National Day of Silence to culminate in march, rally

On Wednesday, the 11th National Day of Silence will be acknowledged on the IU campus. The day is meant to bring attention to the persecution imposed upon gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals. \nThe day also supports other minority groups that face oppression, according to IU’s National Day of Silence Web site. It is also a time in which groups and their allies “join together to prove that silence can be deafening,” according to the Web site. \nOn Friday, the annual Miss Gay IU drag pageant kicked off the week of events. \nWhile events have been ongoing throughout the week, Wednesday is the actual day of silence, when supporters of the event will stay silent in order to represent those who have felt they have not been able to express themselves.\nSenior Kim Ruggles, president of OUT, the GLBT student union, said the T-shirts that students could get at the Miss Gay IU pageant should be worn on Wednesday. The green T-shirts read “Equality is my Priority.” A student who has not gotten a shirt and would like one can obtain one at various residence halls and in the GLBT Student Support Services office. T-shirts will be available to those with a valid IU student ID until Wednesday.\n“The Day of Silence reminds people that there is still discrimination,” Ruggles said. \nRuggles said discrimination may not be as obvious to IU students because of their busy schedules and their positions on a “liberal campus.”\nGraduate student Stacy Konkiel, library coordinator of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services said this year’s event is about building allies and forming new connections, including reaching out to other groups. The week of awareness will end on Wednesday; however, community educators will be available in the residence halls on Thursday and Friday running their own programs, which will include information on how to become an ally, Konkiel said. \nThere will also be a “kiss-in” from 12:05 p.m. to 12:15 p.m. and 1:10 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. Wednesday at the red clock between Woodburn Hall and Ballantine Hall. People of all sexual orientations will kiss to show public affection, Ruggles said. \nAt 4 p.m. there will be a “Break the Silence” march through campus. This event will be followed by “Religious Allies Come Out” at 7:30 p.m., an event in which leaders from various denominations will talk about how religious people have supported GLBT organizations and the community, Konkiel said. \nThe National Day of Silence events are organized through a planning committee comprised of several executives members from OUT and the Hoosier Rights Campaign, Ruggles said. \n“I think it’s a really good, tangible way for students to show their support on gay rights,” Konkiel said.