Pictures of the NOH8 Campaign are some of the greatest examples of visualized silence. People have their mouths duct-taped to show the oppressive state that individuals in the LGBTQIA community have to suffer through. Their silence, and the many permanent silences of suicide victims in this community, are represented in these pictures. Famous celebrities have participated in the campaign, as well as average people. Many of my friends have participated, and I may have an opportunity to have my photo taken in a few weeks when the campaign (and the famous photographer who started it, Adam Bouska). They work to not only show silence, but also advocate for gender and marriage equality and acceptance. I think it's one of the more famous and powerful examples of silence that we have today. When I think back on the readings from "Unspoken," she talks about silence and speaking as both "powered" and "gendered". This campaign "speaks" volumes with images of duct-taped mouths. As an image, it is verbally silenced, and the only words you see are "NO/H8". Yet that silence has a meaning behind it that is cultural and political. Additionally, the images include every sexual identity and gender expression. The campaign seeks to include people of every race as well. In that respect, if you Google "NOH", you will see that the campaign breaks the idea of silence as femininely gendered. Silence here can mean any gender, any expression of identity, and it is a way to reclaim power and send a message.
It is easy for us to focus on one gender, lifestyle, or community more than another. This includes focusing on the way one type of people is mistreated more than others. The idea of silence as a feminist trait is rooted in ignorance of the silence found in all other groups. Women are not the ones being silenced, nor are minorities. Any type of person and any act may be silenced. Narrowing our focus to one group of people will not lead to equality and acceptance for all.
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