BREAKING THE SILENCE PARTY

DOORS OPEN AT 4PM AND CLOSE AT 11PM

DINNER, DANCING, DOOR PRIZES,

PERFORMANCES AND MORE!

YOUTH UP TO AGE 22 CAN JOIN THE PARTY

Supporting and Breaking the Silence Together
Youth First Texas and Dallas’ GLSEN chapter are partnering to support youth in this important day.  Thursday Youth First Texas will provide materials for the Day of Silence including masks, and postcards and stickers indicating their participation in the day of silence.

Friday the doors open at 4pm and the center will remain silent until 6pm when we break the silence and celebrate our accomplishments over dinner at the Youth First Texas Center, followed by a dance party and performances until 11pm.  Door prizes, and favors and a whole lot more at the breaking the silence party.

Please read on about this important and historical movement… (EXCERPTED FROM GLSEN’S WEBSITE)

The Truth about the Day of Silence

Every year, more and more students participate in the Day of Silence, which began 13 years ago when University of Virginia students wanted to find a way to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment on campus. As the day’s popularity and exposure have increased, many misperceptions have spread about what the Day of Silence is, why the day exists and what participating in it means. Here are 4 truths that address common misinformation about the Day of Silence.

The Day of Silence’s purpose is to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment and effective responses. The goal of the Day of Silence is to make schools safer for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. In a Harris Interactive study on bullying, students said two of the top three reasons students are harassed in school are actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender expression. Additionally, nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students experience harassment at school. Students across the country participate in the Day of Silence to bring attention to this problem, let students who experience such bullying know that they are not alone and ask schools to take action to address the problem.

Hundreds of thousands of students of all beliefs, backgrounds and sexual orientations participate in the Day of Silence. Anti-LGBT bullying and harassment affects all students. Slurs such as “faggot” and “dyke” are commonplace in school. The Day of Silence is an example of students, from middle school to college, working together proactively to bring attention to the anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment experienced by LGBT and straight students alike. GLSEN, the Day of Silence’s organizational sponsor, encourages participants to be counted by registering at www.dayofsilence.org. Students from nearly 8,000 middle and high schools registered for the 2008 Day of Silence. GLSEN protects the privacy of students and does not publish a list of students who have registered or their schools. Many students who participate also belong to Gay-Straight Alliance student clubs, of which nearly 4,000 are registered with GLSEN. The first GSA was created by a straight student over 20 years ago, in the fall of 1988.

Day of Silence participants encourage schools to implement proven solutions to address anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment. Adopt and implement a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that enumerates categories such as race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and gender expression/identity. Provide staff trainings to enable school staff to identify and address anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment effectively and in a timely manner. Support student efforts to address anti-LGBT bullying and harassment on campus, such as the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance. Institute age-appropriate, factually accurate and inclusive curricula to help students understand and respect difference within the school community and society as a whole.

The day is a positive educational experience. The Day of Silence is an opportunity for students to work toward improving school climate for all students. GLSEN advises students interested in participating to discuss their intentions with their administration and teachers long before the event. The day is most successful when schools and students work together to show their commitment to ensuring safe schools for all students. Many schools allow students’ participation throughout the day. Some schools ask students to speak as they normally would during class and remain silent during breaks and at lunch. There is no single way to participate, and students are encouraged to take part in the way that is the most positive and uplifting for their school. For the latest GLSEN findings about anti-LGBT bullying and harassment and the school experience go to: www.glsen.org/research

“We’re supporting the creation and growth of safer schools with a safe space for LGBTQ youth and their allies,” said Giancarlo Mossi, a YFT youth who worked to plan the event, “Be sure to pass the event on to people who you know will or might be interested! Lets make all of North Texas a safe space for all, starting with the leaders of tomorrow – our youth.”

For more information or to make a donation in support of this event please contact giancarlo.mossi@youthfirsttexas.org or visit the Facebook event page at http://www.facebook.com/events/143972809047566/.

The "man's man"

Like a Rock by Aunt Equality Melanie

A Hollywood icon, Rock Hudson was the epitome of a “man’s man,” his status as the paragon of heterosexuality seemingly secured through his films. But to Hollywood insiders, it was all an illusion, and it came toppling down for the American public when he disclosed that he had AIDS. Looking back over his body of work, there are the occasional clues, waiting for the right audience to pick up on them. Man’s Favorite Sport? is one such film, and Aunt Equality Melanie does a great job of breaking down the film from a queer perspective, providing a much-appreciated foundation as Movie Camp gears up for a special screening of the film, complete with a Goldfish buffet, this coming Tuesday.

