Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide - Empty Closets - A safe online community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered people coming out

thevedman · 2nd Feb 2012, 10:02 AM

This article is incredibly depressing:

One Town's War on Gay Teens | Politics News | Rolling Stone

It makes me so angry that kids could be driven to suicide over their sexual orientation, it's ridiculous that bullying like this could be allowed to happen in schools today.

Zontar · 2nd Feb 2012, 10:13 AM

I sure as hell would've come out much sooner if the way American high schools handled bullying was not downright deplorable. There were times that I felt staying closeted was necessary to literally survive.

shfh · 2nd Feb 2012, 02:01 PM

My heart breaks for these kids.
Everytime something like this happens, it sends a negative message to other gay kids and even gay adults that they are wrong to be who they are. And it is so very not true.

Ace17 · 2nd Feb 2012, 02:02 PM

My head is about to explode....

b0i70y · 2nd Feb 2012, 02:38 PM

I know I'm not really at fault when things like this happen, but I often feel guilty. My high school was amazingly open minded, and had a very effective anti-bullying policy. There were many openly gay kids who never dealt with adversity in my school.

I just wish it was like that everywhere...

Just realized that it all took place near where I live, and that makes me even more mad.

Minnesota is generally a very open minded state, especially in the Twin Cities (one of which was voted the Gayest city in America last year by the Advocate.)

It just really, really really pisses me off to know that we still have people like Bachmann here...

2nd Feb 2012, 02:42 PM

don't worry, hate is an endangered species of sorts.

i truly believe its harder to hate than to love. i think humans are inclined to love and it takes more energy and zaps your soul to hate (despite what Nietzsche says lol). i also think this is so because its so easy to have the tables turned and be hated for what you are, so why not cultivate an environment of love so everyone's good?

at the end of the day, its just easier to love

b0i70y · 2nd Feb 2012, 02:50 PM

I just pity them, you know? To live a life full of negative emotions is a very sad existence, especially when it's hate.

dreamcatcher · 2nd Feb 2012, 03:34 PM

This is heartbreaking. And what's worse is that the faculty and board members don't think that they're doing anything wrong. Sometimes I don't understand how people can be so oblivious to the pain of others.

Random Dent · 2nd Feb 2012, 04:19 PM

I really pity those bigots...I can't help but hate them a little, too, though.
My heart breaks for those kids.
How many more suicides is it going to take for these bigots to realize they are the problem?

Chouchou · 2nd Feb 2012, 04:25 PM

I guessed it was Anoka, and I was right...

I can't imagine having to be a gay/lesbian/bi/trans kid in a place like Anoka, where you feel as if most people either hate your guts or don't give a crap, and no one who cares can help you. It's not hard to see how these kids can feel as if there's no way out.

I also can't imagine being a caring, LGBT-affirming teacher in that district, having to be careful not to take or be perceived to be taking pro-gay positions, and having to witness the daily harassment and torment of kids without being able to do anything about it unless s/he wants to risk losing his/her income.

I wonder if people like Barb Anderson sleep well at night knowing what they've done. They shouldn't, but they probably do, because they believe that they'll go to heaven.

British Lad · 2nd Feb 2012, 05:23 PM

Its so sad and yet it really Pisses me off about all those innocent kids killing there self, I feel like I want to buy a gun and go on a rampage to all those bigots who bully those kids. This homophobia has to go thought education or well, use your imagination, I am so angry. If I saw there somebody picking on somebody because they were gay I would not hesitant to go primal on them.

Emberstone · 2nd Feb 2012, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by British Lad

Its so sad and yet it really Pisses me off about all those innocent kids killing there self, I feel like I want to buy a gun and go on a rampage to all those bigots who bully those kids. This homophobia has to go thought education or well, use your imagination, I am so angry. If I saw there somebody picking on somebody because they were gay I would not hesitant to go primal on them.

Minnasota is mentally unstable milita country... might want to rethink that plan.

fiddledeedee · 2nd Feb 2012, 11:24 PM

Why, why, why? I realise just how lucky I am to be out to everyone in secondary school and never have been bullied; I've only had one question that sounded like it might have been intended nastily, and that's it. I'm nearly crying after reading that article.

Mad Man L · 3rd Feb 2012, 12:39 AM

To read that is really depressing. While I disagree with excessive anti-bullying legislation, I do think that to see such excessive gay bullying is 'extreme', and the fact is, there is no gay 'disease' or 'choice'. I don't know why anybody would 'choose' a life of torment.

Doctor Faustus · 3rd Feb 2012, 03:58 AM

This was a terribly hard read. I nearly cried.

DarkClarity · 3rd Feb 2012, 07:44 AM

Very powerful and well written article.

