Among the bustle of loud and busy hallways during lunch, lies a classroom full of energy and community. Students gather to participate in fun and calming activities, but not before talking business. The students in this club are dedicated, and they come in to help foster a growing sense of acceptance. This is the newly revived Be Yourself Club. 

The Be Yourself club is a club for students that identify as LGBTQ+ and straight allies and was created with the intention to create a safe space for those students to express themselves and find community here at school. 

However, this is not the first time the school has had a Be Yourself club. In fact, the club existed prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.The club was originally started in 2014 with the first official meeting taking place the 22th of August that same year. More than a decade ago, it all started when one freshman in Dr. Natalie Bernasconi’s, the original club advisor, Freshman Seminar class came out as gay in an essay. This prompted Dr. Bernasconi to ask this student if he wanted to start a Gay Straight Alliance club here at school, to which the student agreed. 

Soon after, three more students joined to form the club. The club hosted a variety of events including celebrating Coming Out Day (a celebration on October 11th to honor members of the community that have come out and live their lives out) and a Gender Bender Fashion school which asked participating students to dress as the opposite gender and showcase their new looks. In addition, the club created ofrendas/altars for a Day of the Dead community event to remember LGBTQ youth who tragically passed away because of their sexualities. 

Over the course of years, the Be Yourself Club expanded outside the school and alongside the Epicenter (an organization to support at risk youth), they hosted a party outside of school for LGBTQ+ youth and even went to youth conferences in Santa Cruz to host workshops on how to plan queer fashion shows and protecting mental health during rough times. 

Later, after Dr. Bernasconi transferred to Rancho San Juan High and then the pandemic began, the club shifted online when school shut down. It remained strong during the pandemic, but this change still had a major impact on the club. “Going from having driven leaders to then Covid, where it was a more online community,” the new Be Yourself club advisor Jaquelyn Gallardo said. “I think that because students spent so much time alone, their algorithms created division.” 

The club faced both external and internal challenges when school returned back in person. The strong leadership present online seemed to disappear when the club could operate offline. In addition to that, members didn’t feel as confident being part of the club once it was no longer a strictly online space.  “Because the leaders were away for so long, they didn’t want to be out.” Gallardo said. 

Unfortunately, being part of the LGBTQ+ community is still seen as a taboo. When the club returned in person, homophobic slurs were yelled in the doorway of the club and even members themselves were called homophobic slurs. So participation slowly dropped. “Students weren’t showing up to meetings once in person.” Gallardo said. Due to the drop in attendance, Gallardo quit as club advisor. 

Despite the issues the club has faced, in its recent revival it still has had a profound impact on its members, those who are part of the community and those that are allies. “It showed me how to let myself loose and not care about what other people think about me,” publicity chair Leslie Huazo said. “Because at the end of the day everybody’s weird and everybody’s unique.” Alongside personal impacts, it’s also helped to rekindle a strong bond between its members. “It sort of feels like a family,” club secretary Karime Lizaola said. “Because everyone gets along, everyone talks to each other, everyone wants to be there and it doesn’t feel like anyone’s forced to be there.” 

Though homophobia is a much bigger issue to tackle, the work of communities like the Be Yourself club are part of a broader effort to undo the demonization of the LGBTQ+ community and make society as a whole, a more accepting place. “When I was younger, I used to think something was wrong with me as someone who identifies within the community,” Gallardo said. “I don’t want anyone to feel like that.” 

Though the club had been inactive, the desire to have the club persisted. Earlier in the school year, Gallardo was approached by some of her ELD 3 students to revive the club. She later asked some students from her English class if they would be interested in joining. The club started with ten members and sporadically grew. The number of members has doubled in size and now there are around twenty five. “The only way I was going to do it was if I had strong leaders,” Gallardo said. “And they started coming in, it’s really exciting to see it growing.” Gallardo noted that the initiative and desire to be present in the club from the members are what have convinced her to take on the role of club advisor again. “Now there’s a willingness,” Gallardo said. “I might still be holding their hands but they’re there.” 

Members of the club share the same enthusiasm. “I decided to join the club because I saw my teacher was in need of people to be in the club,” club treasurer Cristobal Ramirez said. “If I joined it would help people see that there’s no problem in joining it.” 

Like its predecessor, the club’s main goal is to create a more accepting school environment for students that do identify as LGBTQ+. “It’s to foster leadership, pride, and a more inclusive school environment.” Gallardo said. Another one of the club’s goals is to foster a sense of community for students who don’t feel that they belong. The club provides students in need of an outlet to express themselves and make like minded friends. “I liked the idea of a place where I can be myself without feeling judged,” vice president Christian Gomez said. “There are many people who were looking for the same thing as me, a place to be themselves without being judged.”

 Alongside creating a more inviting school environment, the club has slowly been working towards raising awareness, though it’s still in its revived infancy. “I think right now we’re just trying to establish community again and that confidence,” Gallardo said. Usual meeting procedures include members discussing important decisions like deciding what to sell for Club Booth day or issues regarding the club Instagram account. Within the club, they’ve celebrated things like Trans Awareness Month, in which the club presented a slideshow at one of the November meetings, and they do fun activities to discuss things like preferred pronouns. This year, the club even hosted a Catrina look-alike costume contest (Catrina being a symbol of the Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead) and showcased the contest at the amphitheatre.

The club’s future looks promising. It makes sure to balance fun and productivity. In terms of future plans, the club is looking to host more booths for Club Booth days. The club Instagram account (beyourself_club) is also up and running. In addition to all its plans, it’s also run by enthusiastic and responsible leaders ready to do what it takes to keep the club going.

 “At the end of the day, I’m here for my students,” Gallardo said. “I want them to be confident and it brings me joy, so it’s a privilege to do that.”

The club meets every Tuesday during lunch in room 404. During these meetings, activities range from painting totebags, bracelet making, coloring sheets, and fun collaborative games. Music plays to add to the fun and lively atmosphere. “With the activities that we do, we get to know each other better.” Gomez said. The Be Yourself club is the place to be if acceptance, inclusion, and community is what you’re looking for.  “It doesn’t matter your sexuality, whether you speak English or Spanish, everyone’s welcome and everyone feels included,” Lizaola said.          

Updated 12/16 @ 4:11 pm