Day of Silence 2012 observed this Friday, as another gay teen is mourned
Day of Silence in protest of the bullying and silencing of LGBT students and their allies is being observed on Friday, April 20, in high schools and colleges throughout the nation — including, in Alaska, UAF and UAA.
By tragic happenstance, this year’s Day of Silence follows on the death by suicide last Saturday of 14-year-old Kenneth James Weishuhn, Jr. of Primghar, Iowa, who was bullied relentlessly on Facebook and in school after coming out as gay last month. Weishuhn’s funeral was held earlier today. According to today’s Des Moines Register:
The bullying that began at school continued online and included a Facebook group (that has since been altered or deleted) as well as nasty comments on Weishuhn’s photos posted on his own Facebook page.
About 20 disturbing voice mails were left on Weishuhn’s cellphone — threats of violence from a male voice that sounded intentionally disguised, [his 16-year-old sister] Kayla said.
Some reader comments on the above story provide perfect illustration of the silencing of LGBT youth that Day of Silence was founded to protest. One commenter wrote:
Hey John….ever think if this boy had stayed in the closet he’d still be alive? His death can be blamed on the media and current television sitcoms who are preaching a nationwide agenda of gay is en vogue. No matter how much the media tries to preach “gay is o.k”. it’s not going to be met with wide open arms of approval. Maybe in a 100 years from now….
Another commenter replied:
Your comment only show’s one thing.. hate…. sorry your full of hate… sorry someone has blackened your heart. This young teen took his life because of the hate he felt and heard around him. Being cyber bullied is a new era.. but it is the PARENTS who taught their children to hate and this is wrong. Kenneth’s parents taught their child that it was okay to be [who he was]… and if more parents did this…a better world it would be.
Day of Silence is the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) annual day of action, in which high school and college students take a day-long vow of silence to protest bullying and harassment of LGBT students and their supporters. It was started in 1996 by students at the University of Virginia responding to a class assignment on non-violent protests. Over 150 students participated that year. The following year, organizers took their effort nationally: nearly 100 colleges and universities participated. GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students, became the official organizational sponsor for Day of Silence in 2001. Day of Silence has been observed each year in the month of April since 1996.
According to GLSEN’s 2009 National School Climate Survey, 9 out of 10 LGBT students reported experiencing verbal, sexual, or physical harassment at school, and more than 30 percent report missing at least a day of school in the month prior to being surveyed out of fear for their personal safety.
Available Alaska-specific data are equally disturbing. The final report of the Anchorage LGBT Discrimination Survey, published last month, found that 41 percent of its 268 respondents reported having been bullied or harassed by other students in Anchorage schools, and 14.2 percent said they had been bullied or harassed by Anchorage teachers because of sexual orientation or gender identity/presentation. Seventeen respondents (16.3%) reported actually having to leave school because of harassment. (Actual experience of bullying/harassment in Anchorage schools may be even higher, given that many of the survey’s respondents had never attended the Anchorage schools they were asked about. There is no current data available specific to other Alaska schools.)
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But, as GLSEN points out, LGBT students aren’t the only students affected by antigay and antitrans namecalling and bullying. Non-transgender straight kids are often targets of anti-LGBT slurs too:
Anti-LGBT bullying and harassment affects all students. Slurs such as “faggot” and “dyke” are commonplace in school. The Day of Silence is an example of students, from middle school to college, working together proactively to bring attention to the anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment experienced by LGBT and straight students alike.
The goal of Day of Silence is make schools safer for all students, whether or not they are LGBT.
Learn more about Day of Silence from GLSEN’s Day of Silence website.
Day of Silence events in Alaska
Here are some Day of Silence events that Bent Alaska has been made aware of. Bent Alaska expects that GSAs at many Alaska schools have also organized Day of Silence observances.
Anchorage: UAA Safe Zone “Day of Silence” Information Table at UAA Student Union and Gorsuch Commons
As part of its week-long SafeZone Celebration Week, University of Alaska Anchorage is holding informational tables about Day of Silence on Thursday, April 19: how it works, and how you can support it or become involved. For further info, visit UAA Safe Zone’s Facebook page, or its home page at University of Alaska Anchorage.
- Date/time: Thursday, April 19, 11 AM-1:30 PM
- Location: 2nd Floor Main Hallway, UAA Student Union, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage (see map)
- Date/time: Thursday, April 19, 4:30-7:30 PM
- Location: Gorsuch Commons, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3700 Sharon Gagnon Ln, Anchorage, AK (see map)
Fairbanks: Break The Silence: MELT! (& poetry slam) at UAF Wood Center
They are also holding a poetry slam at 7:30, the winner of which will receive a copy of Burleson’s new book.
- Date/time: Friday, April 20, 5:00-8:00 PM
- Location: UAF Wood Center, 811 Yukon Dr, Fairbanks, AK (see map)
- Further info: see Facebook events page
