There will be silence.

Not by force but by choice, because that is what the message is all about. Gaining voice.

The National Day of Silence will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today. This event is a movement that brings attention to the anti-GLBT name-calling, harassment and bullying in schools. Participants will voluntarily remain silent to encourage schools and classmates to address the issues of anti-GLBT behavior.

The goal is to raise awareness and make schools safer for all students, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.

“So many voices are silenced by violence,” said Midland senior Vanessa Marie Spitzer. “And I think this movement is important and shows through example, if all of us are silenced, how many voiced could be silenced by violence and hatred.”

The Day of Silence will be followed by a Silent March at 4:30 p.m. in front of the Charles V. Park Library.

Shannon Jolliff, director of Gay and Lesbian Programs, said today’s event honors the movement.

“The Day of Silence is a movement that brings attention to the silence faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and their allies,” Jolliff said. “The march brings attention and we break the silence to raise awareness that we are making a commitment to equality.”

This year marks the 13th annual Day of Silence nationwide. This movement began 12 years ago when University of Virginia students created a way to bring attention to anti-GLBT harassment on campus.

Every year this movement grows in participation, according the Web site, dayofsilence.org.

Holt junior Matthew Darling, co-president of the Gay Straight Alliance and participant in the protest, said the idea behind this event is to stop the silence in the GLBT community.

“So many gay persons have to be silent because either they don’t have an advocacy to be open or the opportunity to be out,” Darling said.

He also said today’s event represents the voices who were silent because of who they were or were killed for it .

“We’re going to be silent for those who were killed. In a way it represents how awful it is to be silent. Someone shouldn’t have to be silent,” he said.

The Day of Silence is a part of Pride Week that ends on

Friday.

studentlife@cm-life.com

E-mail the author: Sherri Keaton