On Friday, April 12, students observed the Day of Silence, a protest in support of LGBTQ+ students.

The day was followed by an interschool dance hosted by the Gender & Sexualities Alliance (GSA), on Saturday, April 13.

The human rights organization GLSEN, which supports GSAs across the country and works to create safe and supportive schools, organizes national action on the second Friday of April each year.

The Day of Silence aims to highlight the harassment faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community in many schools.

Participants of the Day of Silence attend classes without saying a word and break their silence at the end of the day with a call to action.

Both members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies participated in the day’s events.

Albert Chen ’26, a board member of GSA, said, “I participated in the Day of Silence, and my choice was received well by faculty and students. It was very fulfilling to stand up for what I believe in and for the community I am part of.”

Saturday night’s GSA dance was open to the entire Hotchkiss community and welcomed guests from Westminster, Miss Porter’s, Berkshire, Kent, and Millbrook.

“It was incredible to see so many students from various schools coming together to celebrate the human rights and dignity of each person,” said Oleh Shtunder ’25, who attended the event.

The GSA Board created decorations inspired by “Heartstopper,” a Netflix show about the romance between two high school boys based on the graphic novel series of the same name.

Students danced in the Student Center to the music of professional DJ Gabby Squailia, tossed balloons up in the air, and took pictures at a photo booth with a life-size cutout of one of “Heartstopper’s” leads, Kit Connor.

The GSA set up a quiet space in the Faculty Room, where a crowd enjoyed snacks while watching the first episodes of “Heartstopper.”

Chen said, “The dance was so inclusive, free, and spirited! I especially enjoyed the music, as people were able to request songs. It was so much fun to meet other people from other schools and to interact with other LGBTQ+ students. Being LGBTQ+ can be isolating, as it is hard to find people who share similar experiences, so meeting others was heartwarming.”

The club hopes to make the interschool dance an annual event.