Photographed by Caitlin O’Connor
When we hear slurs such as ‘faggot’, ‘tranny’, or ‘dyke’ (although the latter has been reclaimed by many), do we think about how the situation would have played out if we had just remained silent? Thousands of youth worldwide face either verbal or physical discrimination for their gender identity or sexual orientation. The National Day of Silence, campaigned through the GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network), was created to raise awareness of the silence LGBT youth may be a part of. They are often not able to speak up for themselves or others. By remaining silent for a day, those participating are able to locally bring realization to the struggles faced by many LGBT youth. In 2016, the event will occur on April 15.
According to the 2013 National School Climate Survey – a study conducted by GLSEN, surveyed 7,898 middle and high school students. 85.4% responded they were verbally harassed and 39.9% reported they were physically harassed. Nearly six in ten of LGBT students reported that they felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation, and four in ten (38.7%) said they felt unsafe because of their gender expression. Half of students reported experiencing some form of electronic harassment (cyberbullying) in the past year.
On the National Day of Silence, students who participate will be handing out cards to their organizations that read the following…
“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 in schools. 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 can be found on www.dayofsilence.org.
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