What Is Northern Pride?
Northern Pride is a project that works with the community to raise awareness about issues that face lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, two-spirited, intersexed and questioning (LGBTTIQ) youth. A major part of it is helping with the establishment of Gay-Straight Alliances in the public schools of Thunder Bay and providing workshops for educators, youth and the community.
What Are Gay-Straight Alliances?
A Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) is a student-run club which provides a safe space for students to meet. These clubs can take on many functions. Some GSAs are a support group to help students who are questioning their sexual or gender identity. Others increase awareness about sexual orientation, gender identity, sexism and heterosexism.
Some are activist groups that work to get LGBTTIQ issues further represented in the school curriculum, community resources and local policies. Anyway, every GSA provides chances for LGBTTIQ students and straight allies to socialize, like offering movie nights.
People often mistake GSAs for dating services or places for gay kids to hang out. But really, a GSA can be very diverse. It might have lots of straight allies or lots of LGBTTIQ students. To be fair to everyone, many GSAs don’t have “gay” in their names (like Pride Central, Rainbow Collective and Spectrum).
If you would like Pride Central to come to your school or would like more information about starting a Gay-Straight Alliance, please contact Pride Central.
