by Eva Wilson
Two dozen students carried white sheets of paper through the halls on Friday, April 15. Each sheet of paper read the same fact- each year, an estimated 35,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people (LGBT+) commit suicide.
These slips of paper came with a purpose. Any student seen with one was an active participant in the Day of Silence, a nationwide event supporting and honoring the lives of LGBT+ people who have taken their lives due to bullying and harassment. Students who participated took a vow of silence that morning to not speak for the whole school day. The event was sponsored and held by the MVRHS Gay-Straight Alliance, a student-run club that provides a community to safely socialize and fight homophobia. This was the group’s third year hosting the day.
“It’s extremely important,” said junior Ava Thors. “The Day of Silence is a constant reminder that the barbs that people hurl have a harsh, long-lasting effect on the recipients of those epithets and insults. I still hear people say, ‘That’s so gay,’ or use derogatory and disgusting names when talking about somebody who is LGBT+. I wish people would realize that attaching the word gay to something has an inherently negative connotation.”
“I wish more people would stick up for others if they witness someone getting picked on. I wish that could change,” said Amber Medeiros, a sophomore. “I think the day made the school more aware.”