beyond sexual orientation and gender
issues.
4. Ex: Day of Silence (“People of color are also silenced on a daily basis due to racism and other
isms. So are people with disabilities, women, religious minorities, and many other groups.”)

Creating Inclusive GSAs

1. Your GSA may include Straight Allies and Students with LGBT Parents, and it is
important that these members of your club feel welcome and supported. LGBTQ youth in
a GSA also depend on adult allies and will be Working with Adults in Youth-Adult
Partnerships to get things done.

2. LGBTQ history is full of transgender and queer people of color who were the unsung
leaders and heroines of many of our early struggles. It is important to teach your GSA
that our history as a queer movement has always had trans and queer people of color in
it. Consciously Building Anti-Racist GSAs from the beginning is one way to make sure
your GSA honors this legacy. Making your GSA familiar with Transgender Issues, and
taking on a Gender Identity Campaign at your school is a great way to start educating
your club and your school on issues affecting our community.

3. As your GSA club gains strength and momentum it is important to think about Building
Coalitions with other student groups, to hold joint events and support other groups on
issues affecting a diverse student population. In turn, when your club has Actions and
Events, make sure to outreach to your coalition partners.

4. To gain a strong grasp on social justice organizing and to really learn about GSA
Network’s model for inclusive and social justice GSA clubs, make sure you attend one of
our GSA Leadership Summits or GSA Activist Camp in the summer.

Dealing with Apathy

1. Involve the whole school

Talk to accepting teachers and ask them to advertise your club or bring students to your
meetings. Develop a GSA-led anti-bias seminar for all incoming freshman. Contact various
school departments and ask them to get involved. For example, the theater department could
stage a LGBTQ-themed play such as the Laramie Project and the English department could
incorporate LGBTQ-themed books into the curriculum while the school library could display a
collection of LGBTQ-themed young adult novels. This visibility can do two things: (1) help raise
awareness about what challenges the LGBTQ community faces outside your school, and (2)
help other students see how active the GSA club is in making a difference at school, which may
inspire them to join your club.

2. Make GSA more than the “Gay Club”

Form a coalition with other clubs focused on social justice, equality, and civil rights in your
school to host joint meetings and events, bringing more people together. This will broaden the
image of your club by dealing with more than just LGBTQ issues. If people feel like they can
relate to the issues that you talk about, they are more likely to want to get involved.

3. Use Large Crowds to your advantage

Focus on events that will draw large crowds rather than small, intimate group gatherings, which
can be intimidating for people who are considering joining. Plus, the more people you can
engage, the more who will be interested next time. For example, bringing in a dynamic outside
speaker who will energize people and motivate them to come to your other events.

4. Get the word out

Work on your publicity! Create a poster campaign, where you display a series of posters that
publicize your club or bring to light issues that face the LGBTQ community outside your school.
If your administration allows it, use sidewalk chalk to make large, unavoidable signs in the main
areas where students walk or congregate at lunchtime. Get permission to announce your
meetings and events at school-wide assemblies. Delegate tasks or take volunteers to help with
different aspects of outreach and other club responsibilities.

5. Spice it up!
Fun activities engage and excite people about your club. Here are some activities to try:

Food: Attract more people by appealing to their taste buds. Although some people might come
just for the food, hopefully they’ll find themselves engaged when they hear what you have to
say. You could bring in LGBTQ “themed” foods, like skittles or rainbow-frosted cupcakes.

Movies: Depending on your audience and the goal you have in mind, you could pick a movie
that directly relates to LGBTQ issues or you could pick something more indirectly related. For
example, you could screen Philadelphia, a movie about a gay man with AIDS suing his
employer for discrimination, or you could show Bend it Like Beckham, a movie with gay themes
but one that is not directly about any LGBTQ issues. Plus, watching a movie can lead into a
discussion about the issues the movie raises.

Games: Use a game as an icebreaker or even as the main event at a meeting to interest people
who want to be more active.
Trips: Go somewhere as a group outside of school. Host a picnic at a local park. Attend an
LGBTQ-themed theater performance. Apply to attend a GSA Network conference, such as
Queer Youth Advocacy Day (QYAD), Youth Empowerment Summit (YES), or Expression Not
Suppression (ENS).

