The Day of Silence as of 2001 is a grassroots project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in collaboration with the United States Student Association (USSA ), is a student-led day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bias and harassment unacceptable in schools take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment -- in effect, the silencing -- experienced by LGBT students and their allies. The first event was organized by students at the University of Virginia in 1996. The 2002 day is "the largest one-day student-led grassroots action on LGBT rights in American history" (Day of Silence – April 13, 2005 Fact Sheet).

In 1997 the event expanded to the National Day of Silence, with over one-hundred schools participating, and beginning in 1998 was promoted by the Day of Silence Project with double the participation of the last year. Their website was hosted by Youth Guardian Services [1].

Ideally the period of silence should be ended with a "breaking the silence" event and accompanied by other activism and education. During the silence, participants handed out cards or flyers with the following explanatory text:

• "Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights. I believe that laws and attitudes should be inclusive of people of all sexual orientations. The Day of Silence Project draws attention to those who have been silenced by hatred, oppression, and prejudice. Think about the voices you are not hearing today. What can you do to end the silence?"

As of 2005 the "speaking cards" read:

• "Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by harassment, prejudice, and discrimination. I believe that ending the silence is the first step toward fighting these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today. What are you going to do to end the silence?

Both may be supplemented by additional text and images.

See also

• Day of Truth

External Links

• Day of Silence
• National Day of Silence April 4, 2001 DSP