GSA participates in El Camino’s first coming out day

Breaking down the closet doors

By Yasmine Mahmoud

 

Members of the GSA show their support during the National Coming Out Day lunctime activity on October 16. (Photo by Katrina Nolasco)

GSA adviser Jan Speller declares her sexual identities to the crowd of lunchtime onlookers. (Photo by Katrina Nolasco)

The Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) celebrated El Camino High School’s first school-wide observance of National Coming Out Day October 9, 2009. This event was a landmark in El Camino’s history as it marks the first time El Camino students coming out on campus in such a high-profile event.

National Coming out Day is an event where people publicly declare their sexual identity as well as show support for those who lead “alternate” lifestyles. El Camino’s observance of National Coming Out Day was established in the spirit of creating a safe environment for all El Camino students. 

At a lunch time rally approximately 15 members of the GSA along with teacher advisors Sanjay Makhijani and Jan Speller took turns stating their names and declaring their sexual identities to the crowd of lunchtime onlookers. Participants declared their identities as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning.

Senior Chiky Alberto performs a spoken word piece for the event entitled “His and Hers”. (Photo by Katrina Nolasco)

Freshman Erin Cotter, who came out as a pansexual — a person who is not attracted to someone based on their sex or sexuality, but their being as a whole. This includes people of the same sex, opposite sex, and transgender. Numerous straight students declared their status as an “ally” of the LGBTQ community as well.

Senior Chiky Alberto performed a spoken word piece for the event entitled “His and Hers”, based on her father’s disapproval of her sexual orientation, that received a positive reaction form the crowd.

After the event, the group agreed on the event being an incredible experience for them. GSA officers recognized Activities Director Derek Padilla and Principal Adele Berg for allowing them to host the event, and the advisers were pleased and came to the consensus that El Camino was indeed a safe space to hold the event.

A day prior to the event, a sign promoting it was torn down, lowering the morale of the group, but as later stated by GSA member Will Peterson, “They may tear our signs down, but they can’t tear us down!” The event transpired without any negative interference from the student body they the GSA had feared.