The Day of Silence

"The National Day of Silence is a day of action in which students across the country vow to take a form of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools."
- dayofsilence.org/resources/

The actual Day of Silence is normally held in April; it has been this way since its founding in 1996. However, I only found out about it on the actual day, April 11; my mother brought me the pin I have attached to my jacket from school.
Since the first event at the University of Virginia in 1996, 8,000 schools- ranging from middle school to university -have held the Day of Silence. In the GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network), it's the largest student-led action toward creating safer schools for LGBT students. According to the website [see link], the purpose of the day is to bring attention to LGBT harassment and bullying, thus helping to make schools safer for students of all gender expressions and sexual orientations. You don't really have to be one of the community to participate; 'straight allies', i.e., heterosexuals who support LGBT rights, are an actual thing. And your support is welcome.
Students are advised to inform their teachers before doing this; thank you, Ms. Warren, for green-lighting my participation and suggesting that I write about it.
[Also, Laurel and I (we're doing this together) are creating index cards with information.]
There is symbolism behind the Day of Silence; the individuals who take the 24-hour vow of silence represent the thousands of LGBT people who are forced to remain silent about their sexuality because of overwhelming negativity. Fear, both due to the fact that 'oh no, they're different' and because they don't want to find out the reactions of friends and family, is the major suppressor. What if the people whom you love and trust reject you because you're not a heterosexual? Worrying about what the outcome of coming out would be doesn't help either.
Trust me. I've been there.
Luckily, there are people who support all of this, and that is why the Day of Silence came about. My mother, who gave me the idea in the first place, is OK with me doing this- just as long as my teachers know. The thousands of LGBT rights activists? Well, who else helps organize the event? They know what it's like to have to be silent because of an unsafe environment. The students? They wouldn't be doing this if they didn't support it. [Well, unless they're attempting to make a mockery of it, and that just makes them an incredibly rude word that I can't put on my blog.]
The symbolism behind the Day of Silence is a beautiful thing, and a lovely gesture of support to all of those who are silent.
So when I walk in communicating with a notepad? Now you know why.