The Gendered and Sexualities Alliance (GSA) Club at has become a cornerstone of support and inclusion for students seeking a welcoming and safe space where they can be themselves. For many, it’s a place to find not only acceptance but also a sense of belonging where all identities, no matter how diverse, are celebrated.
This idea was at the fore during the group’s weekly meeting.
“It’s about making sure that all students have a space to come to and feel safe to be who they are, no matter who they are,” explained Aryahna Tyree, President of the GSA Club.
This vision of acceptance and the feeling of a home away from home is what has allowed the club to flourish over the years. Even as the club has gone through several name changes to ensure it remains committed to being as inclusive as possible for all students, regardless of their gender or sexual identity, the mission holds steady.
“I feel like most of the members are innately welcoming and inclusive by default,” reported Phillip Turner, first-year.
The GSA has become a place for personal growth, activism, and social justice. Club members have worked to foster an atmosphere of accessibility, acceptance, and diversity, and they hope to extend those values well beyond their weekly meetings to see that every member of the campus community feels supported and respected.
“If you don’t fit in anywhere else on campus, you’ll fit in here” said Rachel Walton, faculty chair.
Looking ahead, the GSA Club has various events planned this semester, including the First Annual Drag Pageant on Feb. 21 and the Roanoke Pride Parade at Elmwood Park on April 27. These events are expected to bring students together in a celebration of creativity and self-expression, offering another way for the club to strengthen its ties within the broader community.
For those seeking an atmosphere of acceptance, diversity, and inclusion, the GSA Club remains a vital and growing force. To learn more or to get involved, meetings are held every Thursday at 6 p.m. in the LEaP Studio at the Stanley Library on campus.
Everyone, including allies, with a positive and accepting demeanor is welcome encouraged to attend.
