Maria Pulzetti, a student at the University of Virginia, devised Day of Silence. She believed that parents and administrators routinely neglected and marginalised LGBTQ youth, and that their concerns and complaints fell on deaf ears.
Founded in 1996 and occurring on April 14 this year, Day of Silence is a campaign that aims to shed light on the daily struggles of many LGBTQ adolescents. It was originally intended to target the education system, but has since expanded to workplaces, college campuses, and sporting events. Millions of people participate annually by remaining silent for the duration of the day, symbolising the silencing of LGBTQ pupils.
Maria Pulzetti, a student at the University of Virginia, devised Day of Silence. She believed that parents and administrators routinely neglected and marginalised LGBTQ youth, and that their concerns and complaints fell on deaf ears. Maria created the Day of Silence as a one-time event conducted during the LGBTQ pride week at the university. She believed that the day would raise awareness among those who were previously oblivious to these issues by surrounding them with a silence that they could not help but notice.
In 1997, one year after its inception, more than 100 institutions participated nationwide. GLSEN, one of the country’s largest LGBTQ education networks, adopted the Day of Silence as one of their official initiatives in 2000. Today, all categories of students participate in the day. Numerous participants choose to wear tape over their mouths or Xs on their hands to draw additional attention to the movement.
Typically, the silence is broken at the conclusion of the day with a rally or speaking event, allowing all participants to break their vow together. Although some school districts oppose the day on the grounds that it is disruptive, the vast majority support it and actively encourage participation through LGBTQ alliance organisations. Over 10,000 institutions are currently registered as participants in the day of silence. This number includes all fifty states and a number of other countries, including Singapore and New Zealand. As more and more people become aware of the issues confronting LGBTQ youth, Day of Silence continues to expand. Registration for this year’s Day of Silence is available on the GLSEN website.
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42% of LGBTQ individuals say they feel unwelcome in their environment.
More than half of LGBTQ pupils report feeling unsafe at school.
LQBTQ adolescents are twice as likely to experience physical harassment and bullying as their straight peers.
92% of LGBTQ adolescents report receiving negative messages regarding their sexual orientation and identity.
77% of LGBTQ adolescents are hopeful that these conditions will improve.
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | April 22 | Friday |
| 2023 | April 14 | Friday |
| 2024 | April 12 | Friday |
| 2025 | April 11 | Friday |
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