In Tennessee high schools, gay students are used to hearing homophobic remarks. Most experience verbal harassment, often because of their sexual orientation. They're used to hearing kids get made fun of for not acting feminine or masculine enough. Many even hear such talk from school staff and teachers.
Lt. Corliss Cooper, left, speaks with Kat Cooper before a 2013 council meeting at the City Hall annex building. Lt. Cooper spoke out in favor of same-sex benefits during the meeting.Those results "demonstrate that Tennessee schools were not safe for most lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) secondary school students," according to the 2013 National School Climate Survey by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, a national research and advocacy organization that works to create safe schools for students, regardless of sexual orientation.
One way the group promotes safer schools is through Gay-Straight Alliances, student groups that help gay students and straight allies promote inclusion and education on LGBT issues. Such groups are common throughout the country, but not here. The network's survey found that only about a third of high schools surveyed in the South had GSAs at their schools. In the Northeast, 64 percent of students had access to the groups.
Though other students in the area have tried to start such groups, students at Ooltewah High School managed to launch the county's first GSA in the public school system this school year. Members meet at 6:30 each Monday morning before school starts. At a recent meeting, members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes brought doughnuts and juice. Straight and gay students talked about oppression, bullying and how straight people can be better allies to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students.
There was some initial opposition to starting the club, said the president, Nick Wilkins, an Ooltewah junior. Some students tore down fliers hanging on the walls. One student even tried to create a group in protest of the GSA. But most people haven't bothered them, he said.
"We meet at such a strange time and we stopped passing out fliers," Wilkins said. "People just forgot about it and we're kind of passing under the radar, which has worked."
School officials say the group has become part of the regular school fabric with no problems reported.
"We've had nobody complain about it," Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Rick Smith said. "We've had nobody say anything about it."
He said gay students should not have to worry about being unsafe at school.
"I would hope not," he said. "Any person going to school feeling they're getting picked on is something we're going to take very seriously."
Across the country, GSAs serve various roles, ranging from advocacy and education to simply serving as safe places for students to congregate.
"It could just be a safe place to study. They really function in a lot of different ways depending on the specific school context," said Neal Palmer, GLSEN's senior research associate.
While gay-straight alliances are common on college campuses, they're still relatively rare in high schools in Southeast Tennessee. But Kat Cooper, co-director and founder of the Nooga Diversity Center, said there's growing interest from high schoolers across the region. The Nooga Diversity Center is a nonprofit that provides a variety of services and resources to LGBT individuals.
Cooper, a Collegedale police detective, gained widespread attention in 2013 as she publicly fought for benefits for her partner. Her plea led to Collegedale becoming the first city in Tennessee to approve same-sex benefits for government employees.
Cooper said her group is working with students at Baylor School, Girls Preparatory School, McCallie School, Tyner Academy and East Hamilton Middle-High who are interested in creating their own alliances. College and high school students from across the region will hold a Christmas party on Saturday at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Chattanooga Room as the group continues to grow.
Cooper said GSAs can help students fight feelings of isolation. Research shows that gay and lesbian adolescents are disproportionately at risk for negative psychological well-being and health problems.
"It's so important. LGBT youth have the highest rate of youth suicide, homelessness, depression, being bullied, being assaulted," she said. "It's just extremely important that we reach these youth and let them know there are resources out there in this community to help them."
But the groups often have trouble getting off the ground and can encounter resistance from principals and teachers. Other times, students are just afraid.
"It has to be initiated by the students," Cooper said. "You may have two or three gay students in a student body. But a lot of times they're scared. They're scared to go to the administration. They're scared they're not going to get a lot of support."
Students at the Chattanooga High Center for Creative Arts tried unsuccessfully to get a GSA off the ground last year. And a group at Bradley County's Walker Valley High School had unofficial meetings two years ago but never received official approval.
Infinity Gatlin, a straight senior at Walker Valley, said she was inspired to start the group in support of her best friend, who is gay.
"We know people who have struggled with being in the closet. That's something a lot of people we know are struggling with right now," she said. "I think having a place where they can be supported and talk and be open with themselves is important in the school."
The school's principal was supportive, but there was backlash from some parents and students. Gatlin said she thinks her generation is mostly open-minded when it comes to sexual orientation. But that doesn't necessarily go for adults.
"I think the most hurtful thing was probably the teachers. We did have a few who weren't in support of it," she said. "It was kind of hurtful to see adults being so close-minded about something."
Staff writer Tim Omarzu contributed to this story.
Contact staff writer Kevin Hardy at khardy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.