Day of Silence

By Maya Green, Intern

This April, it’s time to make our voices heard — by going silent.

Friday, April 23 marks the 25th anniversary of the first Day of Silence. A tradition started at the University of Virginia in the late ’90s, the day raises awareness of the harassment and bullying young members of the queer community face. Participants in the Day of Silence vow to not speak for an entire day, voluntarily silencing themselves in solidarity with countless LGBTQ+ people who are involuntarily quieted.

Five years after the first Day of Silence, the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) adopted it with the intent of spreading the protest event across the United States. Check out their website for information about the 2021 Day of Silence and resources created by their student council (GLSEN’s Day of Silence zine).

Why is the Day of Silence so relevant this year?

In 2021 more than ever, the Day of Silence carries weighty significance:

This year, legislators around the United States have introduced a record-high number of anti-transgender bills — 117 in the current session of Congress alone — that work to silence the voices of trans folks by taking away their right to gender affirmation.

Many of these bills introduced by dozens of states specifically target queer young people and aim to block trans youth access to gender-affirming healthcare. Even more are attempting to prevent trans teens from playing on sports teams that align with their gender identity.

What’s more, the past year has been a time of intense isolation, loneliness, and struggles with mental health, especially for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Millions of students were forced to leave college campuses, environments that are typically more affirming of those who identify as LGBTQ+, and return home. For many queer people, “home” may signify anywhere from a return to the closet to a place of outward hostility towards one’s identity.

No matter how you identify, you have an obligation to speak up for the silenced members of our community.

Countless of our queer siblings do not have a voice, so we must use our own to advocate for them. There are many small and big ways to do this; on April 23rd, take time to reflect on your own experiences and seek out those of other queer people through short stories, poetry, etc. If you identify as white, consider how the voices of queer black, indigenous, and people of color (QBIPOC) are silenced in different, often more numerous ways than yours. Reach out to your queer friends and check in on them.

Reference the GLSEN website for more Day of Silence resources and action items.

Further Resources

• Virtual Student Guide
• Day of Silence Zine (Stories, Playlist, Action Items, and more)
• Learn more about anti-trans legislation
• Sign the Southern Transgender Alliance’s petition against anti-trans legislation
• Read queer poetry