Friday after school, a group of students filters into room 311 from all sides of GHS. These students come from all walks of life, but their differences only bring them closer. The thing that calls these students together at the end of theweek? LGBTQ rights.

“I’m one of the very few straight people at GSA,” says one anonymous interviewee, “but I always feel very welcome and accepted and I feel like I know how to better support other people, straight or not.”

The Gender-Sexuality Alliance is a student group founded many years ago under the wing of Mr. Webb. Its founding sent a message through the community of the acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in Goffstown, and the club has continued providing a safe space for students to be themselves, be it straight, gay, cis-gender or trans.

Students who come to GSA have a variety of reasons for coming initially, but as the year goes on, one club rule keeps them coming back- “Ohana means family.”

“I would call the club really laid back and chill,” says Emily Murphy, a senior in the club. “It’s definitely a place to hang out with other members of the LGBT+ community that go to our high school. I was actually really unsure about what was going to happen the first time I went, as I knew GSA as mainly the “gay club” and very little outside of that. Ultimately, I’m glad to attend when I’m able to.”

GSA isn’t just a group of friends getting together after school– the club organizes the GLSEN Day of Silence every April and sponsors a trip every year to the Boston Pride parade, as well as hosting smaller events open to Goffstown students. Since the founding of the club, they have also done fundraising for LGBT shelters and organizations in New Hampshire.

Club co-president Georgia Schill described some of the activities in the club. “One of my favorite activities is probably our Valentine’s day celebration. We always have food and fun activities. It never fails to bring people up… that’s the kind of energy GSA provides.”

The Gender-sexuality Alliance meets every Friday after school until 4:30. Stop by for games, food, LGBTQ+ movie screenings, and discussions of issues affecting the LGBT community today and throughout history.

Mr. Webb would like all Goffstown students that are debating coming to club to know that everything about the club is entirely confidential–“anything that is said in the room stays in the room.”