Equality Texas has launched an advocacy campaign, "Stop the Madness" in support of pending Anti-Bullying legislation in the Texas House of Representatives.

Our YouTube Channel video can be viewed at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bxIij85f24

The bill, HB 1323 by Representative Mark Strama, has been voted out of committee and could reach the full House as early as next week.

Texas residents can take action in support of this important bill at:
http://eqfed.org/campaign/stopthemadness

Stop the madness.

Chuck Smith
Equality Texas
Deputy Director

When I was in high school, closeted and very nervous about what might happen if I came out, it was really emotional to see people with white bands that represented the people like me who were scared into being quiet. It felt like every person I saw with a white band was doing it specially for me. By the next Day of Silence, I was out and participated proudly. Aw, I'm getting teary-eyed at work now...

I'm an LGBT student in Mexico. Day of Silence doesn't happen here, but I would very much like to start doing it next year :) It's a great, unaggressive yet powerful, way of making a statement and contributing to end discrimination.

I'm an LGBT student in Mexico. Day of Silence doesn't happen here, but I would very much like to start doing it next year :) It's a great, unaggressive yet powerful, way of making a statement and contributing to end discrimination.

This is my least active day of the week, and as I was walking this cop pulls over and parks near me. Doesn't flag me down, doesn't flip his lights or get out. So I keep walking, right? I look back a couple times, and that's all he does. He's just sitting there. I think it was meant as intimidation though, because I was wearing a black t-shirt with a bright pink bomb on it that said QUEER.

Other than that, I was well-received with the exception of a few glances

I am the GSA advisor at a small private high school in Minneapolis, MN. We have been observing the Day of Silence for at least 8 years. This year, at our school of approximately 500 students, 123 members of our community participated. This was astonishing, as in the past, more like 60-70 people participated.
It isn't a surprise that our school has an inclusive non-discrimination clause (which explicitly includes sexual orientation and gender identity) and includes those same descriptors in its diversity clause. We have weekly GSA meetings, usually "standing room only," with some 40 students, faculty and staff in attendance.We also have "out" students, staff and faculty in our community.
It's not hard to see why such actions as the Day of Silence go over well in our environment. That doesn't mean it's easy to be a queer member of our community. But it does mean that GLBT folks are aware of the support and alliance that surrounds them. And of course, ultimately, we are all better students and educators as a result of the increased level of safety for all to be who they truly are. For, "if all of us aren't safe, none of us is."
Congratulations to all who conducted successful Day of Silence activities.