6. Start writing

7. Social Media
Consider making a group for your club on popular social media sites and then adding club
events to the group page. You could also create an email address, or remind 101, or Google
classroom (if middle schools do that), specifically for your club, like yourGSA@yahoo.com (link
sends e-mail), and use it to keep club members up-to-date about upcoming events, meetings,
and activities

8. Change your meeting schedule

Sometimes when club membership goes down, scheduling, not apathy, may be the real culprit.
Weekly meetings may be too frequent. Consider spacing your meetings out, and having them
every other week or once a month. Even your busiest members ought to be able to squeeze in
a meeting here and there, and they may prioritize the GSA meetings if they know they are less
frequent.

9. Support social activists

Allow your club to be not just a support club, but a social club and an activist club as well. Show
the school that you know how to have fun and make a difference.

Leadership

Choosing a Leadership Model:

How will your club's leadership be organized?

What will be expected of club leaders and who will they report to?

First, be sure to check whether your school policies require a particular leadership arrangement.

● Hierarchy-based leadership--President (or Co-Presidents), Vice President, Secretary,

Treasurer, etc. This format can be useful for getting things done because it has well-
defined roles and designates a clear chain of responsibility.

● Board-based leadership--Your club has a "board" of people who lead the GSA. Each
board member has a defined leadership role which covers a major areas of responsibility
(examples: Facilitator or Chair, Outreach/Publicity Coordinator, Program Coordinator,
 Funding Coordinator, Grade Representatives, etc.). This model tends to be more
egalitarian than the hierarchy-based structure; while leadership positions are well-
defined, board members make decisions collectively and report/answer to the whole
group instead of a President or Co-President.

● Committee-based leadership--specific committees are formed to address particular GSA

objectives or needs and are led by committee "chairs" which give individual reports at
large-group meetings. Example committees include: fundraising committee, events
committee, publicity committee, visibility and education committee, etc. Usually, this
structure works best for larger clubs. To combine this leadership model with the one
above, consider having committee chairs also meet as a leadership board.

Establish Meeting Structure:

How often will your club leaders meet?

Will leadership/committee and large-group meetings be combined or separate?

● Some GSAs have club leaders meet weekly or bi-weekly outside of the large group, and
then give a report and present items for vote, etc. Others combine leadership and large
group meetings, where officers or board members give reports to the whole club and
everyone is involved in discussing important items.

● GSAs that have a committee-based leadership structure sometimes design meetings to

include both time for separate committees to meet and large-group

Suggestions and Guidelines for Transitioning GSA Leadership Smoothly:

● Set up a mentoring system. Have future leaders work with current leaders to gradually
become more comfortable with leadership positions.

● Transfer leadership during the year. Some schools transfer leadership at the end of first
semester. This way, new leaders can be assisted by old leaders.

● Get trained! Send GSA members and leaders/potential leaders to the Leadership
Trainings co-sponsored by the GSA Network in your area. Encourage the next year’s
leaders to apply to the GSA Activist Camp (held in August).

● Plan a mini-retreat for the beginning of the school year or over the summer to develop
relationships among your club’s current and incoming leaders, build momentum for the
next year, and give older leaders a chance to debrief and offer advice.

● Have current leaders keep clear and organized files, notes, and paperwork that they can
pass along to new leaders.
Identify your Resources:

What are your strengths? Your challenges? Who is currently involved? Is there a teacher who is
continuing as an advisor from this year to next? How many graduating [8th graders] currently
lead the GSA? What about younger students in lower grades? Are students generally apathetic
at your school about the GSA, or do you have a strong engaged base?

