Cross-posted with Equalwrites.org. Trigger warning: hate crimes, bullying, and suicide.
There have been far too many hate-crime-related deaths in
the past two weeks, and they are only the tip of the iceberg of those that go unreported.
On September 17, 2010, Curtis Martin, a waiter, was stabbed
inside a Denny's restaurant after answering affirmatively to the perpetrator
that he was gay. Fortunately, he has survived the attack.
On September 19, 2010, Seth Walsh, a Houston 13-year-old hanged
himself from a tree after enduring homophobic bullying, passing away this
past Tuesday in the hospital.
Asher Brown, another 13-year-old, shot himself in the head last week after enduring homophobic bullying at school, even after his parents had called school administration in attempts to intervene. The police will not file charges, and the school denies ever having heard complaints from the parents.
On
September 30, 2010,
William Lucas, a 15-year-old high school freshman in Indiana, hanged himself after being tormented about his sexual orientation.
And this Wednesday, September 29, 2010, we learned of a Rutgers freshman who committed suicide after his roommate secretly broadcasted him having sex with another man.
The types of repeated psychological torture that LGBTQ youth endure at the hands of bullies are terrible and tragic crimes. LGBTQ youth are more likely to commit suicide than their straight-identified counterparts. It is unfathomable to me that our society continues to condone and dismiss homophobic attacks and verbal abuse. I am speechless at the events of this past month. The hate must end.
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