Shades of Gray · 3rd Feb 2012, 01:14 PM

Wow...it takes a lot to get me to cry. Tears are streaming right now.

Even more sad is that even after all this pure tragedy there are still people posting comments whom are deluded enough to blame "gay activists" for teaching an "unhealthy lifestyle."

I'm...speechless. Mute on the fact that a person could be so out of touch with the reality. I'm no Christian, but frankly I'd be much more apt to pray for these persons' souls than the lives of the innocent children whose throats they quite nearly slit themselves. They have far more to fear in their self-professed religion..

May any deity that could possibly exist help them to understand the atrocities that have been committed..

2nd Feb 2012, 10:02 AM	#1
thevedman Well Known Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Guys Out Status: More people these days :-) Location: UK Posts: 131 Join Date: Jul 2011	Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide This article is incredibly depressing: One Town's War on Gay Teens \| Politics News \| Rolling Stone It makes me so angry that kids could be driven to suicide over their sexual orientation, it's ridiculous that bullying like this could be allowed to happen in schools today. __________________ And the wind keeps rollin' And the sky keeps turning grey And the sun is setting The sun will rise another day

2nd Feb 2012, 10:13 AM	#2
Zontar Mister Funny Man Full Member Gender: Male Location: Binghampton, NY Posts: 1,539 Join Date: Oct 2010	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide I sure as hell would've come out much sooner if the way American high schools handled bullying was not downright deplorable. There were times that I felt staying closeted was necessary to literally survive. __________________ Get up and open your eyes...Don't ever let yourself ever fall down... Get through it and learn how to fly...I know you'll find a way...today. -Days of the New, "Dirty Road"

2nd Feb 2012, 02:01 PM	#3
shfh Well Known Full Member Gender: female ... maybe Orientation: Lesbit Out Status: really, you can't tell? Location: Canada Age: 23 Posts: 204 Join Date: Jan 2012	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide My heart breaks for these kids. Everytime something like this happens, it sends a negative message to other gay kids and even gay adults that they are wrong to be who they are. And it is so very not true.

2nd Feb 2012, 02:02 PM	#4
Ace17 Sometimes Ignorance is NOT bliss. Full Member Gender: Female Orientation: Lesbian ♀♀ Out Status: Ask me about it. Location: New York State. Age: 17 Posts: 766 Join Date: Jan 2012	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide My head is about to explode.... __________________ "Love is like the air we breathe. It may not always be seen, but it is always felt, used and needed." "Love knows no race, gender, or age. Love only knows the heart that is within."

2nd Feb 2012, 02:38 PM	#5
b0i70y Grypherin Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: One thing is for sure - I'm not straight. Out Status: Out to everyone Location: Minnesota Age: 20 Posts: 164 Join Date: Jan 2012	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide I know I'm not really at fault when things like this happen, but I often feel guilty. My high school was amazingly open minded, and had a very effective anti-bullying policy. There were many openly gay kids who never dealt with adversity in my school. I just wish it was like that everywhere... Just realized that it all took place near where I live, and that makes me even more mad. Minnesota is generally a very open minded state, especially in the Twin Cities (one of which was voted the Gayest city in America last year by the Advocate.) It just really, really really pisses me off to know that we still have people like Bachmann here... Last edited by b0i70y; 2nd Feb 2012 at 02:42 PM..

2nd Feb 2012, 02:42 PM	#6
GoogieHowser Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide don't worry, hate is an endangered species of sorts. i truly believe its harder to hate than to love. i think humans are inclined to love and it takes more energy and zaps your soul to hate (despite what Nietzsche says lol). i also think this is so because its so easy to have the tables turned and be hated for what you are, so why not cultivate an environment of love so everyone's good? at the end of the day, its just easier to love

2nd Feb 2012, 02:50 PM	#7
b0i70y Grypherin Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: One thing is for sure - I'm not straight. Out Status: Out to everyone Location: Minnesota Age: 20 Posts: 164 Join Date: Jan 2012	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide I just pity them, you know? To live a life full of negative emotions is a very sad existence, especially when it's hate.

2nd Feb 2012, 03:34 PM	#8
dreamcatcher EC Addict Full Member Gender: Female Orientation: lesbian and still working on accepting it Out Status: A few people Location: Florida Age: 20 Posts: 305 Join Date: Oct 2011	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide This is heartbreaking. And what's worse is that the faculty and board members don't think that they're doing anything wrong. Sometimes I don't understand how people can be so oblivious to the pain of others.

