Students Show Support by Participating in GLSEN National Day of Silence

Queer students at Harvard and their supporters let actions speak louder than words yesterday when they participated in the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) National Day of Silence.

According to GLSEN’s website, as many as 500,000 students across the country took part in this year’s protest, intended to raise awareness of the bigotry and prejudice the queer community faces.

Participants take a vow of silence from 9 am to 5 pm, and bear cards reading,

“Please understand my reasons for not speaking today...My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by prejudice, harassment, and discrimination...Think about the voices you are not hearing today.”

Ten years ago, the first Day of Silence was organized by students at the University of Virginia. Attracting about 150 students its first year, the protest spread rapidly as one year later, almost 100 colleges and univerisities participated.

At Harvard, the Day of Silence was organized by Ryan R. Thoreson ’07 and Mischa A. Feldstein ’07, last year’s co-chairs of the Harvard Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and Supporters Alliance (BGTLSA). A silent lunch for participants in Winthrop House was sparsely attended, but Rachel K. Popkin ’08, who is a member of BGLTSA said, “I don’t think that the lack of participation at Harvard says anything in particular about the climate here for GLBT people and their allies.”