Draconis VonTrapp

What’s in a Name (Change)? by Draconis VonTrapp

One of the most important, and symbolic, moments in the life of a transgendered person is the moment they decide upon and adopt their ‘true’ name. But, as youth Draconis VonTrapp points out, this is not the easiest of processes. From potentially exorbitant fees to the confusing intricacies of the bureaucratic system, Draconis outlines his own journey as he puts the paperwork together and then takes the all-important step of getting a court date.

Pink Triangle

Always Remember, Never Forget by Kenny Schreiber

When it comes to the Holocaust and World War II, the persecution of the Jews is probably the first thing that comes to people’s minds. But they were not the only group targeted by the Third Reich. Also included were the Roma, or gypsies, the handicapped, and homosexuals, among others. Through September 5, The Dallas Holocaust Museum is featuring an exhibit that details the persecution of homosexuals during the Holocaust. As volunteer Kenny Schreiber notes in his blog entry, some people may feel an odd sense of déjà vu while reading the arguments of the Nazis. Rumor has it that YFT is planning an outing to the museum, so stay tuned for details.

International fashion photographer Matt Spencer is breaking the world record for the largest photo mosaic by traveling around the world to capture thousands of individual photos of people from all walks of life who are committed to human rights, civil liberties, and equality in our communities and around the world.

His project involves 175 cities all over the world. The 8,000 sq./ft mosaic will be made up of over 125,000 individual photos and will feature thousands of unique personal stories. This all-inclusive campaign supports the right of EVERYONE to step up and talk about the issues and causes that mean the most of them.

If you support or believe in any of these causes, then your story is important:

Womens Rights, Ending Child Slavery, Immigration Reform, LGBT Civil Protections, Environment, Sustainable Farming, Disability Rights, Marriage Equality, Net Neutrality, Religious Freedom, Haiti Relief, Ending Female Genital Mutilation, Polygamy, Gender Equality, Organic Farms, Fuel Independence, Education Reform, Domestic Violence, Health Care Reform, Transgender Education, Civil Rights, Literacy, Autism, Incest Rape Survivors, Recovering Drug Addiction…

AND THERE ARE COUNTLESS MORE!

EVENT DETAILS

LOCATION: Aloft Dallas Downtown
DATE: 25-JUN-2011
TIME: 11:00am – 11:00pm
*Participants can come anytime during the day to get their photo and be part of history.
With a quick registration & temporary tattoo, the process is less than 5 min.

Find the event online:

EVENT WEBSITE: http://iamequalproject.org/events/dallas-2011/
FACEBOOK EVENT: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=216759855012861

Help GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) inform education policymakers and the public about what’s really going on in our nation’s schools by completing the 2011 National School Climate Survey, GLSEN’s seventh national survey about the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth in school.

If you attended high school or middle school sometime during the last school year (2010-2011) and are at least 13 years old, tell us about your experiences in school.  (If you did not complete
the entire school year you can still participate in the survey.)  The survey is anonymous.

For more info and to complete the survey online, visit: www.glsen.org/2011survey.

While the ride down to Austin was a little cramped for some, there was an overall feeling of excitement throughout, and when they arrived at Out Youth Austin, they had a great time getting to know everyone down there. Once they reached the hotel, it was only a matter of time before everyone passed out for the night.

Monday brought with it a brief training session, to make sure that everyone understood how to talk and interact with the legislators, then it was off to the Capitol Building to promote Asher’s Law. The youth were glad to find that many of the people they talked with were very friendly, and appeared to care about what they had to say, though they weren’t surprised when a few were less than welcoming. The highlight of the day was the chance to speak before the Texas Board of Education, which everyone agreed was an amazing experience. Their first day’s work done, the youth went and had a delicious barbecue dinner, and one youth had an enlightening discussion with a talking cow’s head.

The first order of business for Tuesday was packing everything up so that they were ready to go. Then it was back to the Capitol, where the topic of the day was the Education Works bill. The youth all agreed that LGBT-inclusive sex education was necessary in schools, and they did their best to convince legislators. The car ride home was relatively quiet, as the long day had left many youth ready to nap, at least until they stopped for dinner.

The youth who kept a record of their thoughts all spoke at some length about how they felt the trip was not only “a blast,” but it also “made an impact,” because many of them have been bullied, or know friends and other youth who have been bullied. They were all grateful to have been a part of the experience and really hoped that they “had made a difference” during Lobby Day 2011.

