By Meghan Serceki
Friday, April 22 is the Day of Silence to decry the silence surrounding challenges LGBTQ+ students face. Students, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation, are encouraged to remain silent throughout the school day, ending the demonstration with a Breaking the Silence rally.
Established in 1996 by a group of students at the University of Virginia to highlight the issues LGBTQ+ students face at school — issues which often are silenced or ignored —he observance has been picked up and organized by GLSEN and remains vital today.
LGBTQ+ youth experience bullying and other forms of negative treatment at disproportionately higher rates than their cishet counterparts. A 2021 study from The Trevor Project found that 52% of LGBTQ+ students reported being bullied, compared to 20% of the general public. This number was even higher for trans* individuals, with 61% experiencing bullying of any form.
The same study showed that LGBTQ+ students at schools which affirm their identities were 30% less likely to experience bullying than those at schools which do not. This is great news because it shows there is a way that schools can support their students and reduce bullying, but unfortunately many schools aren’t LGBTQ-affirming.
Bullying is one of the many issues faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in the educational system, but it reflects the impact of the inequities they face. Bullying rates have been directly tied to suicide rates, signaling reasons why these rates are significantly higher for LGBTQ+ individuals. New legislation like Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay Bill” show a backlash to important affirming practices. The progress we’ve made is now being threatened, and, in turn, may be threatening the lives of many LGBTQ+ youth.Join the Day of Silence. Check out the website and make a pledge to participate. The GLSEN website has many resources for students participating in it, including virtual Breaking the Silence rallies, Zoom backgrounds, social posts, and more.