Activists speak out with silence

Author: Cloe Shasha

Students were not speaking up in class on April 25th, but it was not because they had forgone the night's reading. Instead, participants of the National Day of Silence were making a statement that spoke louder than words.

The day is a national event, honored by over 6,500 high schools and colleges across the United States. The movement began at the University of Virginia in 1996 and a different person has received a dedication each year. This year, the Day of Silence was held in memory of eighth-grader Lawrence King, who was killed because he was a homosexual.

The Middlebury Open Queer Alliance (MOQA) has sponsored this significant day in April for several years. Co-President of MOQA Ryan Tauriainen '08 said was happy to report that the number of Middlebury students that participated in the event grows each year, with this one being no exception.

"I have not always been the outspoken activist that I am now," Tauriainen said. "I was once 'silenced' - that is, in the closet. Many young people feel as if they cannot be honest with themselves and with the world. I can remember how painful it was to live in shame and I want to make others aware of the silence that I once went through, and of the fact that so many others are currently suffering."

Co-President of MOQA Chelsea Guster '11 has participated in the Day of Silence in her hometown for the past three years. As a first-year student, she was excited to lend her experience and devotion to the project to the Middlebury community.

"In high school, it was a great way to stand up for a cause I believed in, and continues to be such at Middlebury," said Guster. "As a member of the GLBTQ community, I think participating in the Day of Silence is a simple and effective way to think about, and make others think about, the prejudices we face both on a larger scale and in daily life."

MOQA hoped that a range of students, faculty and staff - regardless of their sexual orientation - would participate in the Day of Silence.

Because Relay For Life also fell on April 25, remaining silent for the full day posed a problem for some students involved in both events at the College.

"To be honest, I won't be able to remain silent for the entire day because I want to enjoy Relay for Life and be with my friends," said Jean Lin '10. "But this year, participating meant a lot more to me than it did last year. I designed a shirt that lists some of the reasons that I am part of the gay and lesbian civil rights movement. I have a button with a silenced smiley face on it that says 'Day of Silence.' "

Lance Sun '11 has been participating in the Day of Silence for the past five years. He too expressed that difficulty in staying silent for the full day, but was quick to add that the vow of silence is meaningful whether it lasts for five minutes or 24 hours. As a member of MOQA, he encouraged people to speak up and contemplate issues of sexuality that arise in everyday life.

"We want people to speak up," said Sun. "We want people to think about and question the heterosexist language we use every day. Instead of asking someone, 'How are your Mom and Dad?' why not just ask them, 'How are your parents?' "

Christian Morel '11, also a member of MOQA, explained why he felt the need to participate in the Day of Silence.

"As a homosexual, I am very sympathetic to anyone who feels persecuted because of their sexual orientation," said Morel. "Participating is a matter of respect for those who suffered in the past and for those who fought for us to feel more comfortable in society."

"As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,' " Sun said. "We all have to start speaking up."

Sun reiterated that MOQA wants people to finish the Day of Silence with the feeling that injustice still exists in this world and that it is up to our generation to start working towards positive change.