{"id":1322,"date":"2013-04-19T08:30:41","date_gmt":"2013-04-19T14:30:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/carynriswold\/?p=1322"},"modified":"2013-04-18T08:40:24","modified_gmt":"2013-04-18T14:40:24","slug":"who-needs-a-day-of-silence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/carynriswold\/2013\/04\/who-needs-a-day-of-silence\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Needs A Day of Silence?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a>Today is the National Day of Silence<\/a>, \u201ca 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.\u201d\u00a0 It is organized and promoted by the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) a \u201cleading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students.\u201d<\/p>\n

A bit about its history<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Founded in 1996, the Day of Silence has become the largest single student-led action towards creating safer schools for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression<\/strong>. From the first-ever Day of Silence at the University of Virginia in 1996, to the organizing efforts in over 8,000 middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities across the country in 2008, its textured history reflects its diversity in both numbers and reach.<\/p>\n

Organizing a Day of Silence (DOS) activity or event can be a positive tool for change-both personally and community-wide. By taking a vow of silence, you\u2019re making a powerful statement about the important issue of anti-LGBT bullying<\/strong>, and when you organize others to join you that message becomes stronger.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I have participated in this event on my campus in past years by allowing students in my classroom who\u2019ve taken the vow the freedom to not participate in class discussion, and one year I wore a t-shirt in honor of a silenced group.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>For a person with systemic privileges, being an ally is a complex and important thing.\u00a0 There are plenty of suggestions out there for being an ally to LGBT people<\/a>, being an anti-racist<\/a> ally<\/a>, a feminist ally<\/a>, and many others.\u00a0 There are ally guides for teachers<\/a>, for friends, and for the general public.<\/p>\n

Today, think about one of the common threads in a lot of these instructions:\u00a0 Listen<\/strong>.\u00a0 Listen to what is being said, and listen to what is not being said.\u00a0 The latter, of course, seems harder.\u00a0 Listen to the silence.\u00a0 Whose voice isn\u2019t present?\u00a0 Whose experience isn\u2019t being represented?\u00a0 Figuring this out demands attention and careful thought in any social and political moment.<\/p>\n

But the first part is hard too.\u00a0 Listen to what is being said<\/strong>.\u00a0 If white supremacy is being called out for what it is, and you have white skin, shut up and listen<\/em>.\u00a0 If sexism and misogyny are being named, and you are a man, stop talking and pay attention<\/em>.\u00a0 If homophobia is being described, and you are a heterosexual person, sit down and focus on the details<\/em>.\u00a0 If Islamophobia is the subject of news commentary once again, and you are Christian, take the time to really hear what it feels like<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Because the truth is, people are talking about this stuff all the time<\/strong>, and if you aren\u2019t hearing it, you aren\u2019t paying attention.<\/p>\n

In fact, it\u2019s the people with systemic privilege who need a day of silence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Actually, we might need more than one.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today is the National Day of Silence, \u201ca 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.\u201d\u00a0 It is organized and promoted by the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) a \u201cleading national […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1142,"featured_media":1324,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,19,7,6],"tags":[417,418,205,419,188,206],"class_list":["post-1322","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feminism","category-gender","category-lgbt","category-race","tag-day-of-silence","tag-glsen","tag-homophobia","tag-islamophobia","tag-racism","tag-sexism"],"yoast_head":"\nWho Needs A Day of Silence?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Today is the National Day of Silence, \u201ca 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