Students Wrap Up GSB Pride Month

From fundraisers to movie nights, students celebrated GSB Pride Month in several ways throughout April.

While National Pride Month takes place in June, GSB dedicates the month of April to recognize the LGBTQIA+ community during the school year. In this year’s month-long celebration, our middle and upper school Gender and Sexuality Alliance Clubs (GSA) partnered with faculty and other student leaders in a variety of ways to foster acceptance, understanding, and support across campus, while also celebrating the lives and accomplishments of people in the LGBTQIA+ community.

"Pride month is important at Gill because even in our small community it is essential that all members feel seen, validated, and represented," said GSA Club Leader, Lauren Rossiter '23.

"The values of courage, and compassion are exhibited in Pride Month at GSB because it takes courage for members of the community to confidently express themselves and compassion to understand the hardships members of the LGBTQ+ community face. Pride Month is about acceptance and visibility that starts in our community and will hopefully finish with positive global change."

Library Displays:

Throughout the month, GSB students had the chance to explore book displays in the Lower, Middle, and Upper School libraries. Each display featured age-appropriate stories centered around respect and inclusivity from LGBTQIA+ authors. The Upper School GSA Club also created a special community bulletin board for the Upper School Library showcasing positive affirmations about equality, love, and community.

GSA Fundraisers:

Every Wednesday morning this April, the Upper School GSA club hosted a bagel sale in the café that raised over $700 in support of The Ali Forney Center, a shelter for LGBTQIA+ youth in NYC. In addition, the Middle School GSA club has planned their own bake sale with proceeds benefiting the ACLU and The Trevor Project. Each fundraiser allowed students to create positivity across while learning how to lead their own service projects.

Day of Silence:

Several middle and upper school students participated in the GLSEN Day of Silence to bring attention to the harmful effects of LGBTQIA+ harassment and discrimination. Founded in the 1990s, the Day of Silence is a national demonstration for students to highlight ways their school communities can become more inclusive.

April Movie Knights:

GSA club members and faculty advisors hosted two separate Movie Nights in the PACC as a fun after school activity to build positive community connections. On April 21, students gathered for a private viewing of Pixar’s Luca, and on April 29 Hispanic Heritage and Culture Club and Black Student Union club members co-hosted Disney’s Encanto.

Town Meetings:

As part of their weekly town meetings, Lower and Middle Schoolers gathered in their homerooms to acknowledge GSB Pride Month, listen to teacher presentations, and discuss themes around kindness, courage, and embracing differences. In the Lower School’s Town Meeting, students also read The Family Book, a story by Todd Parr that celebrates the love we feel for our families and all the different varieties they come in.