Take a Vow of Silence to Honor Those Without a Voice

More than 20 years ago, two college students started a national, student-led demonstration called the Day of Silence. They wanted to be allies to LGBTQ youth (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Queer) who were being harassed and were facing discrimination. Today, this national Day of Silence is organized by GLSEN every April (click here to learn more and find out how to participate.)

These organizers realized that a vow of silence makes for a powerful message. We’re normally communicating through much of the day, if not with our voice, then through texts, social media updates, emails, calls, etc. To stop doing that, and to explain why, gets people’s attention. It is particularly powerful as a way to call attention to people whose voices are not being heard, like those who are being treated unfairly, are facing discrimination, or are being “silenced” by a more powerful group.

Getting Started:

Finding your cause: If this challenge speaks to you, you can participate in GLSEN’s day of silence – or even help bring it to your school – or you can choose another reason to take a vow of silence. Is there a group you are part of, or that you know about, that is being silenced or treated unfairly? You could take a vow of silence to lift up their cause and make it more known to those around you, letting them know how important it is to you.
Explain why you are doing this: Since the aim of this is to raise awareness about an issue, make sure you explain to people before, during, and after your time of silence. You could let them know that on a certain day, you will be taking a vow of silence – including not only using your voice but also any other form of communication – in honor of a particular group who are being silenced. Make sure to let people know how they can learn more about this group and perhaps support their cause too, if they are inspired by your action. Try to find an advocacy or activist organization that you can direct people to if they want to learn more. During your time of silence, you might want to post a message on social media, have an auto-reply on email, or even a note on your door, reminding people that you are taking this vow of silence for this cause.
Choose a time: Choose a time thoughtfully, since there may be days when your decision could have the most impact. Consider how much time you can realistically stay silent: could you go for a full day, or would it be better to work up to that with a a 3-hour stretch, or a half-day, at first?
Reflect: After the experience is over, take some time to reflect. How did it feel to be silent? What was hardest and easiest? Did it make you think about how you normally communicate? Do you feel any more connection with people whose voices are not being heard in our country?