Nothing but silence

Jake Hustedt usually participates in class and socializes with friends. Wednesday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., however, he was silent.

Hustedt, along with other members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and their supporters, known as allies, took a vow of silence Wednesday. The participants refrained from speaking whenever possible in conjunction with the Day of Silence, which is part of the ongoing events during LGBT Awareness Month. The Breaking the Silence Rally on the Quad at 5 p.m. ceremoniously broke that silence.

"There is a real reason why we are being silent," Hustedt, junior in LAS, who was forced to speak only once for a class presentation, said. "We don't have equal rights, and I think that's something people lose sight of even within the community."

The silent students, dressed in black, wore rainbow ribbons and passed out cards during the day to explain their silence and state the LGBT community's goals.

Curt McKay, director of the LGBT Concerns Office, said the National Day of Silence began in 1996 at the University of Virginia and has spread across the country and into high schools. Events were first held on campus to observe the Day of Silence in 2001.

"It seems to me that they've gotten bigger each year," he said. "Increasingly, we've gotten more support during the day."

Bridget Geraghty, junior in LAS, was a co-coordinator of the Day of Silence planning committee and has participated in the event for the last two years.

"I've found it a very powerful experience having to silence myself for an entire day," she said. "You don't realize how many people you interact with."

The day's silence was finally broken with sound bytes of famous figures making derogatory comments against the LGBT community, including President George W. Bush.

"The strength of the silence is when we are not silent any more," Hustedt said, who served as the event's emcee.

Kevin Otten, graduate student, spoke first and outlined the LGBT community's goals. He called for courses with LGBT content and professors along with a LGBT cultural house.

"As the administration, they have an obligation to us to make these needs a priority," Otten said.

The rally also featured Kathleen Robbins, a transgender Vietnam War Veteran who spoke about gender in the military. She voiced her strong opposition to the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy, which are the rules set forth by the military regarding sexual orientation. She called for student action to promote LGBT awareness on campus.

"I would encourage you not to alienate potential allies with overly confrontational language," she said. "Meet people where they are to bring them to where you think they ought to be."

Hustedt agreed, and said the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy is an example of how the LGBT community is being silenced.

"We really wanted to focus on the fact that there have always been LGBT people in the military," he said. "This isn't something new."

Pauline Park, who earned her doctorate in political science from the University, spoke about transgender issues she has faced in her life, discrimination in education and how individual students could help further LGBT causes.

"It's about helping all of us break out of the box of gender so we can be who we really are," Park said.

This year's rally was the first to feature transgender speakers, McKay said.

"Transgender issues are often overlooked; even by the LGBT community," said Colin Bishop, junior in LAS and member of the planning committee.

The rally also featured the awarding of the Breaking the Silence Award to Chancellor Richard Herman for his continued support of the LGBT community, with Associate Provost Peg Rawles accepting on his behalf. McKay also spoke, followed by those who were so inclined to share their personal experiences during the open-mic portion of the event.

LGBT Awareness Month began when students returned from spring break and will conclude with an awards ceremony May 1.