School has been in session for only a month, and already the news this week carries the sad stories of six gay kids who have killed themselves in the face of outrageous and unrelenting taunting. We each need to take an aggressive stand to stop this bullying today.
Seth Walsh, 13 y.o., dies today after hanging himself in a tree, when he couldn't handle the nonstop, anti-gay bullying at his middle school in Tehachapi, CA.
Asher Brown, 13 y.o., killed himself with a 9mm Beretta in Texas last week after enduring what has been described as constant, anti-gay harassment at his middle school.
Tyler Clementi, 18 y.o., plunges to his death in the Hudson River last week after his roommate at Rutgers University secretly films him having sex with another guy, and streams it on the Internet.
Justin Aaberg, 15 y.o., kills himself in Anoka, MN, in July, after bullying at his high school, compounded with a recent breakup.
Billy Lucas, 15 y.o., was perceived to be gay by students at Greensburg High School, was called a "fag" and told that he didn't "deserve to live". Two weeks ago, he went into his barn at their home in Indiana and hung himself.
Eric Mohat, 17 y.o., of Mentor, OH was harassed so mercilessly in high school that when one bully said publicly in class, "Why don't you go home and shoot yourself, no one will miss you," he did, earlier this year.
--Chris Kryzan
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Chris Kryzan volunteers for Spectrum's Speakers Bureau, which reaches nearly 3,000 students in Marin County schools each year. The goal of the Speakers Bureau is to create safe and inclusive classrooms for all students by shattering stereotypes about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Volunteer speakers share their personal stories and challenge students to avoid language and actions that promote bigotry, discrimination, and violence against other students. For more information, visit www.spectrumlgbtcenter.org.
