by Susan Forrest
Thursday, Apr. 17, 2003 at 11:55 AM
sforrestla@aol.com
The Day of Silence is put on by GLESN (gay, lesbian and straight educational network) and UUUA (united states student association) .
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The day of silence is a day on which those people who support creating safe schools for LGBT people take a 9-hour vow of silence to recognize and protest the harassment, prejudice and discrimination - in effect, the silencing - that LGBT 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, 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?