Campus was a little quieter than usual yesterday when over 100 students chose to remain silent throughout the day in observance of the national Day of Silence, an LGBTQ awareness day.
The Day of Silence draws attention to what Bill McCoy, the Assistant Director of Student Programs and LGBTQ Community Resources, refers to as the “silent minority.”
“Since there is no visual clue to one’s sexual identity, a silence is created around LGBT people,” he said. McCoy said that the day is also an allusion to the “silencing” aspect of being in the closet.
The first Day of Silence was held at the University of Virginia in 1996, according to GU Pride President Scott Chessare (SFS ’10), who called the day “one of the biggest activist movements in recent U.S. history.”
Participation in this year’s Day of Silence surpassed last year’s: 150 t-shirts were ordered for the participants, compared to 100 last year, according to McCoy.
“It’s an easy form of activism. Plus students get free stuff out of it,” McCoy said.
McCoy said that the Day of Silence, who was co-sponsored by GU Pride and the College Democrats, is predominantly a student movement, though faculty have spoken at the day’s breaking of silence rally in the past.
“We do it because we want to show that we stand in solidarity with GU Pride and that we support LGBTQ rights,” said College Democrats Campus Outreach Director Amanda Evans (COL ’08).
Students signed pledge cards Tuesday night and Wednesday morning saying that they would remain silent throughout Wednesday. Pledgers received teal-colored t-shirts with “Break the Silence” across the front, along with a sheet for them to show professors and peers explaining why they would be remaining silent throughout the day. A barbeque to break the silence was held on Copley Lawn at 5:30 yesterday afternoon.
Students participating in the event had a range of reasons for deciding to keep quiet.
“My sister’s mom is gay. I think it’s good to have people who aren’t LGBTQ to help raise awareness,” Laura Verardo-Goodrich (COL ’10) said.
Bissie Bonner (COL ’10) had a very different reason for participating.
“I went to the poetry slam Sunday night and was impressed with what they had to say,” she said. “It opened my eyes to what’s going on at Georgetown.”
The Day of Silence was part of Georgetown’s Pride Week, which included a poetry slam Sunday night at Uncommon Grounds, a panel discussion confronting diversity in the LGBT community Tuesday night in McShain Lounge, and a “Safe Sex & Ice Cream” event tonight.
