The Day of Silence will be observed on April 25, 2008

What is the Day of Silence Project?

"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?"

The above is what is printed on "speaking cards" given out by the participants of the Day of Silence, to get their message across to anyone they might encounter during their 8-9 hour vow of silence. After the Day of Silence, students hold a "Night of Noise" to discuss the issues that GLBT people face.

The Day of Silence was founded in 1996 at the University of Virginia and grew quickly on college and high school campuses over the next several years. Last year, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and the United States Student Association (USSA) sponsored the Day, which has grown from having about 150 students participate in 1996, to having almost 2,000 schools participate in 2002. GLSEN organized a student leadership team in January of 2002 to help high school students all over the country with planning the day, and working with their administration to get more support.

Check out our interview with Jesse Gilliam, one of the original organizers of the Day of Silence. For more information on the Day of Silence Project, please visit www.dayofsilence.org.

A Deafening Silence: The Case Against Our Schools

Every school has policies that, theoretically, ensure equality, prohibit discrimination, and define the consequences of violating the policy. As many GLBTQ youth face fearful days at school, too many school administrations offer little response and less protection.

Our response? Sometimes silence is louder than words. The Day of Silence, now in its tenth year, is the largest student-led silent protest in history. Read Jessie's feature on the Day of Silence!