How to Mark Tomorrow's 'Day of Silence' to End LGBTQ+ Discrimination in Schools

Tomorrow is GLSEN’s Day of Silence which is a national student-led demonstration where LGBTQ+ students and allies all around the country — and the world — take a vow of silence to protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in schools.

Started in the mid-90s by two college students, Day of Silence has expanded to reach hundreds of thousands of students each year.

Every April, students go through the school day without speaking, ending the day with Breaking the Silence rallies and events to share their experiences during the protest and bring attention to ways their schools and communities can become more inclusive.

This year, we are refreshing Day of Silence to reflect the collective actions needed in this moment. With more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced this year alone, we must Rise Up.

Here are three ways to participate in this year’s day of action:

• Students can take a vow of silence to demonstrate how so many LGBTQ+ students are made to feel every day — silenced.
• Students (who feel safe) and adults can take a vow of NO silence, committing to speaking up in defense of LGBTQ+ youth in every classroom, every office, every space on-and offline.
• Educators, allies, students, advocates, and legislators across the country can sign the Rise Up for LGBTQ+ Youth pledge.

We recognize that we don’t all share the same experiences or risks, and Day of Silence is different for every student.

GLSEN’s national student council shares what Day of Silence means to them this year:

The Day of Silence really exemplifies how us LGBTQ+ folk feel in today’s political climate, especially with all of the anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ legislation that’s going through our states, Congress, and National Congress. This national day where we can really come together in solidarity to show that we are not going away and we are here to stay is so important — so remember, that silence that you are exhibiting means something and represents something real and authentic to queer individuals every single day in this country. - Ariona (she/her)

To me, the Day of Silence represents a pledge of solidarity within the queer community, and also a disruption that makes it imperative for authority figures to notice our struggles. - Coral (she/her)

Day of Silence is a way to show true allyship with queer peers and the entire queer community. It shows that even though sometimes we feel silenced, we are not alone in the fight. - Via (she/her)

Day of Silence isn’t a day off; instead, it’s an opportunity to consider how hate in any form — be it white supremacy, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, ableism, antisemitism — thrives in silence. And when we break that silence at the end of the day, that’s when we reclaim our power. - Amanda (she/her)

Breaking the Silence

Each year, after participating in Day of Silence, GLSEN hosts a Break the Silence rally. This year, the rally will be hosted on Instagram Live and feature National Student Council Members along with George M. Johnson, award-winning Black nonbinary writer, author, and executive producer located in the L.A. area.

Tune in at 7 pm ET on Friday, April 14 via GLSEN’s Instagram Live (@GLSEN).

GLSEN, is an American education organization working to end discrimination, harassment, and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression and to prompt LGBT cultural inclusion and awareness in K-12 schools.

Views expressed in The Advocate’s opinion articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the views of The Advocate or our parent company, equalpride.