More than silence: a day to learn, to hear and to educate

Abby MahlerContributing WriterIf there was no pro article, and this area was simply left blank next to the con, would you notice? Of course you would. A prominent empty area of newspaper is nothing but noticeable. So, on a single day, when what could be hundreds if not thousands of voices are silenced, you’d notice, right?Day of Silence is more than trying to see how long you can stay quiet— it’s a day with filled with meaning and tradition; a simple form of protest that anyone can participate in.The idea is that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning(LGBTQ) students often feel silenced in high school settings, specifically, simply for being themselves is outrageous. So, on this one single day, LGBTQ students and allies take a vow of silence to publicly acknowledge that.This event is sponsored by GLSEN (the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network), and held yearly since 1996 on the last Friday in April. The Day is often held in memorial for LGBTQ students that, for example, felt that their only option was to take their own lives. Other years have honored students bullied or even killed because of their sexuality.There is a common notion, however, that Day of Silence is ineffective. If the purpose is to spread awareness, being loud is the easiest way to go about things, right? Well, only in theory. There are some— LGBTQ and allied alike—that are very vocal every day about the lives of the LGBTQ community members.Undoubtably many Samohi students have heard myself or another concerned peer become fairly loud in a hallway in response to homophobic language. For those that are active, vocal, and loud every single day, the noticeable comes when our voices are absent.Over the past two years, the Samo Day of Silence Facebook events garnered nearly 300 “attending” participants, with plenty more “maybe’s.” 300 people may not seem like that many in our school of over 3000, but it truly does create a tense moment when a student does not answer a question in class, does not carry your conversation, does not communicate with anyone for an entire school day.Others may comment that Samo is an accepting place, that it’s just a hindrance to a productive school day to participate in this liberal bubble. To that, I agree.However, our school is not the portrait of our country where some students still believe that only outlet left to them after years of bullying is to take their own lives. A student in Tennessee tried to set up a Gay Straight Alliance for his high school and was not only punished by the administration, but threatened with suspension.Although Samo is an accepting place, others aren’t so lucky, and even a small gesture, like participating in the national Day of Silence, is truly a feat. So fellow Samo students, please think again before you dismiss next year’s Day of Silence and take a second to truly understand its vital impact on society.eic@thesamohi.com