North’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) hosted its annual ToBeGLAD Day, Friday, April 11 in the Lasker auditorium.
ToBeGLAD Day spanned all blocks of the day, including WIN, and ended with a captivating g-block panel of actors from Theatre Ink’s 2025 musical, The Prom.
“It was very enlightening to see the different perspectives and experiences of the panelists,” said sophomore Ella Hamel.
According to English teacher Adam George, co-adviser of the GSA alongside biology teacher Melanie Pennison, ToBeGLAD Day stands for “Transgender, Bisexual, Gay, and Lesbian Awareness Day,” and has existed at North for over 20 years.
A brief lesson on the history of queer theatre was given during g-block, followed by a panel of cast members from Theater Ink’s The Prom, a comedic musical performed this past March that follows high-school student Emma Nolan, who faces backlash from her peers when they find out she wants to go to the prom with her girlfriend.
Questions during the g-block panel related to the public reception of The Prom performance, the actor’s experiences working on a controversial show, and how the show educated them on queer experiences.
“I learned a lot about why it’s important to be able to love who you want to love,” said sophomore Alex Santonastaso, who played Kevin in The Prom. “The general public seemed to love the story. I heard a lot about how people from affinity groups or the GSA were touched by this story, and it was really great to be able to touch people with our work.”
During c-block, six students were randomly chosen from the audience to participate in a LGBTQIA+ trivia, followed by a student-faculty panel of eight members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The panel focused on trans-visibility and how non-LGBTQIA+ members can become more active as allies.
“One way to help is to consume more queer art, media, and music to increase visibility,” said senior Fran Della Rocca, a club member and panelist during c-block.
The GSA hosted presenter and activist Joan Ilacqua, the executive director History Project during f-block. The History Project is a Boston-based organization focused on sharing the history of LGBTQIA+ people in New England, according to Ilacqua.
During WIN block, the GSA held an affinity space for LGBTQIA+ community members and anyone who wanted to share their experiences through poetry, singing, and discussion, according to George.
