A week of support for Gender Sexuality Alliance members has arrived

Once a year, students and staff will see an extra amount of color around the school. Rainbow ribbons, buttons, lanyards and more will be worn by students around Westside. This week, known as ally week, is devoted to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) community.

Ally week is a week for awareness and support of mainly the LGBTQ community, but also of anyone different from yourself in any way. Within ally week, support of everyone is encouraged by people of all types. The differing factor between people may be sexuality, gender or even race. This is a week for many different types of people to come together and show acceptance to their peers.

“The goal is to spread awareness, to tell people A) what they need to do to be an ally, and B) to have everyone show support” said Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club sponsor and art teacher Elizabeth Dittrick.

Students are encouraged to become an ally and show their support to encourage other students to support the club as well. This week is also meant to inform people on sexuality.

“There’s been ripping down of posters and people have been writing ‘two genders’ on them” said sophomore Thomas Rowe. “But gender is actually a spectrum, so there are so many genders that people can identify as.”

The school is trying to make it easy for everyone to show their support.

“We’re giving away ribbons, we’re selling buttons and lanyards. The more people that are wearing them throughout the school, the more support will be visible. They shows how supportive our school is” said Dittrick.

The club is a great way for students to feel accepted for who they are. Anyone is welcome in the club, and encouraging to the rest of the club members. The club allows for members to feel free to express who they are without hate from the rest of the school.

“I wore heels to homecoming and everyone was like ‘oh my gosh amazing!’” said Rowe.

The expanding club is welcoming to anyone- gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, and questioning. It is an inclusive alliance for anyone. If you’re interested in joining, contact Dittrick, or club leaders Sam Sweeny, Nicole Winters, Kate Stacy, and Katie Monochie.