Day of silence. A day dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community where participants stay silent and don’t talk all day. Communication can be done through writing, whiteboards, texting, and more, as long as no words are spoken. 

This program was created by GLSEN in 1996 to represent the people part of the LGBTQ+ community who are scared to speak up about the harassment they face. 

“Day of Silence is a day for lgbtq kids and straight allies to silently protest against the discrimination LGBTQ+students deal with,” freshman Izzy Quimby states. 

According to Murphy,“The Day of Silence is a national event: Students across the country take a one-day pledge of silence to show that they want to make schools safe for all students, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.”

GSA, the Gay-Straight alliance at Arvada West, took a stand and participated this school year. During both lunches on April 20th GSA had tables set up to hand out information and supplies for Day of silence. 

“We made a plan where we’d have name tags and a little white board so teachers know they’re participating and they won’t get in trouble.” Eli Hendershot and her fellow members of GSA leadership set up.

 Normally it is celebrated on the third Friday of April but this year the date falls on a teacher workday so it it did take place Thursday April 21st for Arvada West.

“I participate because of the fact that most LGBTQ+ people get harassed,” Hendershot says. 

As society has grown to have new opinions on what they like and don’t like, people who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community have been highly discriminated against, not just verbally but also physically harassed. 

 Social studies teacher and GSA sponsor Kerrie Dallman says “I participate in Day of Silence because there’s such a high rate of LGBTQ+ students that report being harassed or bullied”

In the end, schools all over the world are showing their support to stand up for what they believe is right.