By Mary McPartlin and Hailey Evers, Staff Writers
April 28, 2023
ROCKLAND- On Friday, April 14 Rockland High School held its third annual Day of Silence.
GLSEN’s Day of Silence is held yearly around the world where LGBTQ+ students and their allies choose not to speak in the fight against the silencing, harassment, and discrimination the LGBTQ+ community faces, especially in schools.
Rockland’s Gender Sexuality Alliance, or GSA, decided to bring the day to Rockland in 2021, when the club restarted after RHS did not have one for several years.
This year, guidance counselor Margie Black became GSA’s head advisor because she wanted to make the school a better place for queer students.
“I’ve always felt like I want to do what I can to support and make this school welcoming and inclusive to everybody, and I also have my son, who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community,” she said.
To prepare for the Day of Silence, Ms. Black created pride stickers and speaking cards.
To show their support, students wore stickers handed out by the GSA. Students could choose to speak and wear a sticker, or not speak at all. If they did not wish to speak during the day, they were able to carry a ‘speaking card’, which explained the meaning behind the Day of Silence.
Junior and GSA member McKenna Maher participated in the Day of Silence before this year, and this year as well.
Maher explained, “I think the Day of Silence is very helpful in allowing all the students around the school to recognize what the LGBTQ+ youth go through everyday…”
Also in preparation for the Day of Silence, a GSA banner was available for students to sign where they can sign their names in a pledge to respect people’s identities. The banner hung Friday for the Day of Silence.
Some students have previously heard about the day of silence and participated in it in the past, including freshman Sofia Aifa.
“I heard about the Day of Silence from my great friend McKenna Maher last year when I was in 8th grade. I also participated last year,” Aifa said.
Aifa thinks it is very important to help and support the LGBTQ+ community through hard times.
Aifa said, “I feel that it is important to participate in the Day of Silence because it shows your support towards the LGBTQ+ community. It is also important to participate, or atleast to wear the sticker to show your support, to show your support for the hardships and struggles the LGBTQ+ community has gone through.”
Freshman Aleah Meade thinks it’s important to show support to the community and to support the lives lost due to hatred towards LGBTQ+.
Meade felt nice participating in a good cause, and said “It means to honor or support the people against homophobia because love is louder than hate.”