Gay Straight Alliance creates family

Gay Straight Alliance at Lincoln Land Community College offers a safe place and support for individuals that identify as LGBTQ or as an ally to the community. They also work to expand student’s and the public’s knowledge of the LGBTQ community through education.

There are officially ten individuals in GSA and five leadership positions: president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and the public relations officer. The club currently meets biweekly, but are working to change to weekly meetings.

GSA’s adviser, Beth Wiediger, plays a hands-off role with the club. She oversees the activities they hold, such as prom, bake sales and helping out with Lincoln Land’s food pantry. “I’m just here to guide them and help them with what it is that they want to do,” said Wiediger. “But they know that they can come here if they need me.”

Wiediger became the adviser for GSA when a student approached her and explained that the club needed an adviser. Now seven years later, Wiediger loves being a part of GSA and getting to know members on a more personal level.

“It seems like every time students leave and new ones come in, I feel like they’re my kids,” Wiediger said. “They’re really good with each other and they are really close friends. They even say that they are like family to each other.”

The president of GSA, Samantha Wetter, joined the club at the end of 2015. She was questioning her identity and GSA seemed interesting. She went to her friends asking for guidance and support, and they directed her to GSA.

The public relations officer is Elizabeth Davis, who learned about the club through the LLCC website. Her duties as the PR officer include sharing information about GSA and their upcoming activities.

GSA members refer to themselves as a family. They offer support to everyone who walks through their doors, regardless of sexuality or identity.

GSA puts on activities such as prom, where attendees are welcome to bring whomever they want. The proms are themed, with past themes being zombie and the 80’s, in 2016 and 2017 respectively. GSA’s motivation behind holding a prom was a response to many high schools limiting whom students were allowed to bring as dates to their prom based on their gender.

“We want to emphasis that we are not different,” said Davis. “We are all flesh and blood. Who I like and who I dislike has no emphasis on me as a person.”

Kierra Harris can be reached at [email protected].