The Day of Silence, honestly, was very annoying for me.
It was hard being silent,
even though I volunteered for the event and was happy to participate.
Teachers were asking questions,
and I really wanted to give my opinion, but I couldn't.
It was especially tedious when the teachers started saying,
"Really, no one knows?"
and I felt like, "I know the answer! I just can't talk."
I usually participate a lot in the classroom,
and now I could not.
It made me feel a little stupid.
The most memorable thing from the event is when a person in my class said something insulting to me,
and although it was nothing serious and I didn't really take offence,
it was meant to offend me.
It really bothered me that I was helpless to respond,
although I probably wouldn't have responded even if I could talk.
The mere fact that I had no choice but to remain silent is what truly irritated me.
Not talking to friends was actually pretty easy for me.
Especially since they understood that I was doing the Day of Silence and did not press me to speak.
I do have to admit,
I did not stay silent the entire day,
and when I did talk it was to say "sorry," after I had bumped into someone,
or when someone else had bumped into me.
I'm just wired to spit out "sorrys" to people;
probably as result of my mother's strict standards.
Thanks Mom, you forced me talk on the day of Silence.
And something else that bothered me was that I overheard a student say
that they purposefully bumped into people who were supposed to stay silent to try and make them say sorry,
thereby forcing them to speak.
It angered me how she treated it as a game,
to stay silent simply for the sake of silence,
and although some people did it for this reason,
that is not what the event was about.
It was meant to expose people to the silence that the LGBT community has to face.
I do realize that even though I was silent for the day,
I did not really face the same things that silent LGBT youth have to face.
I was actively trying to be silent,
whereas they are constantly trying to be heard.
I am grateful to have participated in the event,
and will definitely do it again next year.