Students took a vow of silence on April 17 during an event to raise awareness for gay and lesbian rights.

The Day of Silence was held for the first time on the Boca campus. Students involved protested the harassment that the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community has faced by putting duct tape over their mouths and handing out event information to other students.

They also collected signatures for a petition to get a resolution passed at FAU that would help protect students against harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“Because I am a student leader on campus who happens to be gay, I thought it was important to host events like this and show some across-campus awareness [for gay and lesbian rights] outside of just the Gay-Straight Alliance and Lambda United,” says Carly Cass, executive board member for the Resident Student Association.

The event was started at the University of Virginia in 1996, when more than 150 students participated.

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Campus organizations who hosted the Day of Silence:

The Resident Student Association
National Recognition of Honorary Halls
Lambda United
Criminal Justice Club
Student Government
College Democrats
Housing and Residential Life
Peer Education Team
Counseling Center
Victim Services and Victim Advocate Angie Gifford
Student Minds Advocating Rational Though
Human Rights Campaign
Gay American Heroes