Last Friday Marquette students took part in multiple acts of solidarity with the LGBT community across campus, including participation in the national “Day of Silence,” where students opt to be silent for a majority of the day to raise awareness for those silenced by anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools. In addition to being silent, students also wore handmade shirts with slogans, “No H8,” “Legalize Love” and “Str8 against H8.”

At 3:45 p.m., members of Marquette’s Gender Sexuality Alliance gathered around the Joan of Arc Chapel to break their silence, take photos and talk about their experiences that day. After, they marched around campus together and entered the Brew Bayou in the Alumni Memorial Union to gather with other students who participated.

The GSA, in partnership with Multicultural Affairs, sponsored that event, “Breaking the Silence,” at 4 p.m. in the Brew where, students shared stories about coming out, opposition they have faced and their hopes for equality in the future.

The Day of Silence was founded in 1996 and is the largest single student-led action that works for safer schools, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The first ever Day of Silence occurred at the University of Virginia and has since become a national movement in middle schools, high schools and colleges.

At press time Monday, several students who participated in the event were either unreachable or did not wish to comment.