Day of Silence --
04.18.07
National student-led
protest aims to put a stop to homophobia
By TRACY LINDBOE,
TEEN SCENE, EAST BRUNSWICK HIGH SCHOOL
Published in the Home
News Tribune Teen Scene, April 16, 2007
Every day, lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender, or LGBT, students are bullied, harassed and discriminated against
at schools — forced into silence because of their sexual orientation.
But on Wednesday, students across the nation will be working to bring this
injustice to an end.
The Day of Silence is a national student-led protest, now in its 11th year, in
which students and teachers take a vow of silence to demonstrate the harmful
effects of anti-gay discrimination.
Participation can range from a single student to an entire student body — and
events range from wearing stickers to passing out "speaking cards," which state
the intent of the protest and request the support of peers and educators.
Some students even conduct massive "Breaking the Silence" rallies at the end of
the day to discuss further means for positive change.
In past years on the Day of Silence, I've heard critics, in response to the
handful of participants scattered throughout the halls, assert that being from a
larger school renders the effort ineffective. Some have even laughed at
the idea that a silent protest would be thought of as a useful medium for
getting the message across.
Now, of course, any silent protest is going to be more effective in greater
numbers, but that doesn't mean that smaller groups or individual participants
are wasting their time. Being silent is specific to the cause in this
case: Students are echoing the silence they, or their peers, suffer —
creating an expression of the insecurity experienced because of the ignorance of
others.
The important thing is to raise awareness about the situation — and if just one
person stops using derogatory names or saying "That's so gay!" in the aftermath
of the Day of Silence, then it was worth it.
Many college campuses and high schools have organized agendas for the protest,
but if that's not the case at your school, don't lose sight of the fact that
anyone can be a part of the Day of Silence.
Even if you just show support for those involved — even if all you have is an
index card that reads: "Please understand my reasons for not speaking
today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement
protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people
and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is
caused by harassment, prejudice and discrimination. I believe that ending
the silence is the first step toward fighting these injustices. Think
about the voices you are not hearing today. What are you going to do to
end the silence?"
More information is available by visiting
www.dayofsilence.org,
which was set up by the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network, or GLSEN,
and the United States Student Association.
Remember, all you need to participate is a little heart and determination.
Tracy Lindboe, 18, is a senior.
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