The SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Alliance) celebrated the Day of Silence along with a new event called the Week of Noise at Germantown Academy. The Day of Silence was held on Thursday, April 21, 2022, and the Week of Noise was from Monday, April 18 to Thursday, April 21, 2022. Individuals around the globe celebrate these events to help raise awareness of harassment towards LGBTQ+ youth. They are more likely to be made fun of and even physically attacked than their non-LGBTQ+ peers. The goal of these events is to spread awareness to embrace the LGBTQ+ community.
Silence sends a powerful message. Originally created in 1996 by a University of Virginia student named Maria Pulzetti, the Day of Silence is a national event where participants take a vow of silence to represent the silencing and disregard of LGBTQ+ individuals. Its purpose is to also increase awareness about mistreatment and harassment these individuals encounter. Furthermore, the Week of Noise calls for attention by being vocal about the silencing effect of discriminating and bullying the members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Before the Week of Noise started, Ruby Moyer ’23 and Amelia Reaume ’23, the leaders of SAGA, stated, “The goal for Week of Noise is to raise awareness by being vocal and celebrating the work of LGBTQ+ people. The main goal for SAGA is to provide a place for LGBTQ+ people in the school, as well as a place for allies to show support and for all to learn more about the community.” SAGA provided stickers for both participants and supporters of the Day of Silence outside of the Upper School Office and in the Arts Center for students to pick up.
In solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, students at Germantown Academy school could get involved throughout the week by attending SAGA’s open discussion meeting in the library on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. Furthermore, on Wednesday, April 20, several students also hosted a poetry reading in the library. Students participated in the Day of Silence on Thursday, April 21. If a student did not participate during the day, they were able to join the silent lunch in the outdoor classroom. Right after school ended, students made their way toward the flagpole in the quad to break their silence.