The Queer Straight Alliance led a three-hour demonstration as part of their celebration of the National Day of Silence starting at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Main Quad.

Some QSA members took vows of silence, covering their mouths with tape, to demonstrate against discrimination and hatred faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth.

The National Day of Silence, founded in 1996, is the largest student-led event that promotes safer schools for all students, regardless of sexual or gender orientation, according to the organization’s website.

Banners and picket signs were displayed throughout the quad, promoting LGBT rights.

On the ground of the Quad there were outlines of bodies made of red tape, each one representing a person who either committed suicide or was killed because of his or her sexual orientation.

Some of the silenced members of the QSA acted out skits including one about bullying at a school.

Students for a Democratic Society and the Latino Student Alliance also officially supported the demonstration and members of each club participated in the event.

“I haven’t seen [club solidarity] since I’ve been here for two years,” said SDS president Brian Donovan.

Donovan also said he liked seeing students participating in an event at school besides just attending class.

QSA president Kimberly Mendoza said she was proud of the event and hoped it would bring people together against discrimination.

“It’s discrimination whether you are male, female [or] LGBT,” Mendoza said. “It happens everyday and people are silenced because of that.”

While most students were in favor of the event, not everyone agreed with the QSA’s tactics.

“I support QSA 100 percent, and I completely believe in gay rights fully,” said Rane Stark, 19. “It’s not just the most effective protest tool to be using.”

The Day of Silence was overshadowed by the anti-abortionist group Project Truth, whose members displayed graphic posters of aborted fetuses in the Main Quad right next to the QSA area.

“It’s really unfortunate the fundamentalist, theocratic, Christian fascists came out today,” said Michael Thurman, a protestor against Project Truth and supporter of the Day of Silence.

However, the QSA was still happy with their event, and Mendoza was clear why they were out there.

“We’re still fighting,” Mendoza said. “We all have common ground, and it’s not just what you are. It’s who you are as a person.”

Contact Jonathan Roisman at [email protected]