An awesome event

Today in Massachusetts, at schools around the state, an event took place...The Day of Silence. It is a national event that is sponsored by GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, Straight, Educational, Network). Most of the country will be doing this on April 21 but Mass. is different for some reason.

Anyway...the event is a day where you remain silent...at least for a specified period. It is to remember/honour those who cannot talk about who they truly are...those who cannot share with friends, family, the world that they are homosexual...that they are silenced by many in our society.

I did not expect much from our school. While it's in "liberal" Cambridge, it's also a very conservative school. We do not have a single "out" student and few "out" adults. I and the student I planned this with, didn't think many people would support it. I was happily wrong. Out of the 340 students on the campus (our seniors are all off doing internships), 50 signed up to be silent and as many (if not more) signed up to be supporters (as many had to present in class or forgot to sign up)...we had at least 50 at a forum where a mom & a teacher spoke as well as the students who participated. It was awesome. And I was so proud of the students. I'm so glad that I was part of this.

That's great, onetiger. One of my sons is gay. He is open about it and told me that things have changed since I was young; he said that people are much more open about it now. I guess that there are still a lot of people who are ashamed and feel they have to hide the fact that they are gay. My son had a very rough time for a while because we used to be in a church where he was put down for being different (ADHD, etc.) and for being gay. Some of the people in the church knew that my son was gay before I even knew. I was really confused when he came out and told me, but I am glad that he finally felt comfortable enough to be able to be honest with me; he has friends who still haven't been able to tell their own parents and they hide it in shame. It's sad.

Wow...you rock! *hugs* Its so neat that you got so many students to participate and support the event. Something like this never would have happened back when I was in high school. Congratulations.