A message that gay rights and gay tolerance activisits all over the country are trying to relay to the community of gay youths who feel they have nothing to live for. Talk show host Ellen Degeneres is applauded by many, using her high status and fame to send an important message to any young person who is questioning their sexuality. The suicide rate is climbing, several suicides alone occuring in the past few weeks. Ellen wants these youths to understand that they are not alone. There are people out there willing to talk about it with you, and the confusion and frustration is not life long.
Acceptance is easily the hardest part about coming out, and of course the scariest. In order for these young children who are confused about their sexuality to make it through these difficult times, their peers really need to be educated on why it is not okay to taunt, bully, or verbally/physically abuse their fellow schoolmates. What I can't seem to get a grip on is why these young children feel the need to spread hate and intolerance at such a young age. I don't think they realize that they are influencing more people to spread hate, which is going to have a long term affect on the future world they will be living in. An article I was reading in the NY Times said, "The three main groups of pivotal figures are family, friends and their schoolmates,” she said. “And if they’re feeling isolated and like they can’t tell those people, it’s going to be a very rough ride."
If you are interested in hearing more about this...
Here is the link to Ellen's important message: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B-hVWQnjjM
Here is the link to the NY Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/04/us/04suicide.html?_r=1&ref=us
Please do not be one of the bullies that leads our gay youth to another unnecessary death. To all the school; administrators and teachers who see this abuse and still do nothing about it, how about you use your authority for good. Empower the gay youth of our nation, let them know that they are not alone, and it will eventually get better. All you need is patience.(and some really thick skin) :)
I'm so happy that word of this is getting around and I hope the government notices and takes action. I agree with what you commented on. There 100% needs to be tolerance courses put in place at the elementary school level. If we can stop or at the very least decrease the number of bullying cases, I think theres would be a good chance at stopping this growing suicide rate.
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me so much of the equal rights movement back in the sixites and seventies. Granted we still have many hate groups out there, but as a whole we are so much more tollerant than we ever were.
What's going on now is our generations version of this and I think if we can band together to try and stop it, like history has shown, we can do it and we can bring hope and equality to these kids.
And to answer your question, she was DEAD SERIOUS about wearing that & so was the kid behind her because he was dry humping that all night. I almost puked all over them.
This is so horrible. No one for any reason should be pushed so far as to feel like they're worthless like that. It's just no way to treat people.. Kinda makes ya sick..
ReplyDeleteAs you may of read in any paper across the country last week about the Rutgers student, who was very talented musically, yet also gay, so his roomate and a friend set up a web cam to watch him with his boyfriend, needless to say he committed suicide. It's a horrible thing, people are people, and it is immature and juvenile, but honestly it starts at home. If your brought up to look at people as equal, then these things don't happen, but if your parents are anti everything that isn't just like them, then there becomes a problem. You don't get to choose what you are in life, and a lot of young people don't realize this, thus making it harder as a society to reach the ultimate goal of equality, for everyone.
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