Pride club is a safe place for students of the LGBTQ+ community to gather and communicate. In high school, students find it hard to find a safe space to talk about their sexuality and asks questions about it all. Everyone at Leo Hayes deserves to feel safe and accepted. The Mane interviewed Ms. Noble, the advisor of Pride Club to tell us more about the club and all it is doing to make Leo Hayes more welcoming and inclusive.
What is Pride club? What do you do?
The name ‘Pride club’ came from the need and want of changing it from GSA (which stands for – Gay-Straight Alliance) We felt like that was an outdated term, so we wanted to change it to be more inclusive. Pride is a safe landing spot for anyone who lands under the LGBTQA+ umbrella, and their allies.
What is the goal of Pride Club?
A safe place, and also a drop-in as well. So not a kind of club where you have to come every Friday, just a drop-in place so the people in the club know they’re supported and cared for.
Why is it important to have a pride club at a high school?
I think Pride clubs should be in every school no matter what grade it goes to. The notion of Pride Club is about inclusion. Just so people know they’re supported by their peers. So, I think it’s really important for every school to have one.
What made you host pride club?
I wanted to start a GSA in my high school, but I was shut down. I was told my school didn’t need one because we didn’t have any gay people in our school. So, when I was 16-17 that stuck with me, and when I ended up in education, I knew that’s something that would be a goal of mine. […] Because of COVID, and because I only took over 2 years ago (during COVID) we haven’t been able to do much. I would like for us to get involved in the Pride Parade next year.
Everyone at Leo Hayes deserves to feel respected, loved, and safe by staff and students. For those looking for a safe space and an accepting community, and for those looking to help support the LGBTQA+ community, pop into Ms. Noble’s room (A233) Fridays at lunch.