National Day of Silence

“The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Each year the event has grown, now with hundreds of thousands of students coming together to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior. “

I remember how deeply moved I was when I came across other students, especially in a group, on these days. To walk through a building, or down a sidewalk on campus, and silently realize that you are united with even just one other person in such a huge way is indescribably empowering and warming. That one connection speaks volumes of support for one another and opposition of the ways that gay and lesbian people (and children) are treated.

That feeling of unity and empowerment also comes with an overwhelming sense of rage. The ignorance and malice that is still openly present today is incomprehensible. Speaking of the gay and lesbian children and teens alone, how can someone view them as monsters or sinners? During high school, I participated in Days of Silence and GSA events and I was proud to show how much I cared about my friends and fellow students, regardless of who they wanted to be with. Now, my memories of those days are tainted with a sadness about how much pain those children had to endure. Before I even hit high school, two of my classmates committed suicide. Several other older kids in town did, too. Being a teenager has immense pressures and turmoil as it is and when the issue of someone’s sexual orientation singles them out in crowds and makes them feel like an outcast, at best, it’s abominable.

I have to find solace in knowing that things are better now than they were a generation ago and I can only hope that enlightenment and compassion come quickly. As more and more states legalize gay marriage, I find myself listening the news and smiling. My faith in humanity is restored in tiny pieces.