This Friday, many M-A students participated in Day of Silence, a national student-led demonstration started by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) back in the mid-1990s. Nationally, most people participate on April 12th, but because of M-A’s spring break, the day was observed on Friday, April 5th.
On this day, LGBTQ+ students and allies take a vow of silence to protest the discrimination LGBTQ+ people face at school. Those who participated in Day of Silence at M-A used stickers or notes to let others know they weren’t able to speak.
The event was organized by M-A’s Genders and Sexualities Alliance (GSA). GSA also hosted an Otter Pop sale during lunch on the Green, where all proceeds went to the Trevor Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing suicide prevention and resources to LGBTQ+ youth.
Senior Lillen Montague-Alamin said, “I participated in the day of silence because I honestly think it’s an important day for us all to reflect on challenges the queer community faces and how we can help support LGBTQ+ students at M-A. I think a lot of people see the bubble we’re in and assume days of discrimination or difficulties are in the past, and that’s not necessarily the case for everyone”. 
One student said, “I’ve participated every year that we’ve had one and to be honest it makes me feel quite empowered to stand up for something I believe in. Even though some people may not see any direct relationship between my individual silence and the improvement of lives for queer youth, I know there is one. Showing up with my pin and taking a vow of silence lets people know how much I care about my queer community, and how much I want to help change it for the better.”
Nationally, 82% of LGBTQ+ students reported experiencing harassment or bullying firsthand at their school and over 30% reported missing school because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable. Just last year, more than 800 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced in legislation. The Day of Silence is a way for students to protest the harassment of LGBTQ+ groups throughout the world.
Another student said, “I wish more people understood the stigma around being a queer youth, regardless of how accepted it is on campus. There is a certain stereotype that a lot of people seem to have about queer people, and I wish people understood that many of these stereotypes are inaccurate.”
Day of Silence is just one of the many ways M-A’s GSA hopes to create a more inclusive campus. Every year, GSA compiles a list of action items on Day of Silence in the hopes of discussing ways to create a more inclusive campus. This year, GSA’s action items involve developing queer-inclusive curriculum in classrooms, getting trash cans specifically for menstrual products in the all-gender restroom, and creating an accessible gender-inclusive changing space for P-E students and student-athletes.
GSA meets every Wednesday during flex in S-12. To learn more about GSA, join the Remind by texting @ma-gsa to 81010. They offer resources on mental health for queer students, LGBTQ+ rights, local pride centers, and more here.
