Day of Silence




This year’s Day of Silence will be held on Friday, April 25th in memory of Lawrence King, who friends say was murdered in a California school February 12 because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. The event brings attention to anti-LGBT bullying, harassment and discrimination in schools. Students observe the day in silence to echo the silence LGBT and ally students face every day..

The Day of Silence is a project of GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, in collaboration with the United States Students Association. The Day of Silence, a project of GLSEN, will be held during school hours. Hundreds of thousands of students are expected to participate, many of whom will wear stickers and pass out ‘speaking cards’ that read:

“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?”

The silencing of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and trans-genders is due to fear and intimidation, harassment and violence. At some point, the fear should end. On this April 25th, let the silence be deafening.