On April 15th many students across North America will be participating in a protest event led by GLSEN ( Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network ) called Day of Silence. Here are some of my thoughts surrounding this day of protest. I don't necessarily disagree with many of the objectives within this protest. I do not agree with bullying of any kind. I can look back to my years in elementary school and can testify to being targeted myself. Why did I become a target of bullying? In many ways because I just didn't fit in. There were many reasons why I had become a target. I developed faster then the average girl, I had a slightly larger bone structure then the average girl and I wasn't really excessively over weight either! I had an average height and average weight and had been quite athletic. I played all kinds of sports but excelled in baseball and remained active rollerblading all throughout my late teens and early 20's. I certainly did not fit what was stereotypically girly. Since I developed far quicker then the average girl I became the first to stand out and to look a bit different. At that particular time I didn't have a Mother or a healthy role modal around to help me transition into womanhood and so I fought against becoming a woman tooth and nail. If I had an older woman to help me adjust to all the changes that were happening perhaps I might have been able to embrace this thing called femininity and grew to have an appreciation for being a woman. Instead I began to believe that being a woman meant that I was less than and inferior to other men. I began to believe that it was a negative thing to be a woman. Having a twin brother and no friends of my own and my interests being gravitated towards what boys were typically interested in it seemed quite natural for me to be playing baseball, street hockey, and football. I can remember the day when the boys refused to play tackle football with me and places "special rules" around me because I was a girl and might get hurt if tackled to the ground so tackle football became touch football. I showed them boys when I tackled them to the ground, I showed them I could be just as tough and take a beating while I was at it but that didn't last long. My elementary school years were completely hell. In elementary school I ended up being transferred into 3 different elementary schools all because of bullying, unfortunately instead of justice happening I ended up being the one to get removed instead of the bullying and the bullies being addressed.
Here are a few points that really have me concerned about the Day of Silence protest, the idea is not a bad one but some of the agenda behind it has many concerned and I believe for good reason. It goes well beyond simply bringing awareness to bullying and more specifically homophobic bullying. The students participating in this protest will often times bring in their own speakers and to present one viewpoint with regards to homosexuality, and one viewpoint only. They will also encourage teachers to have a moment before class starts and just as class ends to show solidarity with GLSEN's agenda as well as have GLSEN's recommended material and books out in the classroom. What is disturbing and what could be called into question is that many of GLSEN's recommended materials and books are very sexually graphic and also have negative and disparaging viewpoints about a lot of religious groups. It really necessitates the need to bring awareness to the diverse responses to homosexuality and a response from Christians who agree that bullying needs to be stopped and who yet disagree with the homosexual lifestyle. The protest itself necessitates a response by those who can reflect Christ while responding to an issue that the Day of Silence brings awareness to. Our schools should become a safe places where diversity and tolerance can be respected even among religious groups. The point is, not everyone believes that same sex relationship is a viable option as it is in direct conflict with their faith despite continued same sex attraction. Bringing awareness into our schools, education, and encouraging dialogue can only serve to minimize the stigma associated with homosexuality. Dialogue can only serve to promote true tolerance and true diversity. The Day of Dialogue shouldn't be seen as a religious group seeking to proselytize students but rather to bring in another viewpoint to an issue that the Day of Silence brings awareness to. It could also be a safe place where students can actually learn to practice real true authentic tolerance and diversity. Real true tolerance and diversity can only truly be practiced when conflicting views, lifestyles, ethnicities, and religious groups come together under one roof and in one room while giving an opportunity towards learning to look past differences and to see our shared humanity. At least, when I continue to live my life I desire authenticity, honesty, and integrity. I'm not less integral or less honest because I've chosen not to identify myself as gay or lesbian and I'm not less honest and less integral because I've chosen a life beyond homosexuality. In fact, I'd be less honest and less integral if my lifestyle were not congruent with my faith. My relationship with Jesus has led me down a specific path that not many take but it's nonetheless my journey and I'm taking ownership of my journey. Quite frankly, I can't see that to be anything but honest and integral, can you?
The years I attended school the whole South Delta area seemed to be plagued with suicides. I have had at least two cousins who committed suicide. I was very troubled in my early years as well and the bullying had been one of a few different reasons that drove me to thoughts of suicide. The only reason I didn't follow through with suicide is because I had found hope in Christ. There came an intervention for me in the name of Jesus. I had the most incredible Youth Pastor along with his incredible wife to mentor me through some of the most tumultuous times of my life. They showed this incredible amount of grace and yet never backed down from speaking truth. And believe you me the mentoring relationship was not void of conflict. Out of that conflict I grew to respect my Youth Pastor and his wife. We sometimes polarize grace and truth when really we were never meant to understand one without the other. It is grace, tolerance, and education that really goes along way to the prevention of bullying and it would be nice to promote anti-bullying without some form of agenda behind it other than to simply prevent bullying from happening.
Here are a few points that really have me concerned about the Day of Silence protest, the idea is not a bad one but some of the agenda behind it has many concerned and I believe for good reason. It goes well beyond simply bringing awareness to bullying and more specifically homophobic bullying. The students participating in this protest will often times bring in their own speakers and to present one viewpoint with regards to homosexuality, and one viewpoint only. They will also encourage teachers to have a moment before class starts and just as class ends to show solidarity with GLSEN's agenda as well as have GLSEN's recommended material and books out in the classroom. What is disturbing and what could be called into question is that many of GLSEN's recommended materials and books are very sexually graphic and also have negative and disparaging viewpoints about a lot of religious groups. It really necessitates the need to bring awareness to the diverse responses to homosexuality and a response from Christians who agree that bullying needs to be stopped and who yet disagree with the homosexual lifestyle. The protest itself necessitates a response by those who can reflect Christ while responding to an issue that the Day of Silence brings awareness to. Our schools should become a safe places where diversity and tolerance can be respected even among religious groups. The point is, not everyone believes that same sex relationship is a viable option as it is in direct conflict with their faith despite continued same sex attraction. Bringing awareness into our schools, education, and encouraging dialogue can only serve to minimize the stigma associated with homosexuality. Dialogue can only serve to promote true tolerance and true diversity. The Day of Dialogue shouldn't be seen as a religious group seeking to proselytize students but rather to bring in another viewpoint to an issue that the Day of Silence brings awareness to. It could also be a safe place where students can actually learn to practice real true authentic tolerance and diversity. Real true tolerance and diversity can only truly be practiced when conflicting views, lifestyles, ethnicities, and religious groups come together under one roof and in one room while giving an opportunity towards learning to look past differences and to see our shared humanity. At least, when I continue to live my life I desire authenticity, honesty, and integrity. I'm not less integral or less honest because I've chosen not to identify myself as gay or lesbian and I'm not less honest and less integral because I've chosen a life beyond homosexuality. In fact, I'd be less honest and less integral if my lifestyle were not congruent with my faith. My relationship with Jesus has led me down a specific path that not many take but it's nonetheless my journey and I'm taking ownership of my journey. Quite frankly, I can't see that to be anything but honest and integral, can you?
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