Identify Your Potential Leaders:

Look around your GSA meetings. Think about the participants in your events this year, such as
Day of Silence. Are there students who will be at school next year who are interested in a GSA
leadership role? Maybe there are students in the GSA who would make great leaders, with
some coaching and training, but they feel unsure or unaware of their own leadership potential.
Remember that EVERY new member can potentially become a leader of your GSA!! Here are
some steps for cultivating new leaders:

● Train new members in the rules, history and projects of your GSA.
● Spread out responsibility to all members throughout the school year, not just at the end.
● Take turns facilitating meetings so everyone knows what it feels like to be up front. This
will prepare you for a possible leadership role next year!
● Specifically ask younger GSA members to facilitate meetings throughout the year.
● Network, Network, Network! Network with other organizations on and off campus.

Select Your New Leaders Early:

Many GSA clubs are adopting a new strategy of selecting their new leadership in the middle of
each school year, rather than at the beginning. The advantage of holding elections at the
beginning of Spring semester is that your new leaders can then be trained and mentored by
your outgoing leaders. And when the new school year starts in the Fall, your new leaders are
already trained and practiced at being leaders, so they can hit the ground running.

Train Your Leaders:

● Have summer outings to continue the GSA momentum and build connections between
older students and younger students
● Have leadership trainings where all resources will be transferred (club constitution,
summaries of past events, etc.).
● Invite all GSA leaders to participate in GSA Network events (Youth Council, Queer
Youth Advocacy Day, etc.), so that everyone knows what’s going on
● Newly elected or potential GSA officers can attend GSA Activist Camp during the
summer and become ready to lead!
● Have GSA Network staff come do a training for your new leaders.
● Make your own strategy chart to plan how your own GSA will transition your leadership.
How to Facilitate a Meeting:

Facilitator is Responsible for:

● Getting agreement on agenda and processes before and during the meeting
● Conducting the meeting - makes sure the group keeps to ground rules, time limits, etc.
● Guiding discussion
● Staying neutral, asking questions and suggesting ways to approach parts of the agenda
● Making sure the group comes to decisions and work is divided among members
● Keeping the group on track when they head off onto tangents
● Watching the vibe of the meeting and helping to keep energy up
● Making sure everyone participates and no one dominates
● Creating a safe and positive environment (protects people from personal attack)
● Intervening if problems come up, dealing with concerns
● Creating a comfortable environment - using language that makes everyone comfortable

Strategies for Facilitating:

● Ask person who put specific item on agenda to give a brief introduction on important
background information and what they want done
● Give 5 minute warnings when moving on to another agenda item. Appoint a separate
timekeeper if necessary.
● Put off off-subject topics - Create a list (a "parking lot") for items to be discussed at
another time
● Paraphrase (repeat back in your own words) to check for the sense of the discussion
● Help people avoid repeating themselves by summarizing discussion and asking only for
comments in areas that haven't been mentioned
● Make suggestions for how to move forward - after discussion has gone on for a while, try
to summarize, look for agreement or sticking points, and come to decision
● Ask questions
● Be positive and encourage full participation - make sure everyone gets to speak, try to
notice when someone is holding back
● Focus on issues, not personalities
● Ask someone else to facilitate if you want to actively participate in the discussion
● Check briefly for agreement before moving on - make sure everyone understands
decisions

Techniques for Making Decisions in Meetings:

● Brainstorming
● Prioritizing (ranking items)
● Pro's and Con's
 ● Straw voting (informal poll to see where people are)
● Going around to everyone to check for the sense of the group This resource sheet was
developed with help from CompassPoint Non-Profit Services

Suggested Wording for Facilitating a Meeting (from the North American Students of Cooperation
Cooperative Education and Training Institute):

1. Make sure each agenda item is introduced by the person responsible for it. This way
everyone understands why the item is being discussed. The introduction should include: what
information everyone needs to know and what needs to be decided, and possibly pro's and
con's.
Jane, could you please give us a little background on this issue and tell us what action you are
requesting?

2. Make sure everyone has a chance to speak.

I've noticed a few people have been saying a lot on this issue; before hearing any more from them, is
there anyone who hasn't spoken yet who has something to add?

3. Encourage everyone to say what's on their mind. Try to notice when people are holding back;
that could make it hard for them to come to a decision later.
I sense some hesitancy from folks to speak openly on this issue; it's important we hear all points of view,
so I encourage everyone to be honest about their feelings.