2nd Feb 2012, 04:19 PM	#9
Random Dent Liebe ist für alle da! Full Member Gender: Female Orientation: La la la ladies Out Status: I don't care who knows Location: California Age: 27 Posts: 1,692 Join Date: Feb 2011	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide I really pity those bigots...I can't help but hate them a little, too, though. My heart breaks for those kids. How many more suicides is it going to take for these bigots to realize they are the problem? __________________ No government has the right to tell its citizens when or whom to love. The only queer people are those who don't love anybody Rita Mae Brown

2nd Feb 2012, 04:25 PM	#10
Chouchou Warrior Goddess Full Member Gender: Female Orientation: Homosexual (asexual?) and mostly homoromantic Out Status: To some friends, but not to family Location: Wisconsin, USA Age: 26 Posts: 1,109 Join Date: Oct 2011	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide I guessed it was Anoka, and I was right... I can't imagine having to be a gay/lesbian/bi/trans kid in a place like Anoka, where you feel as if most people either hate your guts or don't give a crap, and no one who cares can help you. It's not hard to see how these kids can feel as if there's no way out. I also can't imagine being a caring, LGBT-affirming teacher in that district, having to be careful not to take or be perceived to be taking pro-gay positions, and having to witness the daily harassment and torment of kids without being able to do anything about it unless s/he wants to risk losing his/her income. I wonder if people like Barb Anderson sleep well at night knowing what they've done. They shouldn't, but they probably do, because they believe that they'll go to heaven. __________________ "The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2nd Feb 2012, 05:23 PM	#11
British Lad EC Biggest Tarantino fan Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: As bent as a roundabout Out Status: What Closet Location: West Midlands Posts: 1,275 Join Date: Apr 2010	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide Its so sad and yet it really Pisses me off about all those innocent kids killing there self, I feel like I want to buy a gun and go on a rampage to all those bigots who bully those kids. This homophobia has to go thought education or well, use your imagination, I am so angry. If I saw there somebody picking on somebody because they were gay I would not hesitant to go primal on them. __________________ Who ever sayed "Ignorance is bliss" was a moron.

2nd Feb 2012, 11:24 PM	#13
fiddledeedee 22/12-31/12+X! Full Member Gender: Complicated female Orientation: Bisexual Out Status: Most, sans Dad Location: England Age: 15 Posts: 1,128 Join Date: May 2011	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide Why, why, why? I realise just how lucky I am to be out to everyone in secondary school and never have been bullied; I've only had one question that sounded like it might have been intended nastily, and that's it. I'm nearly crying after reading that article. __________________ A problem should be measured not by the cause of the problem but by the consequences it has on a person. ~ Anfauglith

3rd Feb 2012, 12:39 AM	#14
Mad Man L EC Addict Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Bisexual Out Status: All but family Location: Brisbane, Australia Age: 16 Posts: 1,244 Join Date: Jul 2011	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide To read that is really depressing. While I disagree with excessive anti-bullying legislation, I do think that to see such excessive gay bullying is 'extreme', and the fact is, there is no gay 'disease' or 'choice'. I don't know why anybody would 'choose' a life of torment. __________________ I really should get a proper signature...

3rd Feb 2012, 03:58 AM	#15
Doctor Faustus EC's resident Philosopher at Large Regular Member Gender: Male Orientation: Not straight. But only interested in men. xD Out Status: People who ask me. People whom I trust. Location: Basingstoke Posts: 1,610 Join Date: Oct 2011	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide This was a terribly hard read. I nearly cried. __________________ "I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love." - Mother Teresa.

3rd Feb 2012, 07:44 AM	#16
DarkClarity Just a miserable pile of secrets. Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Kinsey 4 Bisexual. Out Status: Not out at all Location: England, UK Age: 17 Posts: 1,025 Join Date: May 2011	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide Very powerful and well written article. __________________ I'm not a human being. I am merely a product of capital. I solely exist to carry out the will of capital. I will work, comsume and die all in order to preserve the status quo, to preserve inequality, famine, poverty and injustice, to preserve individualism and materialism, to preserve Capitalism.

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3rd Feb 2012, 01:14 PM	#17
Shades of Gray EC's insomniac Regular Member Gender: How about...feminine bear? :P Orientation: Phys attr: bi. Sexual attr: gay. Rom. androcentric Out Status: Everyone that matters, except father and extd. fam Location: Montana or Seattle, dependent on time of year. Age: 20 Posts: 647 Join Date: Jul 2011	Re: Rolling Stone Article about Gay Bullying and Suicide Wow...it takes a lot to get me to cry. Tears are streaming right now. Even more sad is that even after all this pure tragedy there are still people posting comments whom are deluded enough to blame "gay activists" for teaching an "unhealthy lifestyle." I'm...speechless. Mute on the fact that a person could be so out of touch with the reality. I'm no Christian, but frankly I'd be much more apt to pray for these persons' souls than the lives of the innocent children whose throats they quite nearly slit themselves. They have far more to fear in their self-professed religion.. May any deity that could possibly exist help them to understand the atrocities that have been committed..