Day Of Silence Observed by Thousands

WASHINGTON, DC -- Tens of thousands of LGBT students and their allies around the country observed the 11th annual National Day of Silence Wednesday to draw awareness to homophobia in schools and in the classrooms.

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and the United States Student Association distributed stickers and passed out 'speaking cards' to students all over the US.

The 'speaking cards' read, "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 in schools."

"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?"

Last year some 4,000 schools and colleges participated in the Day of Silence but the event is increasingly being attacked by religious conservatives.

On the web site NotOurKids.com, Christian fundamentalist Linda Harvey urged parents to keep their kids home from school Wednesday.

"Teenagers deserve an opportunity to study English, history, math, and science -- without being subjected to pro-homosexual proselytizing sanctioned by school authorities," Harvey wrote.

A study released by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network last year shows that homophobia is widespread in schools all over the country.

Three-quarters of the students asked said they had heard derogatory remarks such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently or often at school, and nearly one-in-five said they had been physically assaulted because of their sexuality.