There is a saying that “silence is golden.”

For members of Alliance, Butler University’s student-led LGBTQ advocacy group, silence can also be powerful.

For the entire day of April 20, Butler students are encouraged to participate in a day of silence in order to raise awareness for the fight against bullying in the LBGTQ community both on and off campus.

Heather Iwinski, Alliance’s secretary and a  junior communication sciences and disorders major, said this day is important because thousands of school-aged children are affected by bullying because they are homosexual or are perceived to be homosexual.

“Being gay, lesbian or bisexual is nothing to be ashamed of,” Iwinski said via email.  “I think it’s disgusting people are teased for being who they are.”

Iwinski said that a person’s sexuality is not a choice and that others must be more aware of the negative impact bullying has on a person.

Chelsea Carroll, who is not a member of the LGBTQ community, has three best friends who are and said she knows what it is like to watch them have to pretend that being made fun of and bullied does not hurt them.

“It really hurts them,” said Carroll, a sophomore early and middle school education major said.

Taylor Meador, Alliance president and junior English literature major, said that even though the issue of bullying may not be an issue on Butler’s campus, it must not be written off.

“As citizens and educated students, we must be concerned with our at-risk youth, a large part of which consists of LGBTQ youth,” Meador said via email.  “We have to provide a voice or, in this instance, an impact that others may be unable to.”

This impact goes beyond just April 20.

Beginning with the Day of Silence, Alliance will host “Proud to BU” week.

Iwinski said the focus of the week is to encourage people to be the most authentic version of themselves.

“It’s about being proud to be gay, straight, bisexual, transsexual, asexual, whatever,” Iwinski said. “Our goal is to foster an understanding environment where people are able to love someone as a person even if they do not agree with their lifestyle.”

Butler University’s Alliance and Demia student organizations teamed up Saturday to bring Sex on the Mall to campus.

The annual event raises awareness about sexuality and informs and educates students about safe sex practices.

Vice president of Alliance, freshman Abby Robison, said she hopes Sex on the Mall builds the Butler community’s sexual awareness and helps students realize the importance of the topic.

“It is very important that we help create a Butler University that accepts different forms of sexuality and promotes everyone’s safety,” Robison said.

Grace Unlimited, the Damien Center and Planned Parenthood tables were present at the event, as well as a moon bounce, snow cone stand and hot chocolate, which Robison said the organizations hoped would attract students to the outdoor event.

Charles Allen of Grace Unlimited said his church is a campus-based ministry that’s founded upon Lutheran and Episcopalian foundations. Both religions ordain gay men and lesbian women to their priesthoods and are open to the topic of sexuality.

Allen said he works closely with the Alliance group to help students understand their viewpoints on and attitudes toward sexual practices and individuality.

“I think [the students] need to know that there are churches and organizations not as condemning and not as strict with figuring out who is breaking the rules,” Allen said. “They need to know not all Christians are alike.”

Jamie Putman, a representative from the Damien Center, stressed the importance of sexual health and promoted their free STD and HIV testing at the HRC on the second and fourth Wednesday every month.

Students do not need an appointment to receive testing.

“If you’ve had sex, testing should be part of your overall health checkup,” she said. “STD testing shouldn’t be as stigmatized as it is and should be part of a regular routine if you’re sexually active.”

Robison said the event was supposed to have taken place April 9, but was rescheduled for Saturday due to rain.

The weather was still uncooperative Saturday, with chilly temperatures and a light drizzle coming down, but Robison said this was the last available weekend for the event.

She said she thought the student body turnout at the event would have been better if the weather was nicer, but she still thought the event was a success that can be built on for next year’s event.

“Sex on the Mall promotes a Butler community that’s accepting of the range of sexualities and helps them to prepare for safe sex by providing the necessary information,” she said. “It’s not something that’s going away anytime soon.”

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