Fabulous!

Cheerleading team helped gay student get through suicide of high school boyfriend

Jacob Jean was just weeks away from high school graduation when his boyfriend Zack killed himself.

He found out about it while sitting in class and all eyes were on him when a fellow student announced the news.

‘… Disbelief, fear, and shock began to flash through my body. This moment felt like forever,’ Jean writes in an column for Outsports.

He spent the summer before college crying ‘endlessly’ while still hoping it was all a bad dream.

‘A time where most students find happiness in graduating, graduation parties, and moving to college, I found myself depressed and in a dark space,’ Jean remembers.

‘I spent my time being constantly angry and pushing those that cared about me away.’

But Jean continued to participate in cheerleading that summer through his local community program and Michigan State University where he would go on to cheer for the next four years.

Coaches and teammates both new and old made no attempt to pretend Zack’s suicide did not happen and showed ‘immense compassion.’

‘It’s hard to imagine going through Zack’s passing without coming out and being an athlete of a team,’ he writes.

‘Coming out has eliminated my fears of having to keep secrets. A key component to my healing was the fact that I did not have to hide my feelings, emotions, and thoughts.

‘What I went through is something that no one should ever do alone. I wish everyone could find the strength to be true to themselves and come out. It’s an amazing life when you are able to be true to who you are.

‘Four years ago I felt like I was never going to stop crying, never going to be happy, and never have a zest for life. My sport, and those in it, proved me wrong.’

Watch: How a gay law student shut down an ‘ex-gay’ counsellor’s arguments

This video shows a gay law student recall putting an ‘ex-gay’ counsellor in his place, when he suggested there was no such thing as a “gay gene”.

The video by ‘I’m from Driftwood’, also sees law student Scott Blair reminisce about coming out as gay after his mother received an acceptance phone call from Harvard Law during which it was mentioned that he had written he is gay on the application.

In it, he says: “[The counsellor] sort of goes into this weird diatribe about how no one has ever found a ‘gay gene,’ and I’m looking at him, and he tells me, ‘You know, every study that’s purported to find a gay gene has been authored by gays. No one else has ever found one.’

“And I said, ‘I have no idea what studies you’re talking about, but sexuality is very complex. Everything that humans do is very complex. All a gene does is control the expression of a protein. I would be extremely shocked if one gene can control anything like that.’

Student Comes Out As Gay To Class & Friends w/ Spoken Word Poetry

We love stuff like this! Steven James Boyle, a poetry student, came out as gay to his class and other friends and strangers in an awesomely bold moment of spoken word bravery!

He writes on The Gaily Grind:

While I’ve never been afraid of public speaking, the thought of telling a room full of people my innermost thoughts, scared the ever living shit out of me.

In attendance was my poetry class who I had grown to love dearly, but had never alluded to that I was gay. I changed every pronoun before that night, and stayed away from the fact that my muse at the time was a boy who had broken my heart. Also in the audience was everyone who came out to see their friends do poetry, strangers I had never met, and a small group of my own friends who had no idea what I was going to read since I rarely, if ever, shared my writing.

This was my first time ever reading my newest poem at the time, “i hit send, or modern meltdown.”

Check out "I Hit Send, or Modern Meltdown":

Love! Steven calls this "one of the most memorable nights of my life."
Love!

Steven calls this "one of the most memorable nights of my life."

Gay Tennessee Seventh Grader Attacked With ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law He Defeated

Marcel Neergaard is a marvel and a wonder. Last year, America met him as a gay, bullied eleven-year old boy who stood up to Michelle Rhee‘s anti-student StudentsFirst political activist organization that had awarded an anti-gay lawmaker who was pushing a “Don’t Say Gay” bill their “Reformer of the Year” award. Neergaard’s activism helped kill the bill, which would have not only made it illegal for anyone in Tennessee schools to discuss homosexuality or anything “gay,” it would have created an extremely unwelcoming and unsafe environment for all students.

Now, one year later, Neergaard writes in a Huffington Post op-ed that Tennessee’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill — which he helped kill — is being used by at least one uninformed teacher anyway.

“One day I was talking with my friends about Zachary Quinto being gay,” Neergaard explains in “Different.”

“An otherwise supportive teacher stopped me and told me ‘talking about being gay in the classroom is illegal in Tennessee.’ I wanted to scream, ‘NO IT’S NOT!’ … I have found teachers are quite confused because of Ragan’s bill (the Don’t Say Gay Bill). They’re too busy teaching to know if it passed, so they just try to be safe. Meanwhile, I am not allowed to talk about myself with my friends.”

If that doesn’t bring a tear to your eye, perhaps Neergaard’s portrayal of what it’s like for him to be back in school (he was homeschooled for a year because the anti-gay bullying was so extreme) will.

Gay Minnesota Teen Gets Death Threat After Coming Out on Facebook

A police investigation is underway in Circle Pines, Minnesota after Ryan Eichenauer, a gay student at Centennial High School who recently came out of the closet, received an anonymous death threat in his English class, KMSP reports:

"I know there are going to be people in life who don't agree with it. But that's who I am," he said.

Eichenauer says that within weeks of coming out he had two threatening anonymous letters placed on his desk in two separate classrooms, the latest one on Tuesday:

Not only does the note attack his sexuality, but it says "I can't wait for the day that I get to walk over your grave and if you don't put yourself there, I will be glad to. Just do us all a favor and do it soon. Kill yourself already."

