The Day of Silence

When are we most silent? When we are hiding a secret? When do we feel vulnerable or lost? When we are so scared that it seems better to do nothing than to jeopardize what we already have? For too many LGBTQ+ youths, a state of silence is the resulting effect of bullying and harassment. This year, the WA community pushed for change by celebrating the Day of Silence on April 12th. Many students decided to stay silent all day long, take a silent lunch, or wear a ribbon in support of their LGBTQ+ classmates. The hush across the campus highlighted an issue too many people are not aware of and, hopefully, brought strength to the people affected by the issue itself. “It felt good to be supported and recognized. Everyone knows someone in the [LGBTQ+] community, even if they don’t realize it, and even by just wearing a ribbon, I for one felt loved,” said one student recounting their experience. The event was organized by the GSA, which planned the day’s events and spread the word across campus leading to participation by more than one hundred students. While the number of participants is larger than last year, the GSA hopes a greater percent of the WA students will participate in the years ahead until all LGBTQ+ are accepted in the WA community.