Day of Silence
Published April 13, 2005
The daughter will be participating in today's Day of Silence at her hight school.
The Day of Silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in collaboration with the United States Student Association (USSA), is a student-led day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bias unacceptable in schools take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment — in effect, the silencing — experienced by LGBT students and their allies.
I'm proud of her for taking part of this, and her devotion to Gay-Straight alliance at her school.
Of course, where there's gay activism, there will be opposition. This article at the ever-tolerant family.org claims that Day of Silence is nothing more than a way to promote homosexuality. Of course. The kids will also be walking around with pamphlets on how to become a homosexual in just three easy steps! And if you join today, you bypass the initiation fee!
Conservative and Christian groups will be countering the Day of Silence with their own Day of Truth:
Irked by the success of the nationwide Day of Silence, which seeks to combat anti-gay bias in schools, conservative activists are launching a counter-event this week called the Day of Truth aimed at mobilizing students who believe homosexuality is sinful.
The teens participating the Day of Silence are trying to bring attention to the bullying and harrassment aimed at gay students. The Day of Truth people are, in turn, telling the gay students that they are sinners. That pretty much proves the point of Day of Silence, doesn't it? The Day of Truth FAQ is some interesting reading.
Kevin Jennings, GLSEN's executive director:
"The Day of Silence was an event conceived of by students themselves in response to a very real problem of bullying and harassment they saw on their campuses," Jennings said. "The Day of Truth is a publicity stunt cooked up by a conservative organization with a political agenda; it's an effort by adults to manipulate some kids.
That organization would be the Alliance Defense Fund, who want to bring you "the Truth" as well as "family values," and prayer in public schools. I guess praying in school also covers casting stones upon those who they perceive to be sinners in the eyes of their God. More on the ADF here.
You can find out more about the Day of Silence here, and the history of the day here. More here. And here's a blogger participating in the Day of Silence at his school.
Also: Darkness of Light, Common Sense Blog.
- Day of Silence
- Published: April 13, 2005
- Type:
- Section: Culture
- Writer: Michele Catalano
- Michele Catalano's BC Writer page
- Michele Catalano's personal site
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thanks Michele, and congrats to your daughter!
Jennifer Ann, you are very brave and should be proud of yourself as well.
I participated in the Day of Silence at my small town school in SC. It's absolutely amazing what homosexuals have to go through! There were so many times that I wanted to say, "Can't you hear what you're saying?!" or "That's not even the point of this protest!" or "That statement makes you sound so ignorant." I really enjoyed the experience, especially stepping into another's shoes for the day. I will definitely not take gay prejudice lightly ever again!
Hey if you plan any further coverage of the anti-gay "Day of Truth" this year I wanted to bring your attention to a Youtube video I made examining some of the more troubling aspects of the Day of Truth -- Specifically how the DOT is little more than a thinly veiled attempt to promote "pray away the gay" programs to queer youth.
This video covers the little discussed founding of the DOT by Tyler Chase Harper, a high-schooler who told his gay classmates they should be ashamed and are condemned by God. The video also reveals a great deal of troubling material on the DOT's website including information discussing anal sex, bathhouses and a fake medical condition made up by the anti-gay right called "gay bowel syndrome." Some of this material is furnished by Mission America, an organization that actually includes in it's mission statement the need to defend the nation against witchcraft.
-Dan Gonzales
(I myself am a survivor of one of the "ex-gay" programs promoted by the Day of Truth)
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today is the day of silence, which I have participated in. im in the eighth grade and im strait, but i support people who are gay. throughout the day, and espessily on the bus ride home, i have found just how much gay people have to go through, i have been accused of being gay, and ive been mocked, but because of what today is, i did not fight back, or try to get tem to see that there is nothing wrong with being gay. I may be called something im not for the rest of the year, but it was worth it, because people should be able to love whoever they want, regardless of gender. I hope others have participated in trying to protest the hate these kids recieve everyday, and if you have, my congrats on not breaking your vow of silence.
-Jennifer
Herndon, VA