More than 200 students and staff showed their support for LGBT people everywhere through silent protest on April 20. The protest, called Day of Silence (DoS), is symbolic of the actual silence that many LGBT students have to settle for daily in order to avoid harassment at school and elsewhere.

The AHS Gay-Straight Alliance club advocated for the 16th annual DoS through flyers and by posting on the bulletin board near the bistro. The DoS website made it clear that while participation in the DoS is encouraged before, after, and in between classes, students do not have the explicit right to refuse to speak during classroom instruction if required to by a teacher. Luckily for students at AHS, most teachers were sympathetic of the cause and even participated themselves.

IB Physics teacher Thomas Chorman participated in the DoS and taught his students that day through typing via his smartboard. “I am doing the day of silence because I believe in showing solidarity with those who feel that they don’t have a voice to speak up against the hatred espoused against those with different sexual orientations,” he said.

While AHS is not particularly known for the harassment of LGBT students, such events happen occasionally, inspiring their classmates to take action.

“I decided to do the day of silence because I am a member of the GSA,” junior Beatrice Ohene-Okae said. “I joined the GSA because one of my friends was actually bullied to leave the high school. I feel that joining the GSA will allow me to change the situation at AHS so that no one else has to suffer that type of injustice.”

While times have progressed, there are still some people who have not been accustomed to accepting and respecting LGBT people. “I went to Catholic school and had friends who came out to very conservative parents,” Chorman said.  “It was very difficult for them and I think this is a good way to demonstrate empathy for those situations by creating awareness.”

The people participating in this even wore DoS stickers and carnations on their shirts. Senior Sarah Slough remained silent all day as a way to show “that there is no acceptable reason for anyone to be made fun of or discriminated against,” she said. “Sexuality has no impact on a person’s personality, and should not have an impact on how they are treated by others either.” This was Slough’s second year participating.

It may not seem like the most effective method at combating harassment, but for some, a little silence goes a long way. “LGBT students should not be afraid to be afraid to come out and they shouldn’t have to remain silent,” Slough said. “That’s why I am commemorating their silence with my own.”