National Day of Silence - April 21, 2004
Hey all! Okay… no witty remarks today. No joking. No goofy memories from times past. Today I have something very important to talk about: The National Day of Silence.
What’s this about? To be honest, I’m doing this because my step-daughter, Jeni, is partaking in it tomorrow. But, it’s also a message that’s close to home — I remember what I felt in High School. How alone I felt. The silence I kept. (Please know that my intention is not to stand on a pedestal and preach right from wrong. This is not for me… it’s for Jeni and for the thousands of students like her around the country who just want to be heard.)
The Day of Silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in collaboration with the United States Student Association (USSA), is a student-led day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bias unacceptable in schools take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment — in effect, the silencing — experienced by LGBT students and their allies. It was started in 1996, and has become the largest single student-led action towards creating safer schools for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
Jeni, along with the GSA (Gay/Straight Alliance) group she helped organize at her high school (Menasha High School), and many other students who support them, are having a ‘Day of Silence’ tomorrow (Wednesday, April 21) at their school. This day is something she’s been working toward all year. It’s extremely important to her. And, I can’t tell you how very, very proud Judy and I are of her. How truly proud *I* am of her!
She told us last night that she overheard a group of girls (who seem to be against this) say that they’re going to bring in their boom boxes and make as much noise all day as they can. She was quite upset by this. And, I can’t blame her for that. I am, too. It’s their right to express themselves, but it seems so deliberately hurtful… it’s a shame.
We told her to talk to school officials today to let them this was heard, even if it doesn’t happen, just in case. We also told her to do her best to NOT let them get to her. Don’t let them provoke YOU into speaking, arguing or fighting. It’s YOUR day, and they’re not worth it. They’ve got their right to be jerks. I pray she’s got the strength not to give in. I just don’t want them to win… to ruin her hard work.
A good friend sent a response to my initial email. It’s so well put that I felt it should be shown here:
“…those others at her school are ignorant jerks, and to feed into their stupidity by being upset by it only gives them what they want: validation that their bigotry has meaning of any kind.”
(Thanks, Dawne, for those great words. It’s RIGHT ON!!)
So… my main reason for this is to get people I know to just send good thoughts her way tomorrow. Your prayers, if you will. This is an important day, not just for Jeni, but for thousands of students around the country. Please keep them in your thoughts tomorrow.
PS - If you want to show support in your own way tomorrow - even if nobody else knows about it - wear something with a RAINBOW on it. A pin, a tie, that cute pair of rainbow underwear Grandma gave you for Christmas. Every little bit helps! 
Peace Out!
Julie
