Gay teen commits suicide after being outed and harassed by Catholic school officials

[WillParkinson]

http://www.thegailygrind.com/2014/09/11/gay-teen-commits-suicide-outed-harassed-catholic-school-officials/

Sergio Urrego, 16, took his own life last month after Catholic school administrators harassed the teenager by making his relationship with another young man public and accused him of sexual harassment.

Sergio’s mother, Alba Reyes, has just recently opened up to the media about her son’s suicide in order to clear his name.

Reyes said her nightmare began in May when a teacher at Gimnasio Castillo Campestre school in the Colombian capital Bogotá, saw a photo of Sergio kissing his boyfriend of a month and a half on his cellphone. After confiscating the phone, both boys were sent to the school psychologist.

Edited to add....

Shortly after his funeral, his classmates were called into a meeting with the principal who described the deceased teen as an ‘anarchist,’ ‘atheist,’ and ‘homosexual,’ never once showing any sadness or sense of loss for the former student. The school psychologist also told the students to be ‘discreet’ about the suicide, according to a student who wished to remain anonymous.

[theHandpuppet]

1. Bigotry and superstition claim another victim.

Last edited Fri Nov 21, 2014, 01:47 PM - Edit history (1)

RIP, Sergio.

[shenmue]

2. Awful

[GeorgeGist]

3. What would they do if they knew ...

Jesus was gay?

[WillParkinson]

4. Too late...

He already died.

[JDDavis]

5. I hate to read stories like this.

I hate the fact that religious places around the world get a free pass when it comes to how they can spread their religiously justified bigotry and pay no price for what a horrible world they make for so many minorities.

Perhaps this should be posted in the religion forum, where people who are religious will say that this has nothing to do with religion. I dare them to say that after the Pope just this last week said every child should have a mother and a father, (no other families are blessed by this Pope).

[LostOne4Ever]

6. That's horrible

[font style="font-family:papyrus,'Brush Script MT','comic sans MS',fantasy;" size=4 color=teal]I feel bad for the boy's family.

Sadly, things like this are happening on a daily basis. I hope that one day in the future the entire world will look back at the people and institutions that drove this young man to suicide and see them as the disgusting [font style="font-family:'Brush Script MT',''Lucida handwriting','forte',cursive;" size=6 color=crimson]hateful bigots[/font] that they are.[/font]

[nightscanner59]

7. Thats reprehensible

I'm so sick of religious groups self righteous bigotry and UNenlightened vilification of anything that falls outside their set of norms. I don't even think their Cheezus Christ would approve of their bullshit.
Many of us who survived childhoods in redneck towns had our childhoods stolen from us, parents who rejected, neglected and worse. I did seriously contemplate suicide. And I'll tell you the ultimate irony especially in light of this story, that turned me around.
I had run away from home at 16. I hitchhiked 1000 miles to the coast. I had all the echoes of all the years of merciless taunting I'd tolerated. I had horrific memories of my mother telling me "Love you? I don't even like you anymore!" I was so PTSD'd from all the shoving, rejection and tellling me that I was the worst thing anyone could possibly be. And I had my dad's murder attempt fresh in my mind. I contemplated ending it all.
But then a catholic priest picked me up and gave me a ride to the next rest stop. There, ... he wanted to see my pee-pee.(wow! god works in strange and mysterious way) Suddenly I wasn't so weird and conflicted after all.
I dumpster dived. I lived on the buses, freeway easements and underpasses. I showered at the beach. I kept a chunk of coal to keep my peach fuzz "colored" and make me look older. I ate fries left over at the fast food joints. I nearly froze to death, I got beat up real bad one night, I had a bus driver kick me off the bus in the rain for sleeping in the back. None of it mattered to me. I got stoned with the hippies in the park. I scrounged for mussels at the beach. And I finally, nearly a year later, found I kindly old man to take me in.
It was tough, but I wouldn't trade those years for anything. Anything was better than "home".

[closeupready]

8. Sorry that you went through such a hell, but

I'm glad you found your way out, to the light.