Students came together to organize a Day of (no) Silence to show support for the LGBTQ+ community and protest the treatment of queer people in schools. The event–which typically involves students going about their school day without speaking–was updated this year by GLSEN to reflect the 800+ anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced during 2023. This year, students were encouraged to take action and bring attention to the ways schools and communities can become more inclusive.
[The Day of (no) Silence] is important because it gives a voice to people who don’t always have the opportunity to make their voices heard and say ‘we are here’.
-Jules Todd ’26
For Jules Todd ’26, one of the key organizers for this year’s event, the Day of Silence was a moment to try out something new. “This was my first time planning the event,” Jules states. “It was a bit scary at first but it was a labor of love.” For others, the day was a chance to show allyship and support for Beaver’s queer community. To further cement this community-building aspect of the protest, a special lunch was held for students to gather in silence.
I’m proud to be open about who I am and I feel like I, as someone with a certain amount of privilege, have a responsibility to use that and show solidarity and raise awareness.
-San Gwin-Kara’a ’25
At the end of the day, students gathered on the Cohn Terrace in a ceremonial “breaking of the silence.” Students and faculty made as much noise as they could, screaming and cheering to symbolically finish out the protest. Following this, students reflected on their experiences from the day and shared what it meant to them to participate.
To learn more about GLSEN’s Day of Silence, click here!