Thirty years ago, there was not nearly as much acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community as there is today. Gay people still could not openly serve in the military, and there were no job or housing protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. That year, school teacher Bob Parlin came out as gay. After a student approached him about wanting a safe space for gay and straight students to talk, Parlin started the first Gay-Straight Alliance. In an interview with CBS news he said, “We thought maybe two or three students might join us and we could talk, but 50 students showed up. We specifically chose a room that was far away in a distant part of the building so the students wouldn’t feel so embarrassed.” Gay-Straight alliances now exist in more than 10,000 public schools nationwide. Now Parlin is set to retire from Newton South High School in Boston, the home to the first GSA (now known as the Gender & Sexualities Alliance). Queer News Tonight salutes Bob Parlin, and we thank him for helping so many LGBTQ+ youth have a safe place to deal with their struggles and find friends.
The Teacher Who Created First USA Public School Gay-Straight Alliance Retires
- Gregg Shapiro
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