What is National Day of Silence in USA and why is the day celebrated?

Not many may know about the National Day of Silence. It is a holiday in the US which is observed to protest against the harassment and bullying of the LGBTQ community. It is celebrated on the second Friday of in April. National Day of Silence 2020 thus, falls on April 10. Here's some more information about this national holiday. 

What is the National Day of Silence?

National Day of Silence was first observed by a group of students belonging to the University of Virginia in 1996. It was a day originally for a class project based on non-violent protesting and saw an attendance of 100 students. It was started by the student, Maria Pulzetti who felt that the LGBTQ students were almost always ignored or silenced by their parents or the administration and their problems were not even heard. The next year, this group took up the project nationally and it spread to over 100 other universities. 

Since then, National Day of Silence has also spread to schools, colleges, workspaces. In 2000, GLSEN, which is one of the largest LGBTQ education networks in the USA, had adopted and recognised this day as a national holiday. They officially sponsor the holiday and bring in volunteers and fund to help celebrate this day. In 2008, the National Day of Silence was observed in memory of Lawrence "Larry" King, a student of eight grade, who was shot by his classmate Brandon McInerney.

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How it National Day of Silence celebrated?

The National Day of Silence is celebrated by people sticking tapes across their mouths. Some also draw X's on their hands to mark the day. At the end of the day, all the participants together break their vow by taking parts in rallies or attending speeches. The Day of Silence is also observed in countries like New Zeland and Singapore. 

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National Day of Silence wishes

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