A Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSA) is a student-initiated and student-run club.

GSAs provide a safe, supportive environment for students of diverse genders and sexualities to meet, and discuss sexual orientation and gender identity issues, and form community. Participating students may identify as two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, pansexual, nonbinary (2SLGBTQ+) and many other identities. This glossary of terms from The 519 has brief explanations of different terms used to describe 2SLGBTQ+ identities, groups and experiences. GSAs also welcome straight, cisgender ally youth. 2SLGBTQ+ people also have a variety of other identities in terms of their race, abilities, class, ethnicity, faith, and more.

Previously referred to as Gay-Straight Alliances, now the acronym “GSA” more frequently stands for “Gender and Sexuality Alliance” to reflect the full spectrum of sexual and romantic orientations, and to explicitly include trans and gender diverse community members. GSAs may also be known as a QSA (Queer-Straight Alliance), Pride Alliance, or by specific community-chosen names in different school communities. While each GSA is unique, there is never an expectation that students disclose their sexual or gender identity.

Intersectionality is the simultaneous experience of more than one kind of oppression. The term was invented by Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw to describe the experience of Black women. It has since been expanded to refer to any instance of overlapping oppression.

Just because a group of people experience one kind of oppression does not mean that they do not discriminate in other ways. Many spaces in the queer community can continue to be racist, sexist, ableist, or to perpetuate oppression in other ways. For this reason, an intersectional approach is vital to GSAs so that students have a safe space from all of the kinds of discrimination they face.

Learn more here.

Yes. Straight, cisgender youth are often members of GSAs because they have 2SLGBTQ+parents, family or friends. Straight, cisgender youth who have been perceived as 2SLGBTQ+ may join to help stop harassment and intolerance in school. Many straight, cisgender youth are involved because they recognize that ending homophobia and transphobia are important civil rights and human rights issues.

GSAs provide a space for two-spirit, queer, trans2SLGBTQ+ and ally youth to form community and connections with each other and beyond the school. A school’s GSA can be a vital safe space for students of diverse genders and sexualities to express and explore themselves and their identities with supportive peers and adults. Student-run discussions, social events, and political organizing are safe and fulfilling ways to explore identity and community and impact their school. In this way, GSAs help to reduce feelings of isolation, and to increase self-esteem in all members.

For 2SLGBTQ+ youth and youth with 2SLGBTQ+ family, school may be an isolating environment, where they may not see their experiences reflected in school community or curriculum, or face harassment and violence. While some two-spirit, trans, and queer youth find community online, a school GSA is a space for in-person community and affirmation. Students can share and discuss their identities and experiences.

GSAs help to foster queer community in schools. Many GSAs function as support groups that provide safety and confidentiality for students questioning their identity or struggling with homophobia and/or transphobia. Some also educate themselves and the broader school community about sexual orientation, sexual identity, gender identity, gender expression and create awareness about the effects of and how to challenge sexist stereotypes, homophobia and transphobia.

Others are also activist clubs that work to get representation for two-spirit, trans, and queer issues and work for more inclusive policies, bearing in mind the intersectionality of many students’ experiences. These groups may also support students in accessing their rights such as the rights of trans students, on which the TDSB has specific guidelines.

All GSAs provide a social outlet for two-spirit, trans, and queer students and their straight, cisgender allies and are a great way to build community at school and lessen the isolation that 2SLGBTQ+ students might otherwise experience.

GSAs create safe spaces for students to meet and socialize. Student clubs are a valuable part of teenagers’ high school experiences. GSAs also often conduct student and teacher sensitivity trainings, and typically see a decrease in slurs, name-calling, and harassment following their advocacy efforts. GSAs can also be places of advocacy against all forms of oppression that the students in them face. This includes homophobia and transphobia, but can also include racism, sexism, ableism, religious discrimination, and more. By facilitating student-run clubs, students have the opportunity to learn about running groups, planning social, spiritual, political or academic activities, and working with others.

GSAs model many norms which are beneficial to all students from not making assumptions about a person’s gender or sexuality, to expecting questioning of gender and sexuality as a part of human development, to validating diverse expressions of gender and sexuality.

Homophobic and transphobic harassment and violence are very common in schools and among teenagers. While addressing transphobia and homophobia is the responsibility of all TDSB employees, GSAs that conduct student and teacher sensitivity trainings typically see a decrease in slurs, name-calling, and harassment following their advocacy efforts. GSAs also create safe spaces for students to meet and socialize in a harassment-free environment.

GSAs help combat an atmosphere of verbal/physical harassment and an environment that limits self-expression just by meeting. Even other students (not in the GSA) will be drawn into the school-wide discussion of homophobic and transphobic incidents and attitudes.

In Ontario, every student has a right to a GSA in their school and school boards are required to support students in establishing GSAs. In the past, homophobic administrators in Ontario have told students they cannot call their group a Gay-Straight Alliance. The Accepting Schools Act protects students’ choice to name their GSA themselves. Students who would like to start a GSA at their elementary, middle, or secondary school should contact their school principal or the TDSB’s Gender-Based Violence Prevention office.

Check out our How to Start a GSA guide!

• Kids Help Phone - Free virtual counselling; text, live chat, or phone (available 24/7) - www.kidshelpphone.ca

• LGBTQ Youthline - Free LGBTQ+ peer support; text, live chat, or email (available Sun-Fri, 4:00-9:30 PM) - www.youthline.ca

• What's Up Walk-In/Mental Health T.O. - Free virtual mental health counselling; phone or video sessions (available Mon-Fri 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM) - www.whatsupwalkin.ca
  > With this service, youth can request an LGBTQ+ counsellor when they call in.

The Toronto District School Board Gender and Sexuality Alliance Network (TDSB GSA Network) is a space for Two Spirit, Trans, Non-binary, and Queer students, staff, and their allies in the TDSB to find community and resources. The site was launched on June 1st, 2021 and grew out of the TDSB Virtual Secondary School GSA, which launched in November 2020. We hold weekly small group meetings based on students interests and identities as well as meetings for the whole GSA about once a month. The TDSB GSA Network is supported by over 30 staff advisors and has reached hundreds of students across the TDSB.

The TDSB GSA Network is open to all secondary students and staff in the TDSB, including teacher candidates.

You can get involved in the TDSB GSA Network by sending us an email at tdsbgsanetwork@gmail.com or by coming to one of our meetings. We have many different groups based on interest/identity. To find the meeting times for the groups and the link to the Zoom meeting, go to our meeting page.

You can get involved in the TDSB GSA Network by sending us an email at tdsbgsanetwork@gmail.com. We host staff meetings throughout the year to plan for events, support each other, and make decisions about the TDSB GSA Network.

You can get involved in the TDSB GSA Network by sending us an email at tdsbgsanetwork@gmail.com. We host staff meetings throughout the year to plan for events, support each other, and make decisions about the TDSB GSA Network.

We schedule our smaller group meetings at different days/times so students can participate in more than one group if they want, but there is no minimum requirement to participate in the TDSB GSA Network. Go to as few or as many meetings as you want! We also host meetings of the whole GSA about once a month. To be notified about whole GSA meetings you can sign up for our mailing list.

Renaming is turned on in TDSB GSA Network meetings. This means you can change your name to what works best for you and even include your pronouns!

No one is required to use their camera or mic in TDSB GSA Network meetings. If you want to, great! If not, you can participate in the chat.