Harriton’s Day Of Silence

Harritons+Day+Of+Silence

On Friday, April 21, students across America advocated for LGBTQ rights during a “Day of Silence.”

This tradition was started by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in 1996 and supports the members of the community who “are silenced for who they are, on a daily basis.” It is meant to spread awareness of the effects of harassment that the members of the LGBTQ community face.

The day of activism was open to all Harriton students, not only those who identify as apart of the LGBTQ community. The school’s Gay Straight Alliance made a video shown during advisory to spread awareness and rally support.

One student commented on an issue that they faced on the Day of Silence: “People who didn’t really understand Day of Silence would try to annoy you and make you talk the whole day. It was really immature.”

Although it was a struggle to remain silent through a school day, it was a unifying experience for Harriton.

One student shared, “Some people that signed up to protest weren’t necessarily people I thought who would support the LGBT community. It was really cool to see.”

Day of Silence brought together many Harriton students in support of their loved ones and peers. The Harriton G.S.A. has encouraged all those interested to attend weekly meetings for more information on the cause.