AU's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students broke their annual day of silence Monday by screaming in protest of discrimination against GLBT people, said KT Thirion, president of AU Queers and Allies.
Every year, members of Queers and Allies show their support for GLBT issues by not speaking for an entire day.
Along with the scream, a discussion session was held at the end of the day for participants to share their thoughts and feelings.
Jeremy Koss, a sophomore in the Kogod School of Business, said he didn't speak until 6 p.m.
"You really notice how much you rely on speaking," he said. "It was both fun and hard to figure out how to communicate without words."
Koss said many people noticed his silence since he is normally loud and boisterous. When others asked about his uncharacteristic behavior, Koss handed them a card that read: "My deliberate silence echoes that silence which is caused by harassment, prejudice and discrimination."
Jillian Rubino, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs, said her roommate walked around with her to explain why she was silent.
After breaking their silences, Queers and Allies members met to discuss issues faced by GLBT people.
The campus was very supportive and respectful of his mission, Koss said.
"Being silent is so difficult," said Ana Wieder-Blank, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences who participated.
Macaulay Thomas, vice president of Queers and Allies, said she noticed a huge difference in how students treat GLBT people and their allies after moving from the north side of campus to the south. On South Side, people use more derogatory terms, Thomas said.
One problem on campus is that transgender people aren't factored into the equation, Thomas said.
Group members also discussed working to get gender-neutral bathrooms in all campus buildings.
The group discussed differences in perceptions of gays and lesbians on campus, saying gays were more accepted because they're seen as social, well-dressed and cool while lesbians are seen as more of a novelty.
"Nobody looks twice when we hold hands on campus," said Jan Horner, a junior in SPA, speaking about her girlfriend. However, she has noticed others stare when they hold hands off
campus.
Wieder-Blank said she grew up in an Orthodox Jewish community in the D.C. area where lesbianism was not accepted.
"Coming to AU ... is the polar opposite," she said.
