"What will YOU do to break the silence?"

[CleverScreenname]

If you're currently in high school or college, you are probably at least familiar with the concept of the Day of Silence. But for those who may not know, the Day of Silence is a protest against the oppression of gays, bisexuals, lesbians, and transgendered people (GBLT.) The way it works is you participate by staying silent (yes, in class too) all day. The idea is that your silence represents the silence suffered by GBLT because they cannot safely come out of the closet.

There has also been a counter-movement to the DoS called the Day of Truth. The Day of Truth is a day where students walk around wearing Day of Truth shirts and protest the silence suffered by those against gay rights. It basically says that students who speak out against gay rights and the legitimacy of homosexuality are silenced because their views are "close minded." Many Day of Truth websites also say that the DoT speaks out against the "gay agenda," too. The gay agenda is basically that either homosexuals will get their rights and cause immoral thinking and behavior towards gays (i.e. acceptance and freedom.) Sometimes the "gay agenda" theory goes further to say that homosexuals will convert everyone into their lifestyle and (in some other variations on the theory) kill off the entire human race due to the inability to reproduce naturally.

There is a lot of controversy over both days. Many people think that the Day of Silence is an ineffective protest and maybe we shouldn't have it at all or take a more pro-active approach. There is also a lot of debate over the legitimacy of the Day of Truth in regards to freedom of speech and whether or not people should be encouraged not to speak out against gay rights and homosexuality.

So what is your opinion on both days? Do you think the both should exist, just one or the other, or neither? Why?  

[Hyratel Dragon]

I have no problem with being a friend to someone who is GBLT, as long as they don't wave flags about it. Basically, don't ask, don't tell.  

[CleverScreenname]

Bigfoot TI

I have no problem with being a friend to someone who is GBLT, as long as they don't wave flags about it. Basically, don't ask, don't tell.

So you're not for the DoS or what?  

[Cornelius loh Quatious]

I can tell you right now that no college is as open or friendly to GLBT than my school. With that said, I think both the Day of Silence and the Day of Truth are ineffective and possibly counter-productive to their cause.

The Day of Truth pushes too hard, and comes off as bigoted and misinformed in all the places where they would hope to succeed. Then again, maybe their movement wholly IS bigoted and misinformed, so the only places it would appear to have any support are the ones that already support the movement.

The Day of Silence is passive and seems to me would largely unnoticed. I'm one for more active confrontations, whether or not it's violent. Just being quiet witha bunch of other people as you go about your day isn't going to attract as much attention. Now, having a silent sit-in in front of a school administrator's office or inside an administrative building, that might get some attention.  

[nicksangel77]

I'm not sure of my opinions for either days. I have a few friends who are bi sexual, but not any who are particularly gay. I am in highschool, and we do have a day of silence, but I don't participate in it. I am a Christian, so basicly, the god I worship says being gay is wrong, but I have not taken any action against my bi friends. I guess my problem lies within my mother. When I was three, she left my father, my brother and me, and ran off to marry a women. So, I have alot of mixed feelings. I still see my mom for about 2 weeks in the summer, but I see her as more than an adult friend than a mom. I don't know what I think right now, and I suppose I should go see a psycologist to help me sort out my feelings. I don't really like thinking about it though. cry  

[LavenderMintRose]

dboyzero

The Day of Silence is passive and seems to me would largely unnoticed. I'm one for more active confrontations, whether or not it's violent. Just being quiet witha bunch of other people as you go about your day isn't going to attract as much attention. Now, having a silent sit-in in front of a school administrator's office or inside an administrative building, that might get some attention.

Trust me, it doesn't go unnoticed. I don't know about other schools, but mine is a very loud place. If only one or two people participated, I'd understand that, but about half the school is participating. Maybe in other places it's not so big, but still, it does have a big impact.  

[Spotaneous Spaz]

Starre257

dboyzero

The Day of Silence is passive and seems to me would largely unnoticed. I'm one for more active confrontations, whether or not it's violent. Just being quiet witha bunch of other people as you go about your day isn't going to attract as much attention. Now, having a silent sit-in in front of a school administrator's office or inside an administrative building, that might get some attention.