4. Make sure people speak only on the matter at hand. If other issues come up, keep track of
them on a "parallel agenda" and let people know that the group will return to this agenda before
the end of the meeting.
Joe, you're raising some good points and I've noted them here; we'll come back to them before the end of
the meeting, but let's focus more directly on the issue at hand.

5. Encourage people to avoid repeating themselves and others by summarizing discussion

periodically.
So far, I've heard the following objections raised... The arguments in favor of the proposal seem to be...
I've heard people propose the following possible solutions…

6. Keep the meeting moving along. Remind people of time and appoint a timekeeper if
necessary. If designated time runs out, ask the group to agree to spend more time on the issue,
postpone it until later in the meeting, or put the discussion off until another meeting.
We're about to run out of the designated time on this issue. Is there agreement to spend another ten
minutes to get a few more ideas on the table and make a decision now, or should we postpone a final
decision until our next meeting?

7. Encourage the group to take a break to restore energy or ease tension.

I'm seeing a few people "resting their eyes." Would anybody object to a five minute break to get up and
stretch and get some fresh air?

8. After a topic has been discussed for a while, start trying to move the group toward agreement
by summarizing discussion points, looking for common points of agreement, identifying sources
of conflict, etc.
I'm hearing most people agree with...but there seems to be a few points of view on...Perhaps we could
focus on how to agree on these last few issues.

9. Know when the group has reached a decision. Also know when a group cannot reach a
decision; suggest postponing a decision when. . .

● the group needs critical information

● the group needs to hear from others
● the group is not prepared

I'd like to propose we postpone this discussion because...

10. Make sure everyone understands the decision.

Could we briefly summarize the proposal that's being decided right now?

11. If you want to participate actively in the discussion, ask someone else to take over
facilitating the meeting. If you have a quick personal comment, signal to the group that this
comment comes from you personally.
I'm recognizing myself as speaker. (Stand up or take some other physical action to distinguish you are not
speaking as facilitator.)

Decision Making:

Be sure to familiarize yourselves with school policy first; some schools require major decisions
to be approved by the Student Council and/or Administration. Also, you need to decide what
role your club's advisor will play in the decision-making process.

Possible Decision-making Models:

● Unanimous -- A process called consensus is used to make sure everyone at the meeting
agrees on the decision.
● Majority or 2/3 vote -- This model usually works best when only club members present at
the meeting are given a vote. You may want to publicize the meeting agenda beforehand
so people will know what is being discussed (and will be more likely to show up if they
feel strongly about the issue and want to be involved in the decision-making process).
● Hierarchy -- club officers have ultimate decision-making power. This model may include
further levels of decision-making power, such as Leaders--> President/Advisor--
>Administration

More About the Consensus Process:

Consensus-based decisions are achieved through discussion and must be approved by

everyone at the meeting. A particular decision might be reshaped many times before consensus
is reached. Groups that choose to use the consensus process often do so because voting on
issues can divide membership and leave some people feeling unheard. Reaching consensus
may raise also levels of commitment by group members because everyone is agreeing on a
solution. The consensus-building process, however, requires time, discipline, and patience on
the part of meeting participants, as well as a careful and attentive facilitator.

If your group is having trouble reaching consensus about a particular issue or question, try
these tactics:

● Reword the consensus statement.

● Ask objectors to clearly state their feelings/reasons for objecting.
● See if the statement can be modified to accommodate the objection while still remaining
acceptable to everyone else.
● Try to find consensus by asking, "Can everyone live with this decision?" This doesn't
mean that everyone needs to be getting everything they want.

Although a very useful and often effective method for decision making, consensus is not
possible or even applicable in every case. If you feel that the situation is unresolvable by
consensus, don't be afraid to ask the group if everyone is willing to vote on it.

Dealing with Hostility and Opposition:

From Teachers:

● Train the Teachers. Work with administrators to schedule a teacher training where the
GSA could help teachers learn about non-discrimination laws and increase their
understanding of LGBTQ students and related issues.

