Just wondering if anyone else will be participating in the Day of Silence. For those of you who don't know, this is the text from the cards one hands out on said day:

Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by harassment, prejudice, and discrimination. I believe that ending the silence is the first step toward fighting these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today. What are you going to do to end the silence?

Will anyone else be participating? I'm just curious.. And I won't be posting tomorrow, either. And right now, since I'm coming apart at the seams, I'll crawl into bed.

Mmmmm, sleep. Glorious, glorious sleep.

Girl, how are you ever gonna shut up for a whole day? I'll bet you ten bucks you don't last five minutes. Someone will say "hey Phoenix, do you fancy some ginger tea?" and you'll go "of course, I'd love some! Oh shit!" [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Me, I will be talking as normal, which isn't too much anyway, so I guess it's neither here nor there. I am, in theory, all for gay, lesbian and transgender rights, but asking me to shut my cake hole for a day is a bit much. Besides, I sorely need my oral participation points for Intro to Lit. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Nope, I won't be participating.

My job preculdes me from taking a full day of silence. However, I want to honor the cause -- so, I'll talk with a lisp all day. :D

ROFL! Oh god, there goes my last Heineken for the night, straight through my nose.

You'th welcome, girlfriend! Thad wathe of good beer, though. ;)

[ 04-21-2004, 01:40 AM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

LOL Timber, that was awful :D
I'm not participating either (though I might as well, come to think of it - ill at home), in fact this is the first I've heard about this day - is it in America only or worldwide?
I think a whole day is a bit too much - I think for a lot of people, if anything it will be annoying rather than meaningful or poignant.
I do think it's an important issue. Not really in my country - there may be isolated cases of discrimination, but I think compared to some of the other stuff that goes on in the world gay/transgender/etc people are pretty well off here, but in other countries. There are still instances of people being locked up and harassed because of their sexuality. I'm a member of Amnesty International so I think all human rights are important, and therefore this one too. Some of the stories I've read in their magazine are horrifying.
A whole day of silence is pushing it though, IMO. There must be better ways of addressing the problem.

BTW, on the issue of transgenderism: the academic hospital linked to my university (about 10 mins away from here) is renowned for their pioneer work in the area of transgender surgery. In fact, when travelling by train to the hospital, you often come across people in erm, various states of transition. ;)

[ 04-21-2004, 05:06 AM: Message edited by: Melusine ]

Wouldn't a full day of open discussion be more effective than a prohibition of communication?

Exactly. It's a bit of a paradoxical action: "Think about the voices you are not hearing today. What are you going to do to end the silence?" Umm - be silent all day?

My own opinion is each to his own. Everyone is entitled to live anyway they want as far as I'm concerned.

What I do object to is people trying to ram their opinions, sexuality, morals or anything else for that matter, down my throat!

Live and let live but don't forget that most others live differently to you. Enough said.