My thanks to the three youth who contributed to this article, as well as the volunteers who chaperoned, for providing me with the necessary information to create an overall record of their experiences.

SPEAKING UP | Members of Youth First Texas gather in Sen. Florence Shapiro’s office on Monday, March 7, as part of Equality Texas’ Lobby Day efforts. The teens visited lawmakers to tell their personal stories of bullying and harassment in order to get support of anti-bullying measures now being considered by the Legislature. (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)

Teens tell lawmakers personal stories of bullying, suicide attempts

DAVID TAFFET  |  Staff Writer
taffet@dallasvoice.com

Ten teens from Youth First Texas went to Austin to talk to legislators about anti-bullying legislation on March 7. They joined about 350 LGBT activists and allies from around the state who came for Equality Texas lobby day.

Equality Texas executive director Dennis Coleman talked to the group about coming back to Austin later in the session to testify before committees that will hear testimony about the proposed laws.

As they rehearsed their stories, trying to pare them down to one minute each, the teens realized that they wouldn’t be able to speak to every representative and senator personally. But because they believed their personal stories could make a difference in the way lawmakers vote, the teens began brainstorming on how to get their stories out.

They came up with the idea of recording their stories to DVD to send to each senator and representative. The teens planned to start the project as soon as they returned to Dallas.

The group’s first stop in the Capitol on Monday was the office of Sen. Florence Shapiro of Plano, who represents the district in which three of the teens live.

YFT member Giancarlo Mossi, one of the three living in Shapiro’s district, began telling the group’s story to two legislative aides. He said he was regularly called a faggot at Plano Senior High School, and other students threw things at him on the bus.

Reporting it didn’t make a difference and the harassment continued through graduation, Mossi said.

Pierce Magnus is still in school. He walks with a cane and said he has always been treated differently. At best, other students give him the coldshoulder, something that’s been going on since middle school. At one point, he tried to kill himself.

After his suicide attempt failed, Magnus said, he was put in an institution and is now on medication. He blames the suicide attempt on bullying and harassment by other students and the indifference with which the school staff reacted.

“That’s a terrible way to go through high school,” Magnus said.

Alice Nightingale said that her high school teachers know how she’s treated and don’t do anything about it.

“I stood up for myself once and got suspended,” she said. “It seems like we try and just do more harm.”

Magnus and Nightingale also live in Shapiro’s district.

The students were lobbying lawmakers to vote for Asher’s Law, Rep. Garnet Coleman’s anti-bullying bill that he renamed this week and reintroduced into the Texas House of Representatives. Sen.

Wendy Davis of Fort Worth introduced anti-bullying legislation in the Senate that will be heard in Shapiro’s education committee.

Mossi said that passing Asher’s Law was crucial.

“I try to let people know they’re not alone,” he said. “But I’m not in high school anymore.”

Magnus said that YFT is a safe space, but “Passing this law will make schools a safe space, too.”

Sen. John Carona’s office was the group’s next stop. Carona represents Richardson, the Park Cities, parts of Garland and most of North Dallas. Other YFT members explained their experiences to Carona’s staff.

Elliott Puckett said that when he was attacked in the bathroom at his high school, the principal told him he brought it on himself.

“I’ve been through so much bullying,” said YFT member William Morvant, “I almost became one of those statistics.”

He tried killing himself three times, he said.

“I’ll be graduating from school soon,” Morvant said. “But I don’t want others going through this.”

Morvant was among those who had also spoken at a Dallas Independent School District meeting before their new anti-bullying policy was adopted.

After their morning lobbying session, the group walked across the Capitol lawn toward First United Methodist Church on Lavaca Street, where Equality Texas provided lunch.

They returned to speak to more legislators in the afternoon and stayed through Tuesday for a second day of lobbying.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition March 11, 2011.

The Equality Texas Lobby Day 2011 will focus on a comprehensive anti-bullying bill for public schools and other important issues.   The Texas Freedom Network Youth Advocacy Day 2011 will focus on the Education Works bill and sex education that is inclusive of issues important to LGBT teens.

Participants from Youth First Texas will meet on Sunday, March 6th to make the drive down to Austin, will stay in Austin for two nights and will return on Tuesday evening.  The Youth Board is sponsoring a rental van for the trip with each youth and volunteer attending asked to chip in $50 towards travel and hotel costs and bring money for food and incidentals.  Youth with financial hardships can request a sponsorship for the travel costs with several sponsorships being offered from individual members of the Board of Directors.  Youth under 18 years of age must have parental consent forms turned in to participate.  Participation letters for students to request excused absences from school will also be provided.

