GSA Day from BARK BARK on Vimeo.

It is, perhaps, somewhat fitting that today's first-ever National Gay-Straight Alliance Day (www.gsaday.org or www.facebook.com/gsaday) should fall in the middle of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)-sponsored No Name Calling Week. For years, LGBT young people have been at the forefront of anti-bullying efforts in their middle schools, high schools and colleges. The work these young people are doing is breathtaking. From working with teachers or administrators to collaborating with their peers, student leaders are helping to shape the future.

There even seems to be a breath of fresh air in some of the most ardently anti-gay organizations. Eagle Scout Bryan Wendell, the senior editor of the official Boy Scouts of America Scouting magazine blogged on Monday about No Name Calling Week. That the Boy Scouts, who still hold virulently anti-gay policies that prohibit openly gay or bisexual youth and young men from membership and leadership roles, would openly discuss and promote an anti-bullying event sponsored by an LGBT organization is a sure sign of progress. Young people -- no doubt influenced by their many peers organizing in high school or college LGBT student organizations -- are making strides to make their communities, organizations and, ultimately, our nation a better place.

Campus Pride's executive director, Shane Windmeyer, hit the issue right on the head in a press release today about National Gay-Straight Alliance Day.

“In many ways, Campus Pride has seen how high school GSA leaders continue activism into college and then on into the workplace and their communities,” Shane said (you can read the full release after the jump). “It is immeasurable the positive impact that our LGBT and ally youth leaders have had over the years. We're excited to finally have a national event to acknowledge these students and campus LGBT and ally groups."

Many of my friends and I serve today as examples of the kind of leadership students can start to learn and develop while in early, secondary and higher education. Like Scouting magazine's Bryan Wendell, I was a Boy Scout -- and a proud one, to boot. The organization taught me lessons and principles that are invaluable. And, like many of the student leaders shepherding change in secondary and higher education-level LGBT student organizations, I, too, was a leader of my high school's and college's gay-straight alliances. Looking back over more than 10 years of my life since, it's hard to imagine that my career in LGBT advocacy really did get a start in as simple of places as a high school gay-straight alliance and the Boy Scouts.

I hope you'll join with Campus Pride, Iowa Pride Network, GSA Network, GLSEN and the many, many others in taking time today to celebrate all of the young student leaders making a difference on their campuses and in their communities. Send out a special thank you and keep them in your thoughts. The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.

Read the full press release about today's National Gay-Straight Alliance Day after the jump...

"Pride," to me, is not just about my LGBTQ identity. While the word 'pride' has been powerfully rendered a symbol of our community by the decades of struggles - which are nothing short of heroic - on the parts of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters, I believe that it means more.