Day of Silence, April 10, 2026

Tomorrow is Day of Silence.

Day of Silence 2026: Rise Up. Take Action.

History of Day of Silence: Started in the mid 90’s by two college students, Day of Silence was a nationally-recognized demonstration where LGBTQ+ students and allies all around the country protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ+ people in schools.

30 Years of Day of Silence:

2026 marks the 30th year of the first Day of Silence. Originally held by students at the University of Virginia, in response to the bullying and harassment of LGBTQ+ students, it has grown to a national day of action pushing back against the silencing of LGBTQ+ youth and the erasure of their experiences.

In our deepening cultural and political divide, LGBTQ+ students are more directly targeted than ever before. From harmful legislation to erasing LGBTQ+ history from school curriculum, it is now more important than ever to take a step back and let our communities know what it feels like when we are stripped of our voices.

Silent Protests as Resistance:

A silent protest is a form of demonstration where people express disagreement or demand change without speaking. Day of Silence is one of many highly successful demonstrations throughout history. Silent protests have been used across movements successfully and are powerful demonstrations that in the case of Day of Silence highlight the importance of intersectional LGBTQ+ youth voice.

I am not sure how many high school or middle school students stop by "Oh, By The Way," but if you are a student, please consider joining the Day of Silence tomorrow. And if you are an adult who knows a teen, especially a gay teen, who might benefit from this, please pass it along. The event is also observed on college campuses. Click on the link below to learn more about how to participate and for social media templates. We are under attack and can use all the voices we can get.

https://glisten.org/campaigns/dayofsilence/

Day of (NO) Silence 2024

From GLSEN's site:

Day of (No) Silence 2024: Rise Up. Take Action.

History of Day of Silence: Started in the mid 90’s by two college students, Day of Silence has expanded to reach hundreds of thousands of students each year. Every April, students would go through the school day without speaking, ending the day with Breaking the Silence rallies to bring attention to ways their schools and communities can become more inclusive.

2024 Day of (No) Silence: With more than 800 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced last year, we must Rise Up and Take Action. GLSEN’s Day of NO Silence is a nationally-recognized student-led demonstration where LGBTQ+ students and allies all around the country—and the world— protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ+ people in schools.

I am not sure how many high school or middle school students stop by "Oh, By The Way," but if you are a student, please consider joining the Day of (NO) Silence today. And if you are an adult who knows a teen, especially a gay teen, who might benefit from this, please pass it along. The event is also observed on college campuses. We are under attack and can use all the voices we can get.

https://www.glsen.org/dayofnosilence

Day of Silence 2018

I am not sure how many high school or middle school students stop by "Oh, By The Way," but if you are a student, please consider joining the Day of Silence today. And if you are an adult who knows a teen, especially a gay teen, who might benefit from this, please pass it along. The event is also observed on college campuses.

The Day of Silence is a student-led national event that brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying, violence, and harassment in schools. Students from middle school to college take a vow of silence in an effort to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior by illustrating the silencing effect of bullying and harassment on LGBT students and those perceived to be LGBT.

The Day of Silence started twenty-two years ago as a way to protest bullying, harassment, and attacks on LGBT students in schools. The destructive Radical Christian Agenda has attempted to thwart or stop this student outreach, essentially claiming that it is their religious right to harass, harm, and attack human beings for being gay or trans. Because of this (and because we now have a government that promotes, enshrines, and legislates homophobia and transphobia), it is even more important to counteract such hurtful, hateful, backward beliefs. A religious freedom is a personal choice, not a ticket to ostracize, punish, intimidate, shame, or attack (mentally, psychologically, socially, verbally, OR physically) another person. In this country, anyone can observe their own personal religious rules but no one has a right to impose their religious rules on another person.

I have been so encouraged and inspired by the young Parkland shooting survivors, by throngs of young people across the country, and the idea that protest and calls to action are not dead, and that they can make a difference. Your voice can be heard. And this is how the world changes: one person at a time.

https://www.glsen.org/day-silence