Cheers, whistles, a trumpet and bongo drums marked the end of a day of silence for a group of about 200 ralliers at the Capitol Wednesday. The nationwide Day of Silence, sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, emphasized the silenced voices of Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender individuals, especially in schools.
Celebrating its eighth year, the event is geared largely toward LGBT high school students. According to Madison Police Detective Alix Olson, 83 percent of LGBT teens report being verbally harassed.
\There's a huge pressure to conform in middle and high school,"" she said.
Martha Popp, an advisor for the Gay-Straight Alliance at Middleton High School, said events like the Day of Silence can positively impact the college atmosphere.
""It's not just for the LGBT community but also for the students who are straight-it helps them be more accepting,"" she said. ""It can cut down on hate crimes in college and violence in the dorms.""
Some UW-Madison students also participated by remaining silent in their classes.
""It was the most effective tool I could use,"" said Brendan Fleming, a UW-Madison senior and the LGBT diversity liaison to ASM. ""I handed out flyers and had teachers talk about it in front of class. It went very well.""
UW-Madison senior Michelle Hughes met with a very different response when she tried to inform people of her silent goal. No students in her discussion picked up her informational flyers-except one, who ""used it to put his chewed gum in."" When Hughes tried explaining the event to her professor, he walked away and shut his door on her.
""I got to the dreaded acronym 'LGBT' ... [and] I was silenced,"" she said.
In the face of such reactions, the ralliers urged LGBT students to make their voices heard. Several prominent Madison figures expressed support for the students' cause. Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, and state Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, both gave speeches, while Mayor Sue Bauman, U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk lent support in writing.
""Every student should be able to get a quality education without fear of discrimination and harassment,"" Pocan said.
Colette Montoya-Humphrey, a UW-Madison junior, was glad to see a higher turnout at the event than the one she attended in New Mexico several years ago. Still, she said the campus is still a work in progress when it comes to acknowledging the LGBT presence.
""New Mexico was not tolerant,"" she said. ""Madison is a lot more tolerant and accepting of gay people, but it still has a long way to go.\
