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Now another Day of Silence (a day where people do not speak in order to raise awareness of gay rights) has come and gone, and perhaps its a good time for me to make clear my opinion on the matter.
The problem with the day of silence to me is that, in some areas its observed, it doesn't do much. There are parts of the country where a day of outpouring of support for homosexuality is a good thing. Where gays are made to feel alienated, and it helps to let us know you've got our back. That's all well and good, but... It feels a bit condescending... I dunno, it feels like "Don't worry, this is the special day where you get support." I'd like more vocal support on the other 364 days of the year.
I appreciate that you're taking a stand. But for a lot of people, it feels like that's all the stand you're willing to take. After a day of not talking at all, you go back to ignoring the casual bigotry and homophobia and not doing anything about it.
It feels kind of like "Oh, I've done my part, now I can go back to pretending there's not a problem."
Of course, my views may be influenced by my environment. This may be coming from my feelings on my mother, who will constantly trot out the time she told my uncle she didn't want to talk about it when he tried to raise the issue of homosexuality being a sin. That's nice, but what have you done in the last few years?
Of course an outpouring of support is always good. And there are places where people try to stop the day of silence from happening. And that is where it NEEDS to happen. If the institution IS working against gays, then yes, something like this is EXACTLY what we need. But there are other places where that step has been taken.
The gay people here know there's a support network. Now we'd like that network to do something more than just prop us up. Get proactive about it, instead of checking off "Support gays" on your yearly to-do list and then going back to ignoring the problem.
Sometimes one person saying stop it at the casual use of the phrase 'faggot' will help a lot more than a hundred people spending the (school) day not talking.
The other problem I have is that its a bit... Abstract. The Day of Silence is a little like Carbon Leaf's song "The Boxer." You need someone to say "This is what its about" and then it all falls into place.
Of COURSE "The Boxer" is about arguments in relationships. Of COURSE The Day of Silence is about how gay people are forced to hide what they are. But if nobody tells you, its just confusing.
I would really like to see what Smiley has to say on this issue, as I know he lives in an area that's a lot less institutionally "Gay-Friendly" than suburban Massachusetts.
The problem with the day of silence to me is that, in some areas its observed, it doesn't do much. There are parts of the country where a day of outpouring of support for homosexuality is a good thing. Where gays are made to feel alienated, and it helps to let us know you've got our back. That's all well and good, but... It feels a bit condescending... I dunno, it feels like "Don't worry, this is the special day where you get support." I'd like more vocal support on the other 364 days of the year.
I appreciate that you're taking a stand. But for a lot of people, it feels like that's all the stand you're willing to take. After a day of not talking at all, you go back to ignoring the casual bigotry and homophobia and not doing anything about it.
It feels kind of like "Oh, I've done my part, now I can go back to pretending there's not a problem."
Of course, my views may be influenced by my environment. This may be coming from my feelings on my mother, who will constantly trot out the time she told my uncle she didn't want to talk about it when he tried to raise the issue of homosexuality being a sin. That's nice, but what have you done in the last few years?
Of course an outpouring of support is always good. And there are places where people try to stop the day of silence from happening. And that is where it NEEDS to happen. If the institution IS working against gays, then yes, something like this is EXACTLY what we need. But there are other places where that step has been taken.
The gay people here know there's a support network. Now we'd like that network to do something more than just prop us up. Get proactive about it, instead of checking off "Support gays" on your yearly to-do list and then going back to ignoring the problem.
Sometimes one person saying stop it at the casual use of the phrase 'faggot' will help a lot more than a hundred people spending the (school) day not talking.
The other problem I have is that its a bit... Abstract. The Day of Silence is a little like Carbon Leaf's song "The Boxer." You need someone to say "This is what its about" and then it all falls into place.
Of COURSE "The Boxer" is about arguments in relationships. Of COURSE The Day of Silence is about how gay people are forced to hide what they are. But if nobody tells you, its just confusing.
I would really like to see what Smiley has to say on this issue, as I know he lives in an area that's a lot less institutionally "Gay-Friendly" than suburban Massachusetts.
I must be sick or something.
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