Highschool can be rough for a lot of people, it is a time where we discover who we are, that is hard enough that we should not have to also be victims of bullying because of who we are. On the Day of Silence hundred of thousands students will take a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying, and harassment that happens in schools all over the country. Unfortunately, thousands of kids are victims of this, and it always passes in silence. This is why the slogan of The Day of Silence, is “what are you going to do to end the silence?” This is an issue that must be confronted and brought to the attention of people, awareness and education is key to ending this. It is hard to believe that in this day and age, that people are still victims of such horrible events.
With issues like Constance wanting to bring her partner to her graduation prom in Mississippi, is also helping show just how people are not ready to accept and celebrate all people, I am also getting sick of people hiding behind religion, the bible was written so long ago and doesn’t really reflect the world that we now live in. We can find so many things in the bible that would be considered wrong and barbaric, but we are always ready to use this text when it is convenient to justify our fears of whatever does not fit our narrow view of the world. Here is a few examples:
10: Thou shalt kill anyone who works on Sunday. (Exodus 35:2)
9: Women shalt not teach, nor hold authority positions over men. (1 Timothy 2:11-15)
8: Crippled people, dwarves, those with flat noses or damaged testicles must stay away from the altar. (Leviticus 21:18-20)
7: Thou shalt not boil a kid in its mother’s milk! (Exodus 23:19)
6: Thou shalt not wear clothes of mixed fibers. (Leviticus 19:19)
5: A woman’s period is disgusting and unclean and anyone who comes near her is guilty of sin.
4: Thou shalt inflict corporal punishment on your children. (Proverbs 13-29)
3: Thou shalt not be disrespectful to thy parents, lest ye be killed. (Leviticus 20:9)
2: Thou shalt not eat pork, shrimp, lobster, or any shellfish. (Leviticus 11:7-12)
1: Thou shalt not be a dirty queer homosexican fag. (Leviticus 18:22)
LGBT rights has been one of the most publicized human rights issues in the last years, and this momentum must continue if it is to end and to come out victorious in this fight for equality. Social perceptions take time to change, but this fight is always necessary and must not give up till it is over. There will always be some narrow-minded fearful people out there, but as long as everyone is protected by rights to be able to live their lives as they see fit, we can live in a more peaceful, compassionate, and understanding society. That is what is key here, to simply see everyone as equal, and having respect for everyone’s right to live their lives as long as they do not inflict pain and violence towards others. The Day of Silence campaign is a great action, if you are involved in a highschool or college, please register your school and partake in this day! (http://www.dayofsilence.org/index.cfm) Only we can end this silence by being united and educating people!
This post in memoriam of Carl Walker-Hoover, he took his own life on April 6th 2009. He was the victim of constant bullying, this includes anti-LGBT bullying. He did not identify himself as gay, but this helps us to remember that anti-LGBT bullying affects all people. He would of been 12 for this year’s Day of Silence.
What are you going to do on April 16th to end the silence?
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