By Willow Kelley

Lowell, MA – Before the Rainbow Connection club, a lot of kids felt lost. Many students in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community didn’t know where to go for help.

Students had to deal with the typical incidents of bullying. On the other hand, LGBT students faced a larger problem in finding a trustworthy person to confide in.

The Rainbow Connection, Lowell High School’s version of the Gay Straight Alliance Club (GSA), provides a person and place at  LHS for students interested in discussing and taking action on gender issues.

“[Fear of LGBT} shouldn’t be a fear of anyone else,” said Gregory Whitt, advisor of the Rainbow Connection.

Mr. Whitt guides the club with a goal to eliminate fear and encourage the participation in school of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students, as well as anyone else in the gender spectrum.

Before the Rainbow Connection, many LGBT students often didn’t know where they could hang out without being uncomfortable or where they could talk openly. They often felt out of place and weren’t sure where they’d fit in.

“[Rainbow Connection] is a safe environment for anyone to go into and be able to speak their mind,” said member Katelyn St. Louis, who likes how no one is made to feel less than anyone else or unsafe around their peers. “I feel like it’s a great opportunity to make everyone feel equal in the school, as they should,” St. Louis added.

“I love the acceptance,” said a student who wanted to remain anonymous. “Everyone is so nice to each other during meetings. I am able to be myself around them.”

In his first year running the Rainbow Connection, Whitt took  the place of Dan Simmons, who was the advisor last year. 

Mr. Whitt has big plans for its future because he didn’t have such opportunities growing up.  He explained how he wasn’t able to have this kind of club in his home town in the Carolinas, and that he’s grateful to be a part of one here in Lowell.

“We’re all just people anyway… if we could just work on changing the mindsets of people, and maybe even stop using labels,” Whitt said.

The community where he grew up wasn’t as tolerant as Massachusetts and would not have accepted such a club, he adds.  

Lowell provides a diverse community in which members of Rainbow Connection can plan events openly, inform and discuss gay issues with the community, according to Whitt.  World AIDS Day is one of those issue-focused events.

“I would love for it not to just be the GSA involved, because it’s not just a ‘gay’ issue, [AIDS] is an everybody issue,” Whitt said about the World AIDs Day plan.  

Involving the Science Club would show people that AIDS affects all people not just people within the LGBT community, he added.  

The Science Club could provide a biological context about how the disease is spread regardless of sexual orientation.

“I want to educate the public about the virus,” he continues.  A poster campaign is in the works for the occasion.

Mr. Whitt also expressed his interest in Youth Pride Boston, an annual LGBT Pride Parade that he hopes to have the club be a part of next time around. Another opportunity for the club would be getting involved with an organization that helps youth runaways.

Such organizations, often dubbed ‘safe places,’ rescue LGBT members who can’t be safe at home. The organization also  helps put on a prom every year, specifically for the LGBT community, to which every school is invited. 

The alliance club is meant for everyone, whether they’re a part of the LGBT community, or a supportive ally of the community, he said. 

“I am so grateful that Lowell High has this,” the anonymous student responds enthusiastically to being asked how she feels about having an Alliance Club. 

Considering many places aren’t as accepting as Lowell, and don’t have anything like the Rainbow Connection, she feels lucky.

“I want to see if this club can grow. That would be great!” she said energetically when asked about the future of Rainbow Connection. 

She said that, even though the size is exceptional right now, seeing it grow more would be a beautiful thing.

No matter your identity, everyone should feel like they belong, and like they are valid, she added.

“I hope to see it grow and for more people to accept everyone that doesn’t fit into the ‘social norm,” Katelyn stated.  

Like Mr. Whitt, this sophomore wants to see people become more accepting of those not considered what society views as “normal.” 

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