The Day of Silence is coordinated nationally by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network
(GLSEN) & this year takes place April 21st. It’s a day in which students from around the country take a vow of silence to bring attention to the anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender name-calling, bullying & harassment faced in schools by students, teachers & other school staff. Over 500,000 students from nearly 6,500 junior high & high schools in all 50 states & Puerto Rico have participated over the years.
Participating students take a vow of silence to call attention to and signify the prevalence of the silencing of those in the LGBTQ community. The first Day of Silence was held in 1996 at the University of Virginia, was started as a way to illustrate how bullying & harassment can silence those affected. Students in middle school all the way through college are encouraged to take part. Those who sign up for the Day of Silence hand out cards to others explaining their silence & why they have chosen not to talk. In part, these cards say: “My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by harassment, discrimination & prejudice. I believe that ending the silence is the first step towards fighting these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today. What are you doing to end the silence?” What started as a class project with 150 participants has now expanded to a worldwide demonstration involving thousands of schools across the country & globally.
For More Info: nationaltoday.com
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