At a glance
- Gay-Straight Alliances or Genders and Sexualities Alliances (GSA) are associated with improving school safety. And school safety is a key part of school connectedness for all students.
- Schools and local education agencies can create a plan to set up GSAs in schools. Similarly, schools can strengthen the GSA in schools that already have one.
Why it's important
Research specifically links Gay-Straight Alliances or Genders and Sexualities Alliances (GSAs) to students' greater feelings of school connectedness. This is especially true for students identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) identities.
GSAs are also linked to positive youth development and increasing young people's sense of purpose and self-esteem.
GSAs have also been linked to reduced risk of health outcomes such as:
- HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
- Experiences of violence.
- Illicit drug use and prescription drug misuse.
- Suicidal ideation.
Prevention benefits have been documented for heterosexual youth as well as LGBTQ+ youth.
Resources
- GSAN | Building Your GSA. This organization has resources for creating and strengthening GSAs.
- GLSEN | Gay-Straight Alliances. This organization also has resources for creating and strengthening GSAs.
- CDC | Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth. This web page summarizes research on factors—including GSAs—that have been found to improve health outcomes among LGBTQ+ youth.