What's It Like to Be a Gay Teen

[Swede]

Articles like this one in Gawker,I hope help shine a light on bullying like never before.


Just yesterday, 13-year-old Seth Walsh died after hanging himself in a tree in his backyard because he couldn't escape the bullies. Kids like Seth are legally obligated to go to school, but there is no legal obligation to keep teens from behaving like anything less than savages. His parents couldn't help him and with no assistance available at school, he felt like he was left with only one tragic option. And he's not the only one. This month alone gay teens Justin Aaberg, Billy Lucas, and Asher Brown all killed themselves because they were harassed, belittled, humiliated—or worse.

It's hard to tell him that it's going to get better. That's what columnist and activist Dan Savage is doing with his YouTube channel. He's enlisting adult gay men and lesbians to record videos for gay youth telling them to hold on because life will improve. Well, yes, it will, but that's little solace when you're being harassed every time you go to your locker to get a notebook. Just when will it get better? Would Seth Walsh have to endure five more years of abuse before making it out of high school and into a more nurturing environment?

http://gawker.com/5652378/whats-it-like-to-be-a-gay-teen?skyline=true&s=i

[msongs]

1. that's what religion does to kids nt

[Swede]

3. Then why do they bully small kids,big kids,ugly kids,smart kids.............

:shrug:

[JackBeck]

4. Religious institutions poured millions of dollars intimidating these types of kids?

Please show me where, I may have missed something.

On edit: Of course I may have missed your sarcasm, so I apologize in advance if I did.

[vixengrl]

6. Kids can be amazingly insensitive about others, even when

they are very sensitive about themselves. I think of Romeo in Shakespear "He jests at scars that never felt a wound."

But I think with the anti-gay bullying, there can be a toxic culture where the teachers and parent condone or even encourage it. Like the way it seemed like all the adults were "in on" keeping Constance McMillen from prom--there are some kids that would have crushed. And then there's things like this story from not too long ago:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/gender-and-schooling/201008/back-school-christian-group-against-anti-bullying-efforts

As that catchy TV ad reminds us: "It's the most wonderful time of the year" - Back to School! Although many parents and students are excited about the return to school, many families face the re-entry to school with dread. Some students are starting in new schools, new towns, new communities where they don't know if they will fit in or be accepted, and others are returning to familiar schools and places where they have faced bullying, sexual harassment, racial slurs or other forms of discrimination. Sadly, Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group, is using the back-to-school time to advance their anti-gay message by taking a vocal stance opposing anti-bullying campaigns. They are speaking out against programs that include messages of tolerance and acceptance for students who are disproportionately targeted for violence in schools: bisexual, gay, lesbian, queer, transgender, (BGLQT) and gender non-conforming youth, as well as children who have BGLQT parents and family members.

Now, I don't really think of Focus on (other people's) Families and the AFA and a lot of these other jerkwad groups that specifically seem to target gays as mainstream Christians--but some people do. It's not my place as a non-Christian to say they aren't living up to the better ideals of their faith, but if what one does to the least of these is done to Christ....they have a lot to answer to their God for.

And that why I hope the culture changes more to where tolerance, understanding, and teaching children from the very youngest age to try and put themselves in another person's place and use that as their baseline for dealing with others are the norm, and that the haters and people who seem to be professional homophobes are routinely viewed as the weirdos--people with bad impulse control and ignorant views who want to profit (!) from hate.

[WillParkinson]

2. Unfortunately the world will never be able to ask

Asher Brown


Justin Aaberg


Billy Lucas


Seth Walsh


I swear these boys pictures should be tattooed to their tormentors chests so that every day they will see their faces. Every day they will understand what they've done. Every day they will know the suffering.

[MrMickeysMom]

5. How can you reach out to these kids?

I'm supposing that pre-teens, etc know where to go for this guidance on the internet?

I'm thinking commercial t.v. is a good way to reach out as a public service announcement. You know, if they can advertise, "this is your brain" commercials, they can do it for gay teens.

[CoffeeCat]

7. Why in the hell is bullying legal????

If adults behaved this way toward other adults--we would call it stalking or harassment.

If an adult hits another adult or harms them in any way--it's called assault and battery.

All of those crimes result in prison sentences.

Why do kids get away with this? They should all be held accountable and the bullies should
be threatened with legal action, civil suits and the threat of incarceration. Juvey for
all of this criminals. And I will call them criminals, because that is what they are!!

This is a sick, sick commentary on our society that we allow this to happen to kids.

Adults would be distressed and forever affected if someone did this to them. Kids lack
the maturity and skills to handle an emotional pressure cooker like this. Why do
we allow this to happen? WHY???

[TexasObserver]

8. recommend

[Chipper Chat]

9. Ya know, it hurts not having Molly around anymore.

She would have plenty to say on this subject.

[TexasObserver]

11. She was truly awesome!

One of my favorite people of all time.

[Swamp Rat]

10. poor kid

:cry:

[Heidi]

12. Recommended.

:kick:

[MineralMan]

13. Bullies are Republicans in Training (NT)