Trust me, it doesn't go unnoticed. I don't know about other schools, but mine is a very loud place. If only one or two people participated, I'd understand that, but about half the school is participating. Maybe in other places it's not so big, but still, it does have a big impact.

It DOES have an impact.

Not too long ago more than half the kids in our school were p[rotesting abortion with the pro-life movement thing. There were AT LEAST 2500 students wearing Red "Pro-life" bands, with red duct tape over their mouths, refusing to talk. The entire school was alot quiter.

Back on topic....

Honestly, I know alot of gay/lesbian/bi people, and they really couldn't care less what people think of them. If the president doesn't want to let them get married, they don't really care, it's not going to keep them from living with eachother. I think the entire this is a stupid idea, because most of those people don't give a damn.  

[ka-pen-a]

ya im pro dot and dos i think that you should stand up for who you are im not gay but i kno alot of gay people and i dont think them any different from any1 else i kno maby a little bit braver but thats it personally i say 2 each his or her own  

[spexial]

I think the day of silence thing is stupid. I remember at my high school there were days of silence for everything. We had one representing alcohol-related car deaths, a history class did one on segregation... it was really annoying. I know at my old school it would be completely ineffectual. There should be a better way.  

[Dyslexic.Cows.Say.Oom]

the only reason i cant is b/c i cant stay quiet for at least 5 minutes.....



but i understand


i have friends that are Bi

and it doesnt bother me.....unless they are hitting on me  

[Ginhana]

I am not really for DoS or DoT. I mean...I don't agree with GBLT, but I don't think it's a matter of "rights." Marriage is a spiritual thing that comes from God. Even if the piece of paper says that a GBLT are married to another, that doesn't mean it's real. I don't go condemning people for their sexual orientation, but that doesn't mean I have to support their wants either. This is no different than the abortion debate. Everyone will have a different view. Things like this just put people at odds with each other. It causes conflicts with friends and it just adds to the hostility that people have toward one another. I should know. I get harassed for not being pro gay all the time. Listening to some guy talk about his fantasies with other guys makes me shudder, so I get told that I'm a "hater."

I do have gay friends. I have bi friends. They all know my feelings, yet they don't seem to mind. It's the people who are in support that throw a fit about it. GBLT can like each other all they want, but guys dressing as women is taking it a little too far. There is a point where it gets disgusting, but still no one has the right to judge.  

[mistressSlachting]

Ginhana

I am not really for DoS or DoT. I mean...I don't agree with GBLT, but I don't think it's a matter of "rights." Marriage is a spiritual thing that comes from God. Even if the piece of paper says that a GBLT are married to another, that doesn't mean it's real. I don't go condemning people for their sexual orientation, but that doesn't mean I have to support their wants either. This is no different than the abortion debate. Everyone will have a different view. Things like this just put people at odds with each other. It causes conflicts with friends and it just adds to the hostility that people have toward one another. I should know. I get harassed for not being pro gay all the time. Listening to some guy talk about his fantasies with other guys makes me shudder, so I get told that I'm a "hater."

I do have gay friends. I have bi friends. They all know my feelings, yet they don't seem to mind. It's the people who are in support that throw a fit about it. GBLT can like each other all they want, but guys dressing as women is taking it a little too far. There is a point where it gets disgusting, but still no one has the right to judge.

I completely agree! People are always saying that I'm closed-minded and all that, but whatever. I don't hate anybody, but if you're not a full-on supporter that's what you're called anyways.  

[KaguraOfTheWind]

For high schoolers, both of these are just absolutly stupid. I seriously mean that. You are always silent as you have no voice until you reach 18 years of age. Protest all you like but the government care nothing about you except possibly for taxes until you can vote.

I never understood the big thing about gays wanting to get married. Marriage is now nothing more than a piece of paper that says you love another person and that it's going to cost a lot of money if you change your mind. Do you really need that piece of paper to prove you love somebody?

If you really want to try and make a difference, bide your time. Get involved in the politics of your school, not big issue, and learn how to play the game right and well. Then when you're old enough, you'll be prepared to fight for your cause properly and intelligently.  

[Ginhana]

KaguraOfTheWind

For high schoolers, both of these are just absolutly stupid. I seriously mean that. You are always silent as you have no voice until you reach 18 years of age. Protest all you like but the government care nothing about you except possibly for taxes until you can vote.

