Students moved about campus somberly Wednesday with black tape over their mouths and shirts bearing black letters which spelled out “silenced.”
Spectrum Alliance, the queer student organization on campus, participated in a project put on by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and the United States Student Association.
The National Day of Silence is a student-led day of action aimed at raising awareness about bias toward the LGBT community.
“Spectrum is participating in the National Day of Silence because we think it is really important to raise awareness about discrimination, harassment and hate crimes against members of the queer community,” said Beki Landry, a political science sophomore and Spectrum member.
Landry wrote down her statement for The Reveille in an effort to maintain her silence.
Members of Spectrum Alliance and the queer community set up a table in Free Speech Alley Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to hand out fliers and let people know about their purpose.
The displays on the table featured pictures of hate crime victims, thoughts and quotes from people wanting to express opinions and the reason for the Day of Silence.
Spectrum members handed out literature which explained their reason for not speaking — to protest violence the queer community faces. The fliers gave information about victims of what it described as hate crimes based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The members wore T-shirts with “silenced” written across the front and many also wore black tape over their mouths.
“This day is important because it increases visibility and awareness of the queer community,” said Anna Byars, a women’s and gender studies junior and Spectrum co-chair. “We need to educate people through being physically visible.”
Nicholas Sakurai, the director of the LGBT student empowerment project with the USSA, is responsible for coordinating the Day of Silence with more than 600 colleges and universities.
“It is incredibly important,” Sakurai said. “Especially this year with all the changing political climate.”
Many other campuses used the Day of Silence to register students to vote and educate them on LGBT and higher education issues, according to a USSA press release.
“Some campuses are working to get their LGBT group recognized by the administration,” Sakurai said. “They are fighting for domestic partner benefits and anti-discrimination policies.”
Students at the University of Virginia founded the National Day of Silence in 1996, Sakurai said. It is the largest annual day of action for the LGBT community.
“Spectrum has done this in the past,” Byars said. “We did not do it last year, but we have recognized the day every other year we have been here.”