Many students, both male and female, tend to have struggles during high school finding their true identity due to the acceptance of others and personal insecurities. The LGBTQ community is a well known community that celebrates the right and freedom of allowing a person to be truly who they want to be. 

This community has impacted the world by being around since the 1900s and LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bi sexual, transgender questioning. At Grayslake Central High School, many people of the description share their view on how the school provides a loving and respectful support system. Running through a couple of interviews, most students and some staff, that match the description agree that GCHS provides an outstanding support system for the community and that they–themselves–could not be happier with how open they are too everyone. But they still believe there can be more effort into bringing awareness to the subject.

  From an interview with a history teacher by the name of Kristen Gulinski she states that “ Although, GCHS provides a welcoming and open environment to the community there is still a lot more that can be done” she later states on that “The school could incorporate ways to intertwine the subject in their educational system” And I couldn’t agree with her more. We both come to the agreement that this would give a more beneficial outcome to students that have a more broad view on the community.

Though many students agree with this, there are a group of students who share that they disagree with this. From a classified source, they stated that they were not angry with the support here at GCHS; rather, they felt like they needed even more of it. 

    From a classified student they states, “I’ve expressed my sexuality to my mom and girlfriends, but I still feel restricted to come out to some of my guy friends and father due to the fear of not being accepted.” I decided to run this statement to a couple of students with a better understanding of being completely open, and they all agreed that GCHS could provide a better and more understanding way of how students can be more open and free with who they are.

     Coming from someone who was in his shoes, I feel like if there were more conversation about the LGBTQ community at GCHS, I would have came out along time ago. But over the years, I grew as a person and realized I don’t need acceptance from anyone else but me. I publicly came out and couldn’t be happier with the results. One of my many goals is to help other teens understand the importance of their sexuality and individuality by giving them tools to understand themselves and the people around them. People now a days tend to feel alone which leaves to negativity, so with some extra help and knowledge on the LGBTQ it can make a huge difference in a persons everday social life.

Life as we know it isn’t the best when you are lost and uncomfortable with yourself. Students specifically at GCHS and around the world can bring awareness to the LGBTQ by reaching out to other students, attending community meetings, and getting to know the background of the community.