I never understood the big thing about gays wanting to get married. Marriage is now nothing more than a piece of paper that says you love another person and that it's going to cost a lot of money if you change your mind. Do you really need that piece of paper to prove you love somebody?

If you really want to try and make a difference, bide your time. Get involved in the politics of your school, not big issue, and learn how to play the game right and well. Then when you're old enough, you'll be prepared to fight for your cause properly and intelligently.

Learn to play the game, amen!  

[Dilettante]

I'd never heard of either day until it came up on Gaia, and I go to university. On the other hand, I live in Canada, where the 'Day of Silence' would fall in the middle of final exams, so I can understand why nobody here has made a fuss about it. (It's also possible that both days are simply an American phenomenon)

I'm against both days in principle, but I have a lot more support for the Day of Silence than the Day of Truth. Still, I have to admit to mixed feelings.

I belong to a tiny minority (or so it seems) of devout Christians who are also pro-gay rights. I have a lot of sympathy for gays and lesbians, who do suffer a great deal in our society. That's going to be a given when they represent such a small portion of the population - they'll be surrounded by societal cues that suggest they 'ought' to be normal, and where they can rarely if ever feel like they themselves are the norm. That's not even including the legions of intolerant people who feel compelled to spew hatred and ignorance in their faces on an almost daily basis. While the condition of gays and lesbians in the west has improved steadily since 1969, they still aren't as accepted as other minorities of a similar size - say, Jews or left-handed people. It's important that we, as a society, remember that; what may be obvious to you or me may not be obvious to a new generation of kids. Events like the Day of Silence help them understand the pain and fear many gays go through. On the other hand, at least in Canada, there are also Gay Pride parades and other events that could substitute for the Day of Silence, and I'm not really in favor of all the host of new days of recognition for every single disease, minority group and nationality imaginable. If a community wants to celebrate an important event, more power to them! I don't mind if my tax dollars go to subsidize their cultural events, either. I do resent having my calendar filled up with festival after festival, however; already there's at least two or three events for every day if you look for 5 minutes on the internet.

Like I said earlier, however, I also have some sympathy for the Day of Truth, which I also have not heard of before. sweatdrop As a practicing Christian, I sometimes get the feeling that yes, our society is becoming decadent and immoral. I'm optimistic about human nature, and I glory in the fact that our education and standard of living, our health care and technology, basically our lives in so many ways are far better than 99% of our ancestors had any hope of achieving. Today I sat and ate ice cream while I played "Shadow Hearts: From the New World" on my Playstation 2. Not only are these both luxuries, so is the free time I had (and the temperature-controlled environment, the couch, the...oh, you get the idea). I'm not saying we should go back to the way things were hundreds of years ago - I am grateful for the life I lead, and I'd be miserable living without my internet and air conditioning. XD But there are other trends in society that are less thrilling. The rise of homelessness, the culture of anonymity in our cities and on the internet; the petty selfishness of the average person. Playing online RPGs has made me realize that the majority of kids today are perfectly selfish creatures, all too willing to break the rules of decent behavior as soon as they have an advantage - even if it's in a computer game. No, I don't think that all my ancestors were kind, noble people! But I do see trends towards all kinds of evils - and in many cases, someone who tries to fight them, or even tries to point them out, is marginalized as a religious nut or a liberal (which is worse in the United States is hard to say; in Canada, being a liberal is fine, but being religious is a big no-no). I don't always agree with what religious people say; I'm fine with the clothes girls wear and I enjoy a glass of wine or a beer now and then; I have few issues with premarital sex and I support gay marriage. But I do worry that more and more our society is lacking any moral grounding; we have become a nation seeking after moral relativity, where no belief is actually 'wrong', just different. And when everything is relative, nothing is right, either. That would be a real shame, since I do think there are real rights and wrongs in the world. I'm sure 99% of any survey would agree that murder is wrong - but what about shoplifting? Or downloading movies off the internet? It's a slippery slope. Some things can be justified. But these days, it seems to be justification by the individual without any appeal to a common moral code.

If I had to take a side in any of this, it would be (typically for me) a very old American proverb: "I may not like what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." Let them both have their days; I won't participate in either, but I do have some sympathy with both.