The National Queer Alliance held an event April 15 for the Day of Silence/Night of Noise. The first part of the event was held at the Bean in Millennium Park, where approximately 60 attendees broke the silence after 15 minutes, despite the pouring rain. Participants were to show up wearing black or red; they then went to a private Lake View residence to continue the celebration.
In addition, the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance ( ISSA ) held its annual event at the Thompson Center. ISSA is the local sponsor of GLSEN's ( the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network's ) Day of Silence along with its own local Night of Noise.
Two college students from the University of Virginia started the Day of Silence/Night of Noise in 1996. They wanted to bring attention to the affects of anti-LGBT bullying can have on a person. The event got national attention and was eventually picked up by GLSEN ( the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network ) . "We provide students the opportunities to engage their school communities on issues of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment. The Day of Silence is one of those particular activities," said Leigh Thompson, coordinator for the day and community initiative associate at GLSEN.
Twenty thousand registered students participated in this year's event nationally, which will mark the 15th anniversary of the Day of Silence. Three out of five LGBT students feel unsafe at school, while one-third skipped a day in the last month, due to internal feelings of discomfort.
Students who participated in the event remained silent throughout the school day, except to answer questions in class. They could even bring a card to school with them that read, "Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement bringing attention to the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by anti-LGBT bullying, name-calling and harassment.
"I believe that ending the silence is the first step toward building awareness and making a commitment to address these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today."
