< Back | Home

[Left to right]: Walter Lang and Rob Adair swing dance during the P.R.I.D.E. Day of Silence celebration. The Day of Silence is a project sponsored by the LGBT to bring attention to bullying, harrassment and name-calling.

P.R.I.D.E. celebrates Day of Silence with dance

By: Jessica Burk

Posted: 4/30/08

Walter Lang and his partner moved across the dance floor with all eyes on them. Around them, gay and straight couples stood chatting and dancing, as well.

Lang was one of many UA students and members of the UA organization P.R.I.D.E (People Respecting Individual Differences and Equality) celebrating the National Day of Silence with a prom at the Unitarian Universalists Church Friday.

The Day of Silence is a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and student-led day of action when concerned students - from middle school to college - take some form of a vow of silence to bring attention to the name-calling, bullying and harassment experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and their allies, according to the Day of Silence Web site.

This year's Day of Silence was held in honor of Lawrence King, a 15-year-old student from Oxnard, Calif., who was shot and killed on Feb. 12 by a 14-year-old classmate because of King's sexual orientation and gender expression, according to the Day of Silence Web site.

"The Day of Silence can be a very unhappy event. We [wanted] to make it upbeat and bring some joy to everyone's day," said Jessica Lange, vice president of public relations.

Lange said P.R.I.D.E encourages students to speak up in class but stay silent during other times, such as lunch. At the end of the day, people traditionally get together to break the silence and talk about their days.

P.R.I.D.E members wanted to do some of the traditional things, but they also wanted to have an opportunity to dress up like other organizations do, Lange said.

"We want to create a nice welcoming environment so everyone can be themselves for an evening," she said.

Students who attended the event said they enjoyed themselves.

Sophomore Richard Bellamy said he definitely was having a lot of fun, and the event gave him a chance to meet people with whom he had more things in common.

"It's definitely a more relaxed atmosphere than most are," he said.

Bellamy also said he would attend other P.R.I.D.E events if he got the chance.

Walter Lang, UA student and P.R.I.D.E officer, said he never passes up an opportunity to dance.

"I'm the DJ, and I do have the hottest date here," he said.

Lang said he didn't have the biggest expectations for numbers in people attending, but he was happy with the turnout.

"We're a tight-knit group of friends, and hanging out with friends is always fun," he said.

Becca West, vice president of P.R.I.D.E., said the organization had more things planned for the National Day of Silence, but the rain interfered with some of the events.

"We had a guest speaker who was going to speak at the Peace Fountain, but it started raining and we had to get all of the equipment inside," she said. "The prom was Jessica's idea. It's her baby."

Lange said she was happy with the turnout and the decorations.

"We're really looking forward to doing this again and trying to make it a bigger event," she said.

The UA group plans to host a dead day picnic in Hotz Park.

"We are [also] looking at starting a mentoring program to encourage gay, lesbian, and bi [people] to higher education," Lange said. "[We want to] let them know it's not the end of the world if you're gay."