For more information on the trip or to get copies of the permission slips please contact Jeremy Liebbe (jeremy.liebbe@youthfirsttexas.org) or click on the Facebook event link after the jump!

Links:
Equality Texas — http://www.equalitytexas.org/
Texas Freedom Network — http://www.tfn.org
Equality Texas FaceBook — http://www.facebook.com/EqualityTexas
Texas Freedom Network FaceBook — http://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Freedom-Network/27927698033
YFT’s Event on Facebook — http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=200688946609709

The original posting may be found

“Sticks and stones may break my bones…”

We can all finish the rhyme. We can say that we believe “words will never hurt me,” but the problem is that words all too often lead to actions, and while words themselves may not hurt immediately, the actions they provoke can scar, mutilate, even destroy.

Billy Lucas. Cody J. Barker. Seth Walsh. Tyler Clementi. Asher Brown. Harrison Chase Brown. Raymond Chase. Felix Sacco. Caleb Nolt.

These are their names; these are the identifiers by which they should be known, not by numbers that document a recent uptick in suicides due to anti-LGBTQ bullying. Methods may have differed, but the cause, and the result, were the same. These nine voices have been silenced, these nine spirits no longer burn brightly here on earth. Whatever Billy, Cody, Seth, Tyler, Asher, Harrison, Raymond, Felix and Caleb had to offer the world, we can now only hope that it will be transformed into a movement to stop not just anti-LGBTQ bullying, but all bullying.

These deaths are a wake-up call to all of us. For those of us who have been lucky to have support and friends around us, it reminds that what affects one can affect many, and that no one should feel like a lesser being because of who they are. For those of us who have endured the taunting, the jeering, we are reminded that strength in the face of great adversity can lead to great triumph.

Now is the time for us to have compassion; now is the time for us to reveal our strength. Foremost, we should have compassion for one another, for we are all in this together. It is not a fight for one of us to face alone, it is a battle that we all must greet head-on. Our  move should be educational in nature, to stamp out the ignorance so many possess. Through enlightenment, fear of the unknown is stamped out. Through knowledge, progress can be made, and the wrongs we rally against today can become the whispers of the past tomorrow.

Billy, Cody, Seth, Tyler, Asher, Harrison, Raymond, Felix and Caleb may have moved on from this life, but we are here to remember. We are here to act.

Bullying, whether it is anti-LGBTQ or any other prejudice, is a tool of the weak, a weapon of the fearful. This practice must be stopped, and those who wield it must learn that doing so is just as harmful to themselves as it is to those they target.

Do not be afraid to speak up. You never know whose life you will end up saving.

The Trevor Project is a national 24-hour suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth (866-4-U-TREVOR). Even if you think you don’t need the number, it’s likely that you know someone who might. Open the lines of communication with those around you.

DALLAS  – Gay and lesbian youth from Youth First Texas  demonstrated at a silent flash mob Friday at the Rosa Parks Plaza to  honor the National Day of Silence.

With their mouth covered in  duct tape and homemade surgical mask, the youth joined hundreds of  thousands of students nationwide to take a vow of silence to bring  attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in their  schools.

The flash mob took place at 5 p.m. in which participants  literally froze in place for five minutes while other park patrons  continued on with their daily lives. Some park patrons were confused  while others stood stunned at the sight of the frozen youth.

After  the flash mob ended at the Plaza, the youth started phase two of their  silent protest on a one-mile train ride to the Southern Methodist  University campus where a “Breaking the Silence” event was being held by  the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network.

Founded in 1996, the Day of Silence has become the largest single  student-led action towards creating safer schools for all, regardless of  sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

In a bold move, President Barack Obama on Thursday in support of  LGBT rights presented a memorandum to the Department of Health and Human  Services to establish a rule that would prevent hospitals from denying  visitation privileges to gay and lesbian partners.

“There are few moments in our lives that call for greater compassion  and companionship than when a loved one is admitted to the hospital.  … Yet every day, all across America, patients are denied the  kindnesses and caring of a loved one at their sides,” the president  said.

Obama ordered that any hospital receiving Medicare and Medicaid  funding must allow patients to decide who can visit them and prohibit  discrimination based on a variety of characteristics, including sexual  orientation and gender identity.