{"id":84748,"date":"2025-02-07T09:58:04","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T15:58:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=84748"},"modified":"2025-02-07T10:02:17","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T16:02:17","slug":"gsa-designs-signs-for-equality-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=84748","title":{"rendered":"GSA designs signs for Equality Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>By RORY MOORE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Tiger Media Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Fort Hays Gender and Sexuality Alliance organized a group effort in the Art and Design Building on Wednesday to design political signs with students for its participation in Equality Day on March 4. The Alliance will travel to the State Capitol in Topeka to sell flowers and join other groups in speaking on key issues facing the nation amid federal and state legislative action.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"790\" height=\"461\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-84749\" data-id=\"84749\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-of-6.jpg?resize=790%2C461\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C597&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=370%2C216&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=150%2C87&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C448&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C896&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1194&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/1-of-6-scaled.jpg?w=2370 2370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">The Gender and Sexuality Alliance gathers in the Art and Design Building to design signs for its trip to Topeka for Equality Day.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"790\" height=\"505\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-84754\" data-id=\"84754\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-of-6.jpg?resize=790%2C505\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C654&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=370%2C236&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=150%2C96&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C491&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C982&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1309&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-of-6-scaled.jpg?w=2370 2370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">GSA president Annabeth Ratzlaff shows students drawing items.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"790\" height=\"582\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-84753\" data-id=\"84753\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-of-6.jpg?resize=790%2C582\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C755&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=353%2C260&amp;ssl=1 353w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=150%2C111&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C566&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1133&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1510&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/3-of-6-scaled.jpg?w=2370 2370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Annalise Mercer paints flowers onto a sign. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"790\" height=\"528\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-84755\" data-id=\"84755\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GSA-Sign-Desing-004.jpg?resize=790%2C528\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GSA-Sign-Desing-004.jpg?resize=1024%2C684&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GSA-Sign-Desing-004.jpg?resize=370%2C247&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GSA-Sign-Desing-004.jpg?resize=150%2C100&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GSA-Sign-Desing-004.jpg?resize=768%2C513&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GSA-Sign-Desing-004.jpg?w=1178&amp;ssl=1 1178w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Dereck Mesa traces colors in a Sisyphus he drew. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"790\" height=\"803\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-84751\" data-id=\"84751\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-of-6.jpg?resize=790%2C803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=1008%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1008w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=256%2C260&amp;ssl=1 256w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=148%2C150&amp;ssl=1 148w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C780&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=1512%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1512w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-of-6-scaled.jpg?resize=2016%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 2016w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-of-6-scaled.jpg?w=1580 1580w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/5-of-6-scaled.jpg?w=2370 2370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Ryssa Schlaefli paints the words &#8220;No Human is Illegal On Stolen Lands&#8221; she wrote on her sign. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"790\" height=\"514\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-84756\" data-id=\"84756\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GSA-Sign-Design-006.jpg?resize=790%2C514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GSA-Sign-Design-006.jpg?resize=1024%2C666&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GSA-Sign-Design-006.jpg?resize=370%2C241&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GSA-Sign-Design-006.jpg?resize=150%2C98&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GSA-Sign-Design-006.jpg?resize=768%2C500&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/GSA-Sign-Design-006.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">The GSA will sell flowers at Equality Day during their visit at the State Capitol on March 4.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Annabeth Ratzlaff, the GSA president who is majoring in sociology and graphic design, had the idea of designing signs with students to build the Alliance\u2019s presence at the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLast semester, we were in charge of flower sales at the commencement area,\u201d Ratzlaff said. \u201cOne thing we didn\u2019t have were signs pointing out that we\u2019re selling flowers and how much they are. I thought it could be a good idea to have them because it\u2019s important for people to know what they\u2019re buying, what they\u2019re buying for, and how much things are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Members of the GSA will take these signs to convey their beliefs and raise awareness of issues like minority rights, immigration, and allyship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese signs are to show our opinions,\u201d Ratzlaff said. \u201cWe want to communicate stuff that we want to see in the world today and changes we want to make.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ratzlaff wants the GSA members to cordially show where they stand on issues rather than protest at Topeka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s more of a peaceful walk to simulate, \u2018Hey, this is stuff that we stand for.\u2019\u201d Ratzlaff said. \u201cIt\u2019s our opinion that we want to put out into the world. It\u2019s not necessarily a protest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While some students are unable to travel to the State Capitol, they show their support through their signs, which they design using various mediums.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOther students are preparing this through making these signs and showing their support by saying, \u2018Hey! I\u2019m going to go!\u2019\u201d Ratzlaff said. \u201cSome are like, \u2018Hey! I\u2019m going to stay behind, but I will be supporting you here by doing what I can from where I can!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For students like senior Ryssa Schlaefli, designing these signs is a mechanism of coping amid American politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been feeling hopeless about the state of our country,\u201d Sclaefli said. \u201cAs somebody who does not have the funds to do anything about it, it feels like doing anything is something to me, and it\u2019s helping me cope. I\u2019ve also wanted to protest, but I haven&#8217;t gotten out to doing it yet. So, I feel like if I start doing something to lead me in that direction, then I\u2019ll get myself up to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Schlaefli designed her sign in the hopes of making a difference.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy voice isn\u2019t the one that necessarily matters,\u201d Schlaefli said. \u201cIn history, no one group has ever been able to stand up for themselves if they\u2019ve been discriminated against. They\u2019ve always needed to reach out to other people who have the privilege to speak up for them. Whether they\u2019re my friends or not, it doesn\u2019t matter. You have to have a direct connection to somebody to speak up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The goals that Ratzlaff wants to achieve in Topeka are to educate people and encourage them to conduct their own research instead of depending on the word of others or media while engaging with others peacefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI always prefer it whenever people do their own research on different things happening in the world or issues that we\u2019re facing every day,\u201d Ratzlaff said. \u201cI also would like to see people treat us with respect. I don\u2019t like violence, and that\u2019s one thing I never want to see, especially in this community. I want to show them that violence is not the way these things can be done. Like adults, we could just talk face-to-face.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Equality Day comes amid recent bills passed that affect similar issues, Ratzlaff does not want it to influence people\u2019s actions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPolitics should never be coming into something peaceful, and difference of opinion is perfectly fine,\u201d Ratlzaff said. \u201cI love it when people have a difference of opinions, and they talk about these things. I don\u2019t like it whenever somebody is screaming their opinions and shoving them into your face. It\u2019s not my thing, and I\u2019m not a big fan of it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By RORY MOORE Tiger Media Network The Fort Hays Gender and Sexuality Alliance organized a group effort in the Art and Design Building on Wednesday&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":142,"featured_media":84754,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":false,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3397,3398,11,3570],"tags":[16144,14607,12632,15399,953,15700],"class_list":["post-84748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-area-news","category-campus-news","category-news","category-politics-news","tag-equality-day","tag-fhsu-gender-and-sexuality-alliance","tag-fhsu-gsa","tag-gender-and-sexuality-alliance","tag-gsa","tag-rory-moore"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tigermedianet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2-of-6-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1636&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=84748"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":84760,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84748\/revisions\/84760"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/84754"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=84748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=84748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=84748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}