70 HS students participate in Day of Silence

Across the United States on Friday, April 23, high school, college, and university students will take a daylong vow of silence — an act in recognition of, and unity with, LGBTQIA+ people everywhere who are intimidated and shunned simply for being who they are. Among the participants are 70 USN High School students
under the leadership of the division’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance.  
 
“Day of Silence is a moment to appreciate the privilege we have as people in a loving and respectful environment and to pay our respect for the people who do not have this same privilege, even currently within our community,” said Natalie Wright '21. “It's an opportunity for all of us to put our lives into perspective and to raise awareness about the silencing of LGBT+ people throughout history and around the world.”

“Sometimes I feel silent, or silenced, because of who I am,” offered Els Shepard '23. “Day of Silence is important to me because it will let me and people like me know that our community supports us.”

Lorelei Jobe '23 added that “Day of Silence marks a day to stand in solidarity with those all across the world, past, present, and future, who are forced to be silent about who they are. This is a day to come together to honor these people and remind ourselves that not everyone can be who they truly are in safety. We gather together to pave the way for a better future where no one has to be silent.”

With over 75 members, the Gender and Sexuality Alliance is the largest student organization in the High School. As its mission statement explains, “The USN GSA seeks to promote a welcoming educational and social environment for all students; to raise awareness of issues surrounding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and other non-binary identities; and to partner with others both in and beyond our community on matters of student diversity, equality, safety, and well-being.”
 
In addition to twice-weekly meetings — conducted this year via Zoom — the GSA organizes social and educational events throughout the year; in honor of Black History Month, for example, the group partnered with ALBANIE to present "Paris is Burning," the 1990 landmark documentary that chronicles gay ballroom culture in late-1980s New York City; and on Friday afternoon, as Day of Silence comes to an end, GSA will host a talk by Attorney & USN Parent Abby Rubenfeld, who was co-counsel for the Tennessee plaintiffs in Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark 2015 marriage equality case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

To facilitate the Day of Silence event, the GSA works closely with High School faculty and administrators. The aim, according to the GSA’s Day of Silence Statement of Purpose, is “to increase student awareness of LGBTQIA+ issues and history in a meaningful manner while respecting the larger, curricular imperatives of teaching and learning in the High School.” Toward that end, students can participate in the Day of Silence in one of three ways: they can choose to remain silent all day, both in and out of class; they can choose to speak in class for the purposes of participation but remain silent otherwise; or they can choose to be silent both in and out of class with the exception of academic necessities such as partner quizzes, oral presentations, and other graded assessments.
 
As the school day reaches its midpoint, GSA members will spend their lunch period delivering thank you notes to teachers, acknowledging their support with a gift of commemorative USN GSA Day of Silence materials paid for through bake sales and other fundraising endeavors. The event will conclude with a “Breaking the Silence” popsicle party on the front steps of the building at 2:50 p.m.
 

For further information about the Day of Silence, or what the USN Gender and Sexuality Alliance does as an organization, see the promotional video here, visit GSA's website, or contact the GSA via email.