GSA (More Like Get Me out of Here)

For about five years now, I've helped run a type of gay-straight alliance club that stretches out of the schools. Ultimately, we want the youth accessible community as a whole to be safe. Whatever, when I first joined, I thought it was a great idea. My sister and I have always been a big part of it, but I am so annoyed with it now, but I feel as if I can never leave.

But why do you hate it so much, Ash?

Because of the amount of "yaoi loving" teenage girls.

I'm not even kidding you, it's been a problem for two years now. A bunch of straight girls got involved with anime and now all they ever talk about is yaoi! Let's talk about overly sexualized homosexual relationships that often border on being abusive! Let's talk about that hot sex scene written by this user on a03!

But, you know, I can shrug that off. Who hasn't gone through an embarrassing phase and been overtly obsessed with something no one should ever really talk about in public?

No, what makes GSA unbearable is that they challenge me on my "gayness." They hold me and all the other gay men involved with GSA up to their fantasy yaoi expectations. I'm sorry girls, my hands are not that large. My romance is not plucked out of a manga that's banned from the school's public library. I am just a simple gay. And, according to you, therefore not a real gay.

Not to mention that I have been seeing a lot of lesbophobia and biphobia present lately in conversation. And, no matter how many times we try to squash that type of speech in what is suppose to be a safe environment, we get told "it's just an opinion." Sometimes (a lot of times) I wish we could run this club without the involvement of straight people. I wish we could designate a club just for lgbtqia+ youth to openly talk about their problems without fear of straight counterparts judging. However, I do know this is not plausible. Plus, GSA is a great way for closeted teens to be a part of the lgbtqia+ community.

I just wish that yaoi wasn't such a keystone part of the community, apparently.