This is a guest posting from Chris Clevenger,
GLSEN Jump-Start National Student Leadership Team,
GLSEN Greater Cincinnati
Looking back on my first Day of Silence, I realize that it was rough. I can remember the negativity that originated from the student body at my high school. I remember the name calling, the threats, and the hate. I remember it being called a "Gay Day", and a lot of the community getting outraged that the school would allow such a thing.
Most of all though, I remember the support that came from those who cared. The students and teachers who stood by me throughout the day knew that we were standing up for rights that EVERYONE deserved.
Now, a year later, it's amazing to see how far we've come. It leaves me in awe to think about how much our support base has grown. Now I have a established Gay Straight Alliance with a student base of about thirty members... not bad for a school with less than one thousand in total. It gives me great pride to see how far my community has come, all because of a group of people who stood up for what they believed in.
So, while you are silent throughout the day on Friday, remember that what YOU are doing is making a difference. You are paving the way for the change that we've all are waiting for.
15 comments:
Hmmm,
I'm the first comment...
OK, maybe I don't NEED to comment on how wrong this day of silence thing is afterall?
Children should not be encouraged that being "gay" is right, so I totally disagree with this website...
I am not suggesting that gays should be physically or verbally abused, but at any age under 18, the idea of gay=normal should be seriously discouraged...
That's completely uncalled for! Why are you even on the site if you're SOOOO against it?
Gay IS normal. Just because a gay/lesbian relationship cannot produce children dosn't mean its not normal. No one chooses to be gay, therefore, nothing is wrong with it.
i think jinx is right theres nothing wrong with being gay im bisexual even if i dont marry a man and i marry a woman it wont matter if i cant have children it only matters that you love the person
To the first person who commented:
Wow. Do you realize how intolerant that is? Heterosexuality is forced down the throats of everyone from the time that they are still learning baby talk and how to smile. If you think that people are too young to be gay at under 18, maybe they're too young to be straight as well. Sexual orientation isn't something that just happens to adults. As a middle and junior high schooler, I was struggling because nobody told me that bisexuality existed, and that it was too young to know orientation anyway. But I could tell I wasn't straight, right?
Children have to struggle with the concept of sexual orientation on many levels if they don't know what it is. Are we supposed to keep everything about sexual orientation and sex in general hush hush until we're all adults, then? Spring Awakening is a good example of how that is NOT the way to make sure people understand how things like sexuality work and are.
Can't wait to be silent in classes to protest the idea that gay isn't normal!
Good for you! I helped organize and participate in my schools day of silence when I was in school, and it was great. Yes, there was backlash, but I think it made our school officials realize just how much hate there was in the school that they had not realized earlier. It was an overall great experience, and brought our student community closer, especially the lgbt community.
This is exactly why people need to be silent on Friday. We will be silent to show that whatever someone's beliefs or personality is, they should be allowed to speak their mind. They have a freedom of life and can live however they choose. Plus, homosexuality is avoided so severely at schools that the organizations like the GSA's are one of the few outlets for gay students. It does not tell people to be gay, it encourages people to have the freedom to be true to themselves: Gay, Straight,Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, or even Questioning. And I am proud to be gay.
This year will be my first Day of Silence. My friends and I are excited that our schoolis allowing us to do this. Change is amazing :]
I really cant stand when people get on websites dedicated to something just to bash on us. I like the comment posted on earlier today this is my frist year doing the DOS i am excited about it. I could care less it the school lets me do it or not cuz i have the freedom of speech...or for that matter not to speak. cant wait till friday.
Some of the comments on this, well one of the comments is completely uncalled for. If you don't believe in things like that then why would you even come to this website. Its ridiculous. Why would you come to a website thats supposed to help people in these situations out and bash it some more. Your the type of person that does make people feel bad for not being what you think is normal. We don't choose to be gay bisexual any of that. Its not a choice for us. Its not something you can just up and say I don't like people of the same sex anymore. People now a days are so set in the old ways. && this site isn't encouraging other people to be gay, its letting them know that there now alone. (:
<3
Personally, I think that if you're going to express your opinion on a website, at least have respect for the us, homosexuals, we are not a soup can and I'm sure others can agree with me, we'd like it better if we weren't labeled.
We know what we are and we don't need you to tell us that being homosexual isn't normal. As for being 18 to determine if you're gay or not, that was completely arrogant to say. A person has the right to determine their own sexuality, whether it be gay, straight or bisexual. Honestly, if you only knew the battles we face everyday to survive with our heads still held high and manage to say " yes, I'm gay " then you'd proabably understand why we completely disagree with the first comment on this passage about the day of silence. The Day of Silence is our way of showing kids that everyone is to be treated equally whether they be gay, straight, black, yellow, red, whatever. I don't think you have the right to tell us how we should live our lives and tell us we don't know what being homosexual is. I'm sure half of the gays, if they really weren't gay, wouldn't want to deal what we go through, but we do it because its what we are, who we are.
April.17.2009.
being gay is COMPLETELY normal
i still dont understand why people hate it so much they are just dumb
also
the first person who commented:
seriously why would you even say such a thing you need to get a heart
no one chooses to be gay and why should any one be punished for someone they love
being gay is something everyone should respect!
Agreed! Being gay IS NORMAL! Thank goodness I was fortunate enough to grow up in a home that taught me that. What good parents I have, it is a shame more parents can't teach their children to be excepting human beings. :) Good luck to everyone participating tomorrow!
there are other reasons for the Day of Silence than just this one topic. The first time I participated, the goal was to raise awairness to abortion. Pro-life or pro-choice? We all support life. It is a precious thing and it doesn't matter what sexual orientation a person is, that person deserves to be loved. If there are any other close minded people on here who are religious, remember this, hate the sin not the sinner. I am proud to say that I am a Christian and I love my uncle who just happens to have a boyfriend. He is really a cool guy. I wish people wouldn't judge it's really pointless and the world sucks sometimes because of it.
First poster: when you oppose the Day of Silence, you aren't opposing gay rights. You're ENCOURAGING harrassment and violence.
People have died because their killers thought that the idea of gay=normal should be seriously discouraged.
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