As a kick off to Terrace’s Week of Love celebration, the Gender Sexuality Alliance hosted an optional assembly during PASS in the theater. The assembly was meant to serve as a time to foster a supportive, inclusive and caring community.
The assembly started off with several GSA members describing many sexualities and displayed their associated flags. The presenters included sophomore Sam Dilling with the “gay” pride flag, sophomore Taylor Dugan with the asexual pride flag, junior Jamey Stockemer with the bisexual pride flag, senior Kaylee Gohl with the lesbian pride flag, junior Trinity Alber with the pansexual pride flag and senior Mason Fowble with the aromantic pride flag.
The members of GSA detailed the definitions and history of the featured sexualities, and explained how the design of their flags represented each one.
Following the flag display, senior Gus Hedal, the Vice President of GSA, talked about the broad concept love.
“Love is bittersweet,” they said. “It [love] isn’t kind at times, but that makes it no less sweet and, above all, necessary.”
Toward the end of the assembly, science teacher Jonathan Tong and junior Sophie Stelmack performed “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley.
“[The song] really sends a message of what love is,” Tong said.
At the very end, Tong thanked all those in attendance and urged people of all backgrounds to fight for equality in all aspects of society.
“I am not [gay, black or a woman], but you don’t have to be to support equal rights,” Tong said.
