In the noisy amphitheater of Rocklin High School campus, students silently donned stickers of explanation as part of an interschool demonstration on behalf of equality despite differences.

On April 21, a faction of RHS students participated in the Day of Silence, a national reflection of the oppression gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people suffer from, organized by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The silence is meant to make more people aware of the abuse and discrimination people are subject to due to their sexual orientation.

RHS senior Brian Crites, who is also a part of the Rocklin chapter of Gay-Straight Alliance, organized the school’s protest. “The protest is a national youth movement,” said Crites. “Day of Silence was brought to my attention four years ago in our Gay-Straight Alliance here at school.”

The demonstration required all participants to take a vow of silence for the time between the starting school bells until the end of the day at 2:35 pm. Students attended regular classes and partook in activities as usual, but they all wore stickers explaining their reasons for silence and their requests for respect.

According to Crites, an estimated 180 to 200 students participated in the protest, whether as a formal part of the organized silence or on their own. Among them was Rocklin freshman Carlee Franceschini.

“I felt that in some ways [the silence] was ineffective because we couldn’t really say anything when people were making fun of it, but I think that it really showed a lot of people that there are those who support [the gays and lesbians],” said Franceschini.

Among those who participated, there were a variety of reasons for doing so, but most of the students took part in the protest to express their belief that homosexuals should have the same civil liberties as heterosexuals.

Ari Frink, Rocklin freshman, was a participant in the silence. “For me, it wasn’t about changing opinions, it’s about showing that discrimination is wrong… and it’s about letting people know that there are people being silenced,” said Frink.

Some people were in objection to the protest, most due to opinions about what goes on between the gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people, but some oppose civil rights for homosexuals due to religious and moral teachings.

An anonymous RHS sophomore objected to the protest on grounds of nature. “Our bodies were made in a certain way for a certain purpose,” she said. “To alter that purpose is wrong… and when people of the same gender engage in a sexual relationship, then the meaning and purpose of a marriage is lost.”

Freshman Scott Shugart also commented on the protest with a hackneyed quote from singer Little Richard. “I don’t think we should support gay rights, because God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.”

Many “Silence” participants were subject to accusations from objectors. “I have been called [gay or fag] as long as I can remember, but I myself am not gay,” Crites said. “I met a lot of people who said, ‘I respect that,’ and I also had the chance to encounter individuals who took it upon themselves to insult me and call me a ‘gay faggot’… when in actuality I feel that the word ‘gay’ should be something to be proud of.”

Frink expressed his opinion and tried to help people understand his point of view through the silence. He later said, “If you have a gay family member or a gay friend or if you know someone who’s gay, if someone is making fun of them stand up for them and understand that they get this everywhere they go and it’s such a powerful thing if you can understand where they are coming from.”

The National Day of Silence was first organized in 1996 at the University of Virginia, and with over 150 students participating it was deemed a success by the organizers. This motivated then-18 year old student and creator Maria Pulzetti to help take the movement national.

The movement has spread across the country, and even to Australia. In 2002, over 1900 schools hosted protests and over 100,000 students participated.

The Gay-Straight Alliance is currently not affiliated with Rocklin High School due to controversy over its appropriateness. Students interested in the club can contact Brian Crites or freshman counselor Carrie McHan for more information.