Is the Day of Silence international?
I never even heard of it until 8th grade when some of my friends did it, but i want to participate this year. I’ve moved out of America to New Zealand though, so I was wondering if it was an international event and not just in America. If it isn’t International, would I still be allow to do it?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
12 Answers
At this time, it appears that the National Day of Silence is only conducted in the US. However, if you find yourself in a place where there is injustice, speak out.
Response moderated
This blog calls it International Day of Silence.
Why wouldn’t you be allowed to do it? Does your job require you to talk?
I don’t believe there exist any laws against shutting up anywhere. I would be very surprised.
For that matter, mutes have to put up with not being able to talk 24/7. Surely if there are problems with it, there are solutions other people have already thought of.
@Marina The blog you cited is a right wing Christian blog advocating ways to disrupt the peaceful LGBT Day of Silence. They even got the date wrong. It’s April 16th, not April 17th. A big red flag was their use of GLBT instead of the correct LBGT. Their erroneous assertions that the National Day of Silence is “international” is propaganda/hyperbole to keep their minions all riled up by making NDS seem more widespread and “evil” than it actually is. No doubt, NDS will be international before long, however, because school bullying on the basis of gender role choice, or even suspicion of gender role behaviour is a serious problem internationally. Below is the GLSEN site promoting anti-LGBT awareness, including the National Day of Silence:
http://www.dayofsilence.org/index.cfm
@mattbrowne Christopher Street Day is hardly a day of silence. It is the European Gay Pride celebration which is celebrated in June when most schools are out and does not exclusively protest anti-LGBT behavior towards children in schools.
Is LBGT or LGBT really more “correct” than GLBT?
It is the same as a misspelling. It reveals a lack of research and familiarity with the subject, carelessness, and it reduces the credibility of the author. It is sloppy work and a poor example of an authoritative citation. Typical blog.
But you misspelled it yourself just now. You said LBGT is correct, and everywhere else you use LGBT.
By the way, I don’t think this is a right wing Christian blog at all, and it certainly doesn’t suggest or even condone disrupting the DoS. Did you read this article?
It’s written by a “conservative evangelical youth pastor” who thinks being gay is bad, yes, but he explicitly supports the event, stresses the seriousness of the kind of bullying it draws attention to, reprimands Christians who belittle that problem, and criticises that it’s often Christians who do the bullying. He backs up those points with his own experiences as a gay kid.
This is a guy who cares about gay people, who stands up for their rights even though he thinks being gay is wrong. I’d say he’s the cool kind of Christian who understands what kindness and tolerance really mean.
Just sayin’.
I caught my misspelling as well, and if I had the kind of editing time one has in a blog, I would have corrected it by now. Yes, he is a “conservative Christian pastor,” and passes judgement on other people’s lifestyles. That spells right wing to me. He claims to “support” the Day of Silence, but is suggesting ways to protest it. This is a very passive aggressive anti-gay blog in the guise of being “friendly” to gays. Another self-loathing Christian who is only fooling people like yourself.
”...but is suggesting ways to protest it.”
Really? Like what?
I’m pretty sure he’s explicitly opposing protesting the day of silence. What he concludes the article with is the following. [With my clarifications added for complete extermination of any remaining ambiguity.]
“When we actively oppose, or distract from those seeking justice [i.e. by practising the DoS] we prove to a watching culture that our claims to love gay people are a lie.
This [i.e. gay kids being bullied] is REAL. This must STOP. We are part of the problem. Change starts with us.”
Yeah, he’s protesting against other Christians’ intentions to protest against this event, an event instated to protest against people who protest against other people being gay. With that sort of quadruple negative I can imagine less careful readers getting confused.
Answer this question 
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Composing members:
0
