Day of Silence 2011 in St. Petersburg: We Were Silent and We Were Heard
18/04/2011
Submitted by
Coming Out of St. Petersburg
Day of Silence 2011 in St. Petersburg: We Were Silent and We Were Heard
More than 50 people, members of the LGBT organization Coming Out (www.comingoutspb.ru), joined the International youth effort - the Day of Silence - to protest against the silencing of discrimination, humiliation and violence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and their allies.
The Day of Silence action consisted of three stages:
Day of Silence posters were placed on bulletin boards of major universities of the city in an awareness-raising campaign effort.
On April 15 information leaflets were faxed to the city administration, the courts and the prosecutor's office, dean's offices of universities and major mass media of the city in a fax flash-mob effort. In total 120 faxes were sent.
On April 16, as mentioned above, a street flash mob took place. More than 50 people with their mouths taped shut with red tape walked along the Nevsky Prospect – the main boulevard in the center of the city - handing out leaflets. Over 1000 leaflets were handed out.
The reaction of most people during the campaign was positive to the extent that some passers-by even joined the flash mob. A minor run-in with the police ended on a friendly note, with the police and the participants taking photos of each other. Regional media also took interest in the action (http://comingoutspb.ru/ru/smi-o-nas).
"We were silent and we were heard. This is a traditional action, and every year we see more and more understanding on the streets of the unacceptability of humiliation and violence, regardless against whom they are directed," - says Igor Kochetkov, director of the LGBT organization Coming Out.
Photographs here:
http://comingoutspb.ru/ru/gallery?sid=1&gid=13#1_13
Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na1ZMQnbM1Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcbxXCu-om4
About the Day of Silence
Day of Silence is an international youth effort during which hundreds of thousands of young people protest against the oppression of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Russia participates in the Day of Silence since 2008.
More than 50 people, members of the LGBT organization Coming Out (www.comingoutspb.ru), joined the International youth effort - the Day of Silence - to protest against the silencing of discrimination, humiliation and violence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and their allies.
The Day of Silence action consisted of three stages:
Day of Silence posters were placed on bulletin boards of major universities of the city in an awareness-raising campaign effort.
On April 15 information leaflets were faxed to the city administration, the courts and the prosecutor's office, dean's offices of universities and major mass media of the city in a fax flash-mob effort. In total 120 faxes were sent.
On April 16, as mentioned above, a street flash mob took place. More than 50 people with their mouths taped shut with red tape walked along the Nevsky Prospect – the main boulevard in the center of the city - handing out leaflets. Over 1000 leaflets were handed out.
The reaction of most people during the campaign was positive to the extent that some passers-by even joined the flash mob. A minor run-in with the police ended on a friendly note, with the police and the participants taking photos of each other. Regional media also took interest in the action (http://comingoutspb.ru/ru/smi-o-nas).
"We were silent and we were heard. This is a traditional action, and every year we see more and more understanding on the streets of the unacceptability of humiliation and violence, regardless against whom they are directed," - says Igor Kochetkov, director of the LGBT organization Coming Out.
Photographs here:
http://comingoutspb.ru/ru/gallery?sid=1&gid=13#1_13
Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na1ZMQnbM1Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcbxXCu-om4
About the Day of Silence
Day of Silence is an international youth effort during which hundreds of thousands of young people protest against the oppression of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Russia participates in the Day of Silence since 2008.
