Bullying is far from a new phenomenon but it seems to be more severe and more prevalent in today’s society, especially with the explosion of social media. When I was a student, I was teased and picked on (especially for my glasses) but at the very least I only had to deal with it at school. That was bad enough. Today, kids now have to deal with it in person and online. It’s especially horrible for LGBT students. This terrifies me as a mother. I can only begin to imagine the horror these children go through on a daily basis, the pain and loneliness that they feel.
On April 19, 2013, students around the world will take a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBT behavior. The Day of Silence is a student-led national event to end anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Students from middle school to college take a vow of silence to show their support and illustrate to their classmates, school administrators and school staff the silencing effect of bullying and harassment on LGBT students and those perceived to be LGBT.
GLSEN’s 2009 National School Climate Survey found that nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school and more than 30% report missing at least a day of school in the past month out of fear for their personal safety.
In support of the Day of Silence, I will be silent. Will you join me? There are numerous ways you can participate:
– Take the vow of silence and sign the pledge at: http://dayofsilence.org/PDFs/DOS_pledge.pdf.
– Link to the site: http://dayofsilence.org/getinvolved/.
– Follow the conversation on Twitter at #dayofsilence
– Get involved on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/NationalDayofSilence.
– Share a student video about the day:”Why Are We Silent?”- http://youtu.be/Ref-63Dn1Is and “Join the movement online”- http://youtu.be/I6ZtWUV9Ars
The Day of Silence is a part of the ThinkB4YouSpeak campaign created by the Ad Council and GLSEN.
For more information, go to:www.dayofsilence.org. Leave a comment below if you’re joining me in silence on April 19!
About The Ad Council (http://www.adcouncil.org/):
The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization with a rich history of marshaling volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public. Having produced literally thousands of public service advertising campaigns addressing the most pressing social issues of the day, the Ad Council has affected, and continues to effect, tremendous positive change by raising awareness, inspiring action and saving lives. To learn more about the Ad Council and its campaigns, visit www.adcouncil.org, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or view our PSAs on YouTube.
GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network), the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students, has also partnered with the Ad Council to create a new tool that tracks anti-LGTB slurs on Facebook and Twitter in real time. Help us eliminate these slurs and bring attention to the issue by embedding the counter on your blog and sharing with your viewers! See it here: ThinkB4YouSpeak.com.
