79R12890 KO-D

By:  Coleman                                                      H.R. No. 1162



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Since 1998, a National Day of Silence has been 
observed on high school and college campuses across the country to 
raise awareness of the silencing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and 
transgender (LGBT) students in our schools and communities; and
	WHEREAS, Participants take a nine-hour vow of silence on that 
day to recognize and protest the harassment, prejudice, and 
discrimination that many LGBT individuals face on a daily basis; 
the Day of Silence enables participants to show in a highly visible 
way that they support LGBT rights and promote safety and respect for 
those individuals in their schools and communities; and
	WHEREAS, The vow of silence also provides a space for 
personal reflection about the consequences of being silent and 
silenced; LGBT students often feel forced to hide their sexual 
orientation, gender identity, or gender expression because they 
fear physical or verbal harassment; they might also be made to feel 
invisible by a school curriculum that makes no mention of LGBT 
people and events; and
	WHEREAS, By taking silence, a tool that traditionally has 
been used to deprive people of their voices and power, and turning 
it into an intentional group activity, participants in the Day of 
Silence truly make a powerful statement of resistance; and
	WHEREAS, Whether it is used to educate classmates on the 
damaging effects of anti-LGBT bias, to encourage inclusion of LGBT 
issues and events in school curricula, or to promote the adoption of 
nondiscrimination or anti-harassment policies, the observance of a 
National Day of Silence presents an important opportunity to create 
more inclusive school and community environments for all 
individuals; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby recognize the National Day of Silence on April 
13, 2005, and encourage all Texans to work toward the promotion of 
safety and respect in our schools and communities for everyone, 
regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender 
expression.