Students use silence to show LGBT support

Students across campus held their tongues Wednesday, not in spite or shame, but rather in protest of LGBT oppression.

Cal Poly took part in the 12th annual National Day of Silence, held by high school and college students every year to spread awareness of anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) issues, including harassment, bullying and assault. People across the country remain silent all day to honor the effects of the experiences LGBTs often undergo.

“It echoes the silence caused by the trauma of society,” said Megan O’Sullivan, a business sophomore and member of the campus Pride Center. “It’s a way to spread visibility.”

O’Sullivan has participated in the event since she was in high school, and she said everyone is encouraged to participate, including LGBT allies.

The Pride Center – which promotes education and celebration of the LGBT community by coordinating programs and services for campus – supports the National Day of Silence every year.

The exact day the campus commemorates the occasion, however, changes yearly according to what is most appropriate and convenient for Cal Poly students and faculty. Today marks the official National Day of Silence for most other campuses around the country.

Participants in the Day of Silence were still allowed to speak in class, as the event is not meant to interfere with a student’s education.

While many students at other schools hand out speaking cards explaining their silence in classrooms, Cal Poly students were provided with support pins, at which students may point for clarification when asked about their silence. The pins were available at the Pride Center.

Nonetheless, the task was difficult.

“It’s really hard to keep quiet all day,” said A.J. Rusk, a biology sophomore and a member of the Pride Center.

Every National Day of Silence ends with a “breaking of the silence,” which often includes an event calling for action against anti-LGBT issues. Cal Poly ended the day with a 6 p.m. showing of “Brokeback Mountain” in the San Luis Lounge of the University Union, followed by a discussion.

This year’s official Day of Silence is in memory of Lawrence King, a 15-year-old student of E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard. In February, King was shot and killed by a 14-year-old classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender expression.

The event is a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), a national organization that works to ensure safety for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, in schools across the country.

A 2005 National School Climate Survey by GLSEN found that four of five LGBT students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school, and 29 percent report missing at least a day of school in the past month out of fear for their safety.