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Christopher Paul, Retriever Staff Writer, Volume 39, Issue 25, published April 19, 2005
More than 700 universities nationwide spent an entire day in silence to protest the oppression faced not only by lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, but also for people around the world, who out of fear cannot speak out against atrocities they suffer due to oppressive political regimes. Johanna Kraft, Co-Vice President of the Freedom Alliance said, "The purpose of the Day of Silence was not only to protest the discrimination and harassment gay, bisexual, lesbian and transgender people go through daily but for anyone who is in a position where they cannot speak up for themselves out of fear." Over 80 UMBC students participated this year.
The silence was broken at 5 p.m. when Colles Price, Treasurer of the Freedom Alliance, recited a few lines of Dylan Thomas' poem, "Do not go gentle into that good night," emphasizing lines such as, "Rage, rage against the dying of the light." Price chose this particular poem to emphasize the need to speak out against man's inhumanity to man. "Some people remain silent out of fear. I say, go out with a fight; many people do not have that ability," Price said. "There is strength in silence. Silence can be a prison, but silence also represents power. We are the others that speak for those who must remain silent," said Price.
Those students who were not able to remain silent during the entire day due to academic or employment obligations showed their solidarity by dressing in black from head to toe. "I wasn't able to go through the entire day without speaking because I had to practice for a group presentation on Friday, so I had to speak, but when I could I was silent," Shawn Howering said. Howering was one of the many students dressed completely in black, right down to his bandana.
Many of the students who participated found it difficult to conduct their daily routine without speaking. Mary Dominique, Vice President of the Social Work Association, tried to communicate through sign language only to find that "I know sign language, but most other people do not." Students also found it difficult to answer their cellular telephones. "I had multiple phone calls; I said nothing. I picked up and waited till the person hung up," Price said.
Most people the protesters encountered during the day were supportive of their cause. Only a few people during the course of the day tried to make them slip up and break their silence. "It was interesting because some friends tried to trick me into speaking," Price said. All in all, "It was a great activity, it reminded me how hard it is for others to be silent," he said.
"It is positive; afterwards one can spread the word as to why you were silent during the day," Kraft continued. "It's not about gay rights, it's about not wanting violence or hate based on sexual orientation." "The object is to never be silent," said Harriet Smith, the Freedom Alliance Education and Response Chair and Gender Variance Support Group contact.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender students on college campuses face harassment ranging from verbal abuse and homophobic graffiti to physical violence. These incidents of hate are not often reported to the university or law enforcement for fear of being outed or being further harassed by police. Most college campuses do not provide LGBT sensitivity training for their police, so the police are less likely to pursue an investigation. Because most of these crimes are labeled "isolated incidents," many of them are not reported and statistics can't be collected.
The second annual Day of Silence was a joint cooperative event sponsored by the Freedom Alliance, Hate is not a UMBC Value, the Women's Center, the Social Work Student Association, Women in Leadership and Learning (WILL), and the Women's Studies Department.
For those who would like to learn more about the Freedom Alliance, their web page may be found at http://sta.umbc.edu/orgs/freedom/ "Right now the web site is out of date due to technical difficulties," Kraft notes. The best way to find out about future events is to subscribe to the Freedom Alliance announcement listserv by sending an email to listproc@listproc.umbc.edu with no subject and "subscribe freedom " in the message body.
Christopher Paul, Retriever Staff Writer, Volume 39, Issue 25, unpublished April 19, 2005
Over 20 people dressed in black from head to toe gathered in front of the University Center on a sunny, warm April day. A light, airy breeze blew through the courtyard. When 5 p.m. struck, the gathering in unison, whooped, hollered, and clapped. The sound echoed in the courtyard breaking the solemn silence they had maintained since 8 a.m. in observing the Day of Silence.
After the silence was broken, Colles Price, Treasurer of the Freedom Alliance, recited a few lines of Dylan Thomas' poem, "Do not go gentle into that good night," emphasizing lines such as, "Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
Price chose this particular poem to emphasize the need to speak out against man's inhumanity to man. "Some people remain silent out of fear. I say, go out with a fight, many people do not have that ability," Price said. "There is strength in silence. Silence can be a prison, but silence also represents power. We are the others that speak for those who must remain silent," said Price.
Last Wednesday's event was observed by more than 700 universities nationwide in protest of the silence faced by not only lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender people, but also for people around the world, who out of fear, cannot speak out against atrocities they suffer due to oppressive political regimes. Johanna Kraft, Co-Vice President of the Freedom Alliance said, "The purpose of the Day of Silence was not only to protest the discrimination and harassment gay, bisexual, lesbian and transgender people go through daily but for anyone who is in a position where they cannot speak up for themselves out of fear." Over 80 University of Maryland Baltimore County students participated in the Day of Silence.
Those students who were not able to remain silent during the entire day due to academic or employment obligations showed their solidarity by dressing in black from head to toe. "I wasn't able to go through the entire day without speaking because I had to practice for a group presentation on Friday, so I had to speak, but when I could I was silent all day," Shawn Howering said. Howering was one of the many students dressed completely in black right down to his bandana.
Most of the students who participated found it difficult to conduct their daily routine without speaking. Mary Dominique, Vice President of the Social Work Association, tried to communicate through sign language only to find, "I know sign language, but most other people do not." Students also found it difficult to answer their cellular telephones. "I had multiple phone calls, I said nothing. I picked up and waited till the person hung up," said Price.
Most people the protesters encountered during the day were supportive of their cause. Only a few people during the course of the day tried to make them slip up and break their silence. "It was interesting because some friends tried to trick me into speaking," Price said. All in all, "It was a great activity, it reminded me how hard it is for others to be silent," said Price.
Kraft said, "It is positive, afterwards one can spread the word as to why you were silent during the day afterwards." Kraft continued, "It's not about gay rights, it's about not wanting violence or hate based on sexual orientation." "The object is to never be silent," said Harriet Smith, the Freedom Alliance Education and Response Chair and Gender Variance Support Group contact.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender students face multiple barriers in getting a higher education. The barriers come in the form of unsafe living conditions, homophobic classmates and professors, institutional heterosexism, and an overall lack of university support. LGBT students on college campuses face harassment ranging from verbal abuse and homophobic graffiti to physical violence. These incidents of hate are not often reported to the university or law enforcement for fear of being outed or being further harassed by police. Most college campuses do not provide LGBT sensitivity training for their police therefore, the police are less likely to pursue an investigation. The end result is many of these crimes either aren't reported or are ignored hence, statistics are not collected therefore, every new case appears to be an "isolated incident."
Compounding the problem many schools require new students to live on campus and most colleges and universities randomly match roommates for first year students. LGBT students placed with homophobic or transphobic roommates face uncomfortable and unsafe living conditions. Residence hall staff that have not been properly trained in how to deal with homophobia or transphobia in residence halls cannot properly handle these situations leaving LBGT students with no way out.
The second annual Day of Silence was a joint cooperative event sponsored by the Freedom Alliance, Hate is not a UMBC Value, the Women's Center of Social Work Student Association, Women in Leadership and Learning (WILL), and the Women's Study Department.
For those who would like to learn more about the Freedom Alliance, their web page may be found at http://sta.umbc.edu/orgs/freedom/ "Right now the web site is out of date due to technical difficulties," said Kraft. The best way to find out about future events is to subscribe to the Freedom Alliance announcement listserv by sending an email to listproc@listproc.umbc.edu with no subject and subscribe freedom your name in the message body.
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