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South Tama GSA participated in Student Day at the State Capitol

The South Tama County Gay Straight Alliance group marched to the Capitol on Thursday, March 12 for Student Day at the Capitol. Photos provided
Karleigh Fischer (left) and Finn Witt (center) meet with State Representative Bruce Hunter (H.D. 34, D-Des Moines) on Student Day at the Iowa Capitol.
STC GSA student representatives walk up steps in the capitol on their way to meet with representatives. On the left is Finn Witt with the transgender flag draped around his shoulders.

On Thursday March 12, South Tama County High Schools GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) was invited to participate in Student Day at the Capitol with Iowa Safe Schools.

While GSA has been a club at South Tama for over 5 years, the club dissolved after the former sponsor retired. This year the club was restarted by Jennifer Perez, Family and Community Liaison, and Finn Witt, 10th grader and President of STC GSA.

The student President (Witt) and Vice President (Karleigh Fischer, 11th grade) were able to do a Q&A with Liz Bennet, the only out queer Iowa Representative. The group also marched to the Capitol, and toured the Senate Room.

Witt and Fischer also tracked down an employee to help find their district Representative and while he was unfortunately out they were able to leave him a note and talk to representative Bruce Hunter about banning conversion therapy.

Iowa still allows conversion therapy which is the practice of using psychological or spiritual therapy to change ones sexuality, Iowa also still allows electroshock therapy. These students showed an exemplary amount of courage and strength. This was first event STC GSA has been able to attend, but we are looking forward to attending more. We are also proposing our first fundraising event which would be open to the public. So be on the lookout for that!