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April 12th, 2019: The Day of Silence. This is something that happens internationally, but this year it came to Avonworth. The Day of Silence is a day in which many students remain silent. Students choose to remain silent throughout the day to bring attention to the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies. LGBT+ people may be forced to remain silent because of anti-LGBT bullying, name-calling, and harassment.
Students at Avonworth have chosen to remain silent today for a myriad of reasons. One student wrote that she chose to remain silent because she identifies as bisexual, however, her parents are not supportive of the community so she fears that she will never be able to come out to them. The Day of Silence is her way of spreading awareness that some people can not say anything about their identities, or when they do they are punished for it. Others took up the Day of Silence because they publicly identify with the LGBTQ+ community and want to show their support for those who cannot be public about who they are and what they feel.
Whether they can not come out themselves, or they are supporting those who can not, students at Avonworth are showing their support for the LGBTQ+ community through the Day of Silence and raising awareness of an issue that can be stopped if we try.
I am an Avonworth Alum, who use to wrote for the Avonews online. I graduated in 2012 and I am transgender. I was not out as transgender when I was in High School, only because of the very high bullying issue we had. I remember back in 2009 after I was forced to come out as a lesbian, I wanted to start a GSA club with another student who was an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. It did not happen because we were both scared of how students and parents would react. In 2011-2012 I came very close to starting the GSA but a certain person (who I will not say names), prevented me from proposing it to the board. We had students in the past who wanted this club. Those of us who are Avonworth Alumni who are LGBTQ+, many of us did not come out until after graduation because of the bullying. I ended up coming out for my romantic attraction for women in 2009 to a small group, and then publicly in the 2011-2012 school year. To see that now there is acceptance in the school for LGBTQ+ students, and that there were students who were in the district long after me who started the club. They are making a huge difference in the school. I give huge kudos to the GSA and the organizers who put on this event. This should have been in place years ago.