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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.