gay teens bullied to death
Sep. 30th, 2010 07:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
merielletyler clementi, an 18-year-old gay college kid, committed suicide after his roommate streamed video of him making out with a guy. basically, this kid was bullied to death. and he was the fourth this month.
RAGE sorrow sorrow rage rage RAGE. what the everloving fuck is wrong with people? why is it fun or cool or anywhere near okay to torment people like this? and where are the grown-ups in these scenarios? why didn't they see? why didn't they do anything? how do you miss kids acting out blow jobs and anal sex, which in any sane world would count as sexual assault, IN CLASS?
i already cried. now i'm infuriated. so here's what we can do.
- check to see if your city has a queer youth organization. austin has outyouth. see if they have a program going on this. volunteer, join a speaker's bureau if you're able, donate if you can.
- do your local high schools or colleges have gay-straight alliances? if so, see if they need anything: speakers, mentors, supplies, money...
- belong to an organization that is pro-queer? get them involved. have an announcement at your meeting to raise awareness. have a moment of silence at your religious service. make some flyers and pass them out. organize a group to go volunteer at your local LGBT group. pass the hat and raise some money.
- remember that donating doesn't just mean money! donations of stuff (known in the biz as "in-kind donations") are great, too. look at organizations' wish lists - they might need office supplies, web design skills, cookies for their volunteer night... there is almost certainly something within your budget of time and resources that can make a difference.
- US peeps, help GLSEN out with advocacy for the safe schools improvement act.
- US peeps, see if your state LGBT organization has something like equality texas' safe schools initiative. if they do, sign on, go to a lobby day, donate if you can. if they don't, ask why and let them know you want them to work on this issue. help them get going.
- talk to any teachers in your life. ask them if they have ally training or anti-bullying training. if yes, tell them they fucking rock. if no, help them find some. your local GLBT organizations can help. GLSEN also has a great page of resources.
- talk to the young people in your life. offer support to the queer/questioning. ask the straight kids what it's like for queer kids at their school. if it seems like they can handle it/is appropriate, ask them if they know about these suicides and what they think and feel about them. help them think through things. hell, remind them that gandalf/magneto is gay, and he's a damn superhero/wizard/omg ANGEL.
RAGE sorrow sorrow rage rage RAGE. what the everloving fuck is wrong with people? why is it fun or cool or anywhere near okay to torment people like this? and where are the grown-ups in these scenarios? why didn't they see? why didn't they do anything? how do you miss kids acting out blow jobs and anal sex, which in any sane world would count as sexual assault, IN CLASS?
i already cried. now i'm infuriated. so here's what we can do.
- check to see if your city has a queer youth organization. austin has outyouth. see if they have a program going on this. volunteer, join a speaker's bureau if you're able, donate if you can.
- do your local high schools or colleges have gay-straight alliances? if so, see if they need anything: speakers, mentors, supplies, money...
- belong to an organization that is pro-queer? get them involved. have an announcement at your meeting to raise awareness. have a moment of silence at your religious service. make some flyers and pass them out. organize a group to go volunteer at your local LGBT group. pass the hat and raise some money.
- remember that donating doesn't just mean money! donations of stuff (known in the biz as "in-kind donations") are great, too. look at organizations' wish lists - they might need office supplies, web design skills, cookies for their volunteer night... there is almost certainly something within your budget of time and resources that can make a difference.
- US peeps, help GLSEN out with advocacy for the safe schools improvement act.
- US peeps, see if your state LGBT organization has something like equality texas' safe schools initiative. if they do, sign on, go to a lobby day, donate if you can. if they don't, ask why and let them know you want them to work on this issue. help them get going.
- talk to any teachers in your life. ask them if they have ally training or anti-bullying training. if yes, tell them they fucking rock. if no, help them find some. your local GLBT organizations can help. GLSEN also has a great page of resources.
- talk to the young people in your life. offer support to the queer/questioning. ask the straight kids what it's like for queer kids at their school. if it seems like they can handle it/is appropriate, ask them if they know about these suicides and what they think and feel about them. help them think through things. hell, remind them that gandalf/magneto is gay, and he's a damn superhero/wizard/omg ANGEL.
