“It’s important for people to understand why Spectrum is here. That even if we are an unnoticed club the people who do notice us understand the importance we serve. The Day of Silence is to educate people on the oppression our community feels and how we can choose to be silent, unlike choosing our sexuality,” said Matthew Paskey after the Day of Silence in 2016.
One year later, Spectrum Alliance is still going strong with Day of Silence, a day where LGBTQ+ students and allies remain absolutely silent, not speaking a word to friends, family, or even teachers to protest the silence that is forced upon the LGBT community.
“Day of Silence is the one day we can choose to be silent rather than other people choosing for us,” said Sierra Lamour, sophomore, the day before the event began.
So, what is it like to be silent for a day? I decided to try it out: not speaking to my family, friends, or teachers. I spent the day with rainbow duct tape over my mouth, and it was hard. Unbelievably hard.
This experience helped me realize how important communication is in our day to day lives and how hard it is to be silenced. Unable to speak my needs and connect to my friends, I struggled to function in a society based on talking. I felt unimportant, outcast. This is the struggle LGBTQ+ members in unaccepting communities endure.
At the end of the day though, I felt amazing. I had done something to speak out without using words; I had represented the torment of human beings who have been silenced. The duct tape over my mouth was both a curse and an empowerment. As the day continued, I found myself more proud than scared of the confused whispers echoing behind me in the hallway.
Many others participated alongside me, bearing signs and rainbow duct tape, or simply sitting in silence with no recognizable attire for DOS. To all who participated, I am proud of you and I consider you to be a friend. We must all remember to treat each other with human decency and respect, and that a single act of kindness can change a life. If you are a member of the LGBTQ+ community who has been silenced and feels there is nowhere to reach out, there are resources for you.
Cambree Williams • Apr 27, 2017 at 8:05 am
I loved how this article included a personal experience, details about the Spectrum alliance, and quotes from students. I like how your personal experiences were related back to what so many other people have to deal with everyday. This was a great article:)
Brandon Cates • Apr 27, 2017 at 7:53 am
It’s good to see people stand up for what they believe in.
Katharine Johnson • Apr 27, 2017 at 7:50 am
This article was really great. I loved the quotes you used and how you shared your experience.
Matthew Paskey • Apr 24, 2017 at 8:50 pm
Thank you so unbelievably much for sharing your story. I am increasingly awe-struck when I see members of my community, peers, and friends standing up for equality, and you’ve done exactly that. Just as the venom of hatred, intolerance, and discrimination continuously bleeds into the walls of our school, so, too do I see ever increasing support for the values that truly belong in our community: love, equality, and understanding. Through Day of Silence, we are able to speak out in favor of these, and I’m honored that you’ve been able to continue to promote what you believe in and have your voice heard. I am filled with pride to see ways that we are telling our message to the world: that oppression has no place in our hearts, nor in our schools, and that we will not let anybody be silenced by hatred.