Speaking out by staying silent
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May 1, 2009 • written by Signe Swanson, Staff Writer
Filed under Feature
Surrounded by a sea of noisy students were those who didn’t allow one word to slip from their lips. Their unusual silence seemed out of place amongst the banter of other students, and yet they said more than the rest. By remaining silent, these students managed to speak out.
The Day of Silence April 17 encouraged both gay and straight students to join together and raise awareness of the anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transvestite (LGBT) behavior the LGBT community experiences. Junior Megan Metcalf, a participant in the Day of Silence for a second year, thinks the event has potential.
“I think it helps on a scale of awareness,” Metcalf said. “I don’t think it helps much with gay rights because not enough people participate in it, but I think it helps bring the issue forward because it is often forgotten.”
Metcalf thinks people underestimate how much the LGBT community suffers. Confusion and parents are part of the struggle, as is the amount of stereotyping and harassment inflicted upon them.
“It’s ridiculous that once you come out you’re subjected to ridicule and mockery,” Metcalf said. “I’m the exact same person I was before I came out. It’s just that now people know I like girls too.”
There are those who support the Day of Silence, but there are also those who refuse to participate. Students such as junior Blaze Sigmund would not participate in the event because it does not benefit them.
“I do believe because of their sexuality, they shouldn’t be given less rights,” Sigmund said. “I completely support the fact that they should be equal to us, it’s just that I’m not going to support it by not speaking because it doesn’t affect me personally.”
Sigmund does not like the idea of gay people, but he is still tolerable of gay friends.
“I don’t believe in their choices and sexuality,” Sigmund said. “In my own opinion, I find it awkward and creepy. I don’t enjoy being around a couple of the same sexuality, but say a friend of mine is gay I’m not going to shun them for it.”
Senior Zac Thiessen, who did not participate in the Day of Silence, finds the Day of Silence problematic at times. Thiessen explained supporters’ rude and unacceptable behavior in past classes.
“I have seen a couple kids just stand up and walk out of class because they weren’t answering any questions,” Thiessen said. “The teacher said they could write it down, but they didn’t say anything, they just walked out.”
Behavior such as this is thought to be preventable, English teacher Candice Paczkowski said that if asked beforehand, she tolerates silent students.
“They simply ask ‘May I do my speech today or tomorrow because I can’t do it on Friday? ’ and I always appreciate their honesty, so I don’t have a problem with it,” Paczkowski said.
She also stated that although she was supportive of the Day of Silence, being a teacher, she wouldn’t participate in the event herself.
“I don’t think that’s an option for me simply because I’m here to do a job,” Paczkowski said. “Not that I wouldn’t support them, not that by any means, but I don’t feel like this is my time and place to make that kind of statement because my time and place here is to continue my job.”
English teacher Mary Sherman encourages students to participate in all events and causes, not just the Day of Silence.
“I’m one to encourage expressing your views in one way or another,” Sherman said. “I believe in involvement in causes you care about. What bothers me most is apathy, I suppose, and I’d like to see more students committed to various kinds of causes within the school, community, and the world.”
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