The Gender and Sexuality Awareness (GSA) Club partnered with Black Leadership Awareness and Culture Club (BLACC) and Brentwood School to host a dance, open to all Upper School students called Violet Disco on Feb. 21 in Chalmers East and West. The dance was open to all students in grades 9-12.
GSA club president Clara Berg ’25 said she wanted to continue the tradition of hosting the dance and saw an opportunity to collaborate with Brentwood.
“I decided to do it again because it’s been such a blast in previous years, and there are so few similar events that provide a space specifically for queer high school celebration,” Berg said. “Brentwood reached out to us to collaborate, and we thought that was a great idea because they also had a GSA dance at a similar time last year. I know my last year of GSA would have been incomplete without it, and I also wanted my new advisors and junior leader to get insight on how to plan it so hopefully they can keep it going.”
Visual Arts Teacher and Upper School Coordinator of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Reb Limerick, who chaperoned the event, said hosting events like these allows students to express themselves safely.
“It’s essential to hold events that foster queer joy and camaraderie amongst the LGBTQIA+ community,” Limerick said. “Unfortunately, it’s not always safe in our country, our world or even in some students’ homes to be openly gay or trans, so it’s especially important to create spaces where students can feel free to be themselves without fear.”
Laura McNary ’25, who attended the event, said she enjoyed the social aspect of the dance and wishes the school would create more events like the dance.
“I came to the GSA dance because I am friends with the leaders and we had a great time last year, so I wanted to join in on the fun again,” McNary said. “The school does have a good amount of community events, though more dances would be fun. I liked the collaboration with other schools’ GSA clubs and being able to meet new people and just have a great time.”
