Seth Walsh, 13 years old
Tyler Clementi, 18 years old
Asher Brown, 13 years old
Billy Lucas, 15 years old
Raymond Chase, 19 years old
I’m sure by now you’ve heard their names at least once. All of these gay teens committed suicide in the past four weeks. No amount of bullying or torment justifies the taking of one’s life. Even before the recent rash of suicides, I decided to help bring hope into people’s lives, with the focus being on LGBT youth.
Starting today, and every weekday in the month of October, I will be posting a video, or a letter, that describes someone’s coming out story. My desire is that it helps bring realization into people’s lives that there are others out there. There is an army of us and we support you. We’ve gone through situations like you’re going through, even if the situation is a little different, we’ve been made to feel like that and some of us still do. But there is hope in numbers, there is strength in support.
If this project speaks to you, I implore you to take up the charge and send me your personal coming out story. Or post it on your own blog and link here so people can continue to read and be encouraged. Each story is being used with consent from the original writer and aims at letting isolated youth and struggling LGBT members know that there is hope, encouragement, love, and understanding all around them, if they just look hard enough. Sometimes that road is tough, but it is always worth it.
Nobody deserves to be bullied for who they are, nobody deserves to be put down or made fun of or made an outcast. We all know that it happens and we all know that there is no reason for it except fear. However, EVERYBODY deserves hope!
So if you are struggling with who you are, or with how people are treating you because of who they think you are, have hope. We are here, there are people who can help. Here are a few numbers of free hotlines that you can call and talk, anonymously, to people who will talk back and have a dialogue.
Nothing is ever worth taking your life.
The Trevor Project: a 24-hour hotline for gay and questioning youth: 866-4-U-TREVOR (488-7386)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255)
Please join me in spreading hope and love throughout our community. If you want to share your story, read, “October: National Coming Out Month At The New Civil Rights Movement,” and email us at newcivilrightsmovement@gmail.com
Then, join us here throughout the month of October, to see stories of others who have come out. Share their stories, and yours. Remember, everyone deserves hope.