Event calls attention to the silencing of LGBT youth through bullying and harassment.
April 26 2006 4:16 PM EST
April 26 2006 8:00 PM EST
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Event calls attention to the silencing of LGBT youth through bullying and harassment.
Marking its 10-year anniversary, the 11th annual Day of Silence was observed Wednesday in some 4,000 schools around the country, with an estimated 500,000 students participating. Organized by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, the event is meant to call attention to the silencing of LGBT youth in schools through bullying and harassment. "Today hundreds of thousands of students are taking action and responding to the problem of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment--a problem they see in their hallways and classrooms every day," GLSEN founder and executive director Kevin Jennings said in a statement. "I commend each and every young person today as they tell their truths to their classmates and communities." During the Day of Silence, LGBT students and their allies refrain from speaking throughout the school day to make visible the silence many suffer on a regular basis. At the end of the day, many schools have "Breaking the Silence" events with guest speakers and community members to discuss what happened. In conjunction with the Day of Silence, GLSEN is releasing the results of its 2005 National School Climate Survey, which show that bullying and harassment of LGBT students continues to be common. (The Advocate)