Shhhhh!
PV student hopes to raise awareness for LGBT discrimination with a Day of Silence
PV junior Kai Nielsen hopes to bring a Day of Silence to PV to raise awareness of the silence LGBT people are forced to live in.
If you were asked to go an entire school day without speaking to your friends or even teachers, could you do it?
On Friday, April 15, the day of Silence, students across the nation pledged to do just that. This is an event sponsored by GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network. This organization is very important to Kai Nielsen, a junior at Pascack Valley.
Nielsen identifies as non-binary transgender and pansexual, meaning they do not identify as any sex and are attracted to people regardless of gender. Nielsen prefers the pronouns they/them/their. They are currently a finalist in GLSEN’s prestigious contest to be given a spot on their student council.
GLSEN works with schools to promote a safe environment for people across the gender spectrum and to spread information about any new laws or policies passed. Their student council consists of 24 high school students from across the nation that represent the organization at red carpet galas and other events.
Nielsen has gone through a multi-step application process, which has narrowed down the 2,000 applicants to the 100 finalists. It is Nielsen’s last chance to participate in a student council, as they will be a senior next year. They will find out on May 24 if they have been chosen.
Nielsen has been working with PV principal Mr. Tom DeMaio to organize a Day of Silence at Pascack Valley, which, as Nielsen said, “helps raise awareness of the silence that [LGBT] people are put into.” Although the official date passed, they are hoping to host our own version of the event. Every student who pledges to participate would refrain from speaking throughout the entire day. Then, at the end, there would be a Breaking the Silence ceremony where everyone is free to shout and talk.
While there is no official date announced as of now, Nielsen and the administration hope to get the day scheduled before the end of the school year.
Nielsen said that this event is meant to “mirror the silence that [the LGBT community] is forced to live through, due to discrimination.” Although this does not allow the rest of students to experience the complete extent of the discrimination, it will allow them to understand a small aspect.
Nielsen said that the school’s new transgender policy has helped to raise awareness, which might encourage students to participate.
At Bergen Tech, where Nielsen previously went to school, there was a Day of Silence and half of the school participated. Nielsen hopes there will be the same success at PV.
LGBT issues have been a major topic of discussion the last few weeks, especially since the new policy. Although there has been both positive and negative feedback, the policy has definitely increased awareness.
“If there is ever a question that anyone has,” Nielsen said, “it’s better to ask the question and learn from somebody who’s part of the community then be the ignorant and end up offending people later on.