● Get Adults Talking. Ask your GSA advisor to talk to the teachers who are hostile to
LGBT students or the GSA club. A teacher may be more likely to listen to another faculty
member than to a student. Also, ask the GSA advisor to propose during a staff meeting
that all willing and supportive teachers show support for LGBT youth by posting rainbow
flags, “Safe Zone” stickers, or other supportive ally signs in their classrooms.

From Students:

● Educate Your Peers. Hostility is often due to ignorance, and the only way to fight
ignorance is to educate. Consider teaming up with other equity and social justice clubs
at your school to establish freshman anti-bias workshops and/or to create anti-bias
seminars for the larger student body. Use these events as opportunities to educate your
peers about LGBTQ issues and other matters of social justice. See other GSA Network
 resources to learn how.

● Create Policy. If you have a supportive administration, ask them to establish a new
school policy in which a student who bullies or harasses another student on the basis of
sexual orientation or gender must sit down and talk with a select group of GSA members
to help them understand why such behavior is not acceptable. Such measures help
prevent future incidents.

● Get Published. Write an editorial for your school newspaper. For example, you could
editorialize about the purpose of a GSA or you could compose an article that explains
the negative impact that sexual orientation- and gender-based harassment has on all
students.

From Administrators:

● Use the Law. Inform hostile administrators that they cannot discriminate based on actual
or perceived sexual orientation or gender, because it is against California law AB 537,
the California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act. If you want more information
about AB 537, check out our “AB 537 Fact Sheet.” If the administrator still does not
comply with the law after being informed, consider filing a complaint. Contact GSA
Network for help.

● Find a Teacher Ally. The administrator may be more likely to listen to another adult than
you, so ask your GSA advisor or a sympathetic teacher to come with you to talk with the
administrator.

From the Community:

● Write an Editorial. Publish an editorial in your local paper. Get your voice out there and
explain your point of view to the community.

● Present Your Case. Make a presentation to the PTA or to a community organization and
explain what your club is all about. Be sure to include LGBT and straight ally members of
the community, and if you’re talking to the PTA, be sure to include supportive parents
with LGBT youth or parents of the GSA members.

Against an Individual Student:

● Identify a Support System. Let harassed students know that they have somewhere to go
and that people support them. Reach out and help them understand that you and the
GSA are there for them if they need it. Make sure you find out if counselors or social
workers at your school are educated about and supportive of LGBT issues. Find other
support groups and services in your community.
 ● File a Complaint. File a written complaint about the harassment. See other GSA Network
info on AB 537 and your rights. Contact GSA Network for help with filing.

Against the GSA:

● Create a Broader Image. Consider showing your school or community that your club is
about more than just LGBTQ issues. Partner or form a coalition with other equity and
social justice clubs at your school to work on issues of civil rights, social justice, and
multi-issue organizing. This will help you gain allies if your GSA meets resistance.

● Make Yourself Heard. Write an editorial for your school newspaper and explain the
purpose of your club and why it’s necessary.

● Plaster the Campus with Posters. Develop a poster campaign. Put up a series of posters
designed to raise awareness and explain the importance of your club.

About the Posters:

● Surprise Messages. Behind each poster, leave a second, surprise message. Some
GSAs have successfully put empowering messages behind their posters for the people
who tear them down to read and for the rest of the student body to read afterward. Some
ideas of messages are “Hate is easy; Love takes courage” or “You’ve just committed a
homophobic act” (from the Los Gatos High GSA).

● Laminate. Laminating your posters makes them longer-lasting and less destructible.

● Solution: Put Them in Safe Locations. Ask supportive teachers if you can put up posters
in their classrooms. Ask supportive administrators if there are glass cases or bulletin
boards where you can post permanent flyers. Either of these strategies makes it harder
for other people to get to tear down the posters.

About the Meetings:

● Location, Location, Location! Hold your meeting in a discreet or out of the way location,
away from people who might want to harass your club.

● Stealth Advertising. If you’ve found a discreet place to meet and you’re still being
bothered, try keeping the location of your meeting a secret. On posters and
announcements, don’t list the location. Instead, advertise that interested students must
ask the club advisor or another supportive teacher where the meeting will be held This
way, only people who really want to go will show up.
You got this.