The duPont Manual Gay-Straight Alliance is now Gay-Straight-Transgender Alliance. The newly-formed GSTA, aside from its name change, is also supporting Micah McClain (12), who came to seek volunteers for TAAD, or Taking Action Against Discrimination, an organization that would go to different schools in JCPS and give speeches about acceptance.

The reason for this name change was brought on by the club in an attempt to become more inclusive. “We really want to include as much of the gay community as we can. Things have been changing and including the transgender community could bring in a whole new type of people to the club where they can feel accepted,” Zoe Schaver (11), Vice President of GSTA, said.

After speaking to Mr. Larry Wooldridge (Principal), the club was excited to hear the news that he had agreed to this name change. “We are now officially GSTA, kind of. He still has to run it by the board but he gave his consent,” Kelsey McKim (12), President of GSTA, said.

Following the name change, McClain introduced TAAD to GSTA. “The goal is to abominate hate through minority education and form friendships between peers,” McClain said.

Although he said the idea is not fully formed, McClain came to a GSTA meeting to discuss the possible involvement of GSTA members in TAAD. “It’d be like an acceptance week, where we have speakers and lectures to student bodies in JCPS about leadership. We want to have this theme of acceptance among all people,” said McClain. There would be more to discuss of their involvement at future dates, but GSTA agreed to help in any way they could.