day of silence is upon us!
-- Day of Silence --
Wednesday, April 18, 2007 is National Day of Silence. This is a day on which those people who support creating safe schools for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people take a nine-hour vow of silence to recognize and protest the harassment, prejudice and discrimination - in effect, the silencing - that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people face. Instead of speaking, high school and university participants hand out cards or wear stickers or t-shirts printed with the following message:
"Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence Project, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, and their allies. 91.5% of LGBT students in America frequently witness and/or receive harassment for being who they are. 82.9% report that staff or faculty members present silently pretend not to notice. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by harassment, prejudice and discrimination. 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 going to do to end the silence?"
Thousands of students across the states will unite on this day in a visible silence to create real change in local schools. Are you in?
