Members of UB's Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance took a vow of silence Wednesday to highlight their opposition to discrimination, homophobia and violence.
From 9 a.m. through the afternoon, the group sat in a circle in the Student Union flag room, backs facing the public. Their shirts read, "The Day of Silence Project - please understand my reason for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexuals, and transgender people and their allies.
"My deliberate silence echoes that prejudice, and discrimination. I believe that ending the silence is the first step toward fighting these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today. What are you going to do to end the silence?"
At 5 p.m., the group released a collective scream to complete the daylong ceremonial demonstration.
The group also set up a microphone, but left it turned off to further emphasize the silence. Two banners covered entrances to the flag room, one for the UB LGBTA and one for the Day of Silence.
"The day is a visual type of an event," said Rachel Parrino, vice president of the LBGTA. "People see our coming out day and our other events but this is a more serious side ... to ask people what they can do to help."
According to the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network Web site, www.glsen.org, the annual Day of Silence was begun in 1996 by students at the University of Virginia. The event now happens nationwide in universities, high schools and communities.
UB's LGBTA helped to organize the day for area high schools such as Sweet Home High School in Amherst.
"We got people outside in the community, high schools, people on campus, different SA clubs and Greek life in on it," Parrino said. "We had high schools participating, because it's so hard for them to feel comfortable. I think it was really successful for how many were involved."
According to Parrino, all high schools that participated already have Gay-Straight Alliance affiliations.
Christy Williams, a sophomore history major, said she participated in the day to benefit herself and her friends, and to honor victims of hate crimes who are unable to speak out for themselves.
"It was really hard not to talk, but I got though it," Williams said. "Everyone respected the cause."
"To me this day is symbolic for people to be able to be free, from the small things like holding hands to the big things like being beaten," Parrino said.
