# Anybody Boycotting for Equality?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-boycotting-for-equality/266110>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 26, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-boycotting-for-equality/266110 "2004-09-26T02:15:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-boycotting-for-equality/266110/21 "2004-09-27T05:17:42Z")

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> [@fetus](#):
>
> Another important date (particularly for students, but anyone can participate in it) is that of the [Day of Silence](http://dayofsilence.com/), Wednesday, April 13th. It’s a student-led day where GLBT people and straight allies take a vow of silence for the day, and explain what they are doing by showing people small printouts explaining the day and its purpose. The idea is to get people to think about those they have silenced with their actions and words. The effect on a student body can be quite profound, and the things one hears on that day from objectors can be quite shocking, such as one gem from a couple of years ago when someone said “Transsexuals are fucked up in the head”.

I didn’t find out about that until about lunchtime on that day last year. I think the only reason it wasn’t that effective at our school is that so few kids (probably about 20 out of a student body of some 2000 or 3000) did it. Someone please start a thread and remind me this year?

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**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2004, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-boycotting-for-equality/266110/22 "2004-09-27T05:55:19Z")

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> [@Zoe](#):
>
> Why not just support the effort that day (if you support the cuase) rather than undermining it because another way could have been more effective? Offer your ideas, certainly! Make the next effort better, but take this step.

I agree with this.

It’s just like a protest. It doesn’t have to have a measurable economic effect, or result in an immediate change in policy. It is a way of expressing support for a particular position.

> [@DocCathode](#):
>
> Because things like this have no effect other than to make the participants feel that they have accomplished something and can stop working for change. It’s like wearing a button, without bothering to speak out to people, donate money or time to organizations, vote, contact politicians or do anything else.

Not at all.

Much as this might surprise you, it is possible to participate in something like this AND ALSO continue working for change. Activism is not a zero-sum game, where participating in one event means foregoing participation in another.

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