Our role as Tintern Grammar’s Gender Sexuality Alliance Leaders is to provide support for LGBTQIA+ students. We deliver education and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ rights within the Tintern community. Inspired by the previous GSA Captains to step up and ensure current students are given support, we aim to mentor future GSA leaders and other individuals. We believe that promoting LGBTQIA+ inclusion is a key part of creating a safe, judgement free campus for everyone and it is why we take our role very seriously.
Recently, we organised a Bake Sale and Free Dress Day, both of which took place on the same day as this year’s Pride Assembly, Friday 19 of May. The day was a huge success, with the GSA raising a total of $814.48 in profits from the bake sale and gold coin donations from Free Dress Day. All proceeds from the events are going to the Royal Children’s Hospital Gender Service, which provides gender affirming care to transgender youth.
We have found that it is very important for students to understand and embrace diversity on campus and beyond, hence why we run educational talks and events. At our assembly we were delighted to have a presenter from Minus 18, Nix (they/them), who spoke about how LGBTQIA+ allies can be more visible with their allyship, and why visible allyship is important to LGBTQIA+ students. They showed the importance of strong allyship through sharing their own story about the discrimination which they faced when they were a high school student.
By presenting a fun and inclusive opportunity for students to embrace the diversity of the Tintern Grammar community, we provide education and support for LGBTQIA+ students and community members. We are so thankful to have this opportunity and we are striving to make Tintern Grammar a safe space for all LGBTQIA+ people.
Ellie Robson Y11 and Scarlet Wild Y10 | GSA Student Leaders
