Despite rainy weather, the 11th annual nationwide Day of Silence brought quiet and colorful high school and college students together Wednesday in a march from Library Mall to the Capitol.
Participants of the Day of Silence, as it was proclaimed by Gov. Jim Doyle, attempted to stay quiet throughout the day to draw attention to the discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.
Amanda Hunter, co-president of UW-Madison's Allies Program, said the event is necessary for a city and university considered liberal by many.
""It's not always a very welcoming place,"" she said. ""There's a lot of hetero-normative behavior that LGBT individuals encounter on a daily basis.""
Brian Juchems, program director for the Madison-based Gay Straight Alliance for Safe Schools, added that it can be difficult and even frightening to speak up when faced with discrimination, whether or not a person identifies as LGBT.
""I'm surprised by how often I'm at a loss for words,"" he said.
The Day of Silence began as a small class project at the University of Virginia, according to Tim Michael, who works for GSA for Safe Schools.
What started as an event with 150 participants in 1996 has grown to include thousands of non-violent protestors across the country, Michael said.
Eli Judge, District 8 alder and UW-Madison sophomore, referenced the Nov. 7, 2006, decision to ban civil unions in Wisconsin. He said the ultimate decision did not overshadow the amount of support he and others at Students for a Fair Wisconsin amassed in their efforts to fight the ban.
Despite large efforts to prevent discrimination, Hunter and Michael said it is impossible to spread the message to everyone.
""It's a challenge because people don't really understand why it's upsetting to us,"" Hunter said. ""To them, it looks like we're making a big deal about nothing.""
