Story at a glance
- The Day of Silence is a student-led protest historically observed on the second Friday of April.
- The movement calls attention to the silencing and erasure of LGBTQ+ people, especially in schools.
- Since schools are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, organizers are shifting the event to a digital platform.
Silence can be loud, but it needs to be heard. With schools across the country closed down due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 25th annual Day of Silence won’t traditionally be observed as it has in the past.
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Instead of observing silence, which some indicate with a piece of tape over their mouths, student activists are breaking it to speak out against the erasure of LGBTQ+ people.
The student-led protest began in 1990 when a group of teachers founded GLSEN, originally the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, now one of the nation’s leading organizations on LGBTQ+ issues in K-12 education. Last year, 8,000 Gay Straight Alliance clubs across the country participated, raising awareness of the challenges LGBTQ+ students face in school as well as the lack of representation in their curriculum.
“By participating in the Day of Silence, LGBTQ students like me are advocating for our community and building a more inclusive future for all young people,” said Chris Staley, a high school student on GLSEN’s National Student Council, in a release. “This year, we’re using social media, creating artwork, hosting virtual rallies and encouraging our family and friends to join us as we fight for our rights and representation.”
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GLSEN is hosting a virtual rally to close out the day of protest at 5:30 p.m. on April 24. March For Our Lives founder Emma González and Tan France from “Queer Eye” will join the livestream, while others join via social media.
The theme is “Break the Silence: Your Vote, Your Voice” and doubles as a voter registration campaign for young LGBTQ+ people. Anyone 18 or older can check their voter registration on the website, and those who are younger can sign up for a reminder to register on their 18th birthdays.
“For 25 years, the Day of Silence has helped thousands of students connect to their community, but with the COVID-19 pandemic isolating many LGBTQ youth from their support networks, this year’s Day of Silence is more important than ever,” said GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard in a release. “It’s time for LGBTQ youth to live free of harassment and discrimination, and to feel empowered to break the silence, today, and every day.”
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