More of the letter:

"Ryan, I see there are many others who also want you dead. Good. And it's not just the two of us who have decided to speak up. It's everyone. […] like you don't deserve to live in this world. Innocent people die every day, but the scum of the earth like you gets to live? […] that. That is about to change. No one likes the fact that you are alive. No one likes the way you show your sexuality. You are a […] sinner. Someone should do something about it…I will. I am not a coward. I protect the house of god from […] like you."

Eichenauer says he's definitely afraid:

"A little scared, I feel safe in my school. Right now, mostly uncomfortable....The first threat I cried a lot. A lot of tears and emotions. Even though that was less threatening. Then this one came along. Is this what I am going to get forever, from now on?

Gay Ohio College Student Murdered During Horrific Online “Hook-Up” Gone Wrong

A 34-year-old sex offender has been charged with the murder of 22-year-old Alliance, Ohio college student Justin Earley (photo right) in what is yet another tragic online ‘fatal hookup’ case.

According to reports, Justin’s friends grew suspicious and filed a missing persons report when he failed to return home after meeting John R. Fox on December 29, via the classifieds section of Backpage.com.

Police say Fox also posted a similar ad on Craigslist soliciting men sex to come to his apartment that same day.

Police confirmed that Fox killed Justin and hid his body in a closet, wrapped in a comforter, for 3 weeks. Full story here!

Tyler Clementi's Story to Be Told by SF Gay Men's Chorus in Musical Suite

On March 25th, the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus will premiere a series of songs, "Tyler's Suite," celebrating the life of Tyler Clementi (right). The college student was himself a musician before his suicide in 2010, which in turn prompted a great deal of national discussion surrounding the issue of LGBT youth and bullying.

The musical piece will be comprised of multiple movements written by some of today's great composers, including Stephen Schwartz, and is being presented as part of a larger performance titled "Luster: An American Songbook."

BroadwayWorld.com reports:

"As a soundtrack of American life during the time of the Great Depression and two world wars, the American Songbook consists of timeless music that translated positive values and an optimistic spirit," says [Artistic Director Dr. Timothy] Seelig. "The Chorus continues that tradition, presenting a new set of songs by today's premier American composers, offering hope and bringing to light the important cultural issues of today through the story of Tyler Clementi."

...

With the help of the Tyler Clementi Foundation, SFGMC commissioned a musical work that will add eight new songs to the soundtrack that is the American Songbook of the 21st century, honoring the memory of a beloved son, brother and friend. "Tyler's Suite" creates a new story of inclusion, dignity and acceptance for other youth and their families, through a musical experience that inspires community, activism and compassion. The story is one of hope and encouragement to families everywhere.

Other composers involved in the project include "John Bucchino, Ann Hampton Callaway, Craig Carnelia, John Corigliano, Nolan Gasser, Jake Heggie, Lance Horne, and Pamela Stewart." The piece will also be performed by gay men's choruses in Chicago, Los Angeles, NYC, San Diego, Dallas, and Seattle.

Visit the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus website for tickets and more information.

New York Giants Player Victor Cruz Gives Assist to Gay Bullied Teen

As part of its NFL Characters Unite public service program, New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz helps a gay bullied teen overcome his fears about a place that for him was a source of pain and rejection: the locker room.

Writes USA Network:

In NFL Characters Unite, Cruz meets 19-year old Joey Kemmerling, who came out when he was a middle school student. Joey was relentlessly bullied for years because of his sexual orientation. Classmates called him hateful names, physically hurt him and even threatened to light him on fire. The school locker room was a particularly painful and dangerous place for Joey, as much of the taunting took place there. At one point in high school, the situation got so bad that he contemplated suicide. With the support of his mother, Joey was able to move past the homophobia and harassment he experienced and he decided to use his voice to help stop bullying. He launched a youth-led anti-bullying organization, became active with the nonprofit GLSEN and has spoken to groups of students, educators and even members of Congress.

 

Now, thanks to Victor Cruz, he gets an opportunity to clear another hurdle: revisiting a locker room, a place that still conjures up painful memories. Cruz takes Joey on a tour of the New York Giants locker room to help him put the agony of his past truly behind him. Joey gains closure he needs to continue on his path to full recovery and learns to Never Say Never to overcoming his fears.

Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Mississippi School District for Failing to Address Anti-Gay Bullying

The Southern Poverty Law Center has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Destin Holmes, a student who was bullied and harassed by teachers and students at Magnolia Junior High and Moss Point High School in Moss Point, Mississippi, Gulf Live reports.

The harassment is disgusting:

In March, Holmes said she was in her Magnolia Junior High math class last year when she experienced one of her worst cases of bullying, and it was initiated by a teacher.

The teacher had divided the class into 2 teams -- boys versus girls -- for a trivia game, Holmes said, but she called on the tomboy-looking teen to sit alone in the middle because she was an "in-between it."

Now at Moss Point High School, Holmes said the students are a little more accepting, but she still has trouble with staff.

In one instance, a substitute teacher wrote her up for not following directions, and the written referral called her "he." Holmes said the substitute knew she was female.

SPLC says the school district has chosen to ignore the situation:

The federal lawsuit -- filed in Gulfport this morning -- is being brought to enforce equal protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, the organization said, as well as students perceived as LGBT.

The filing is the next step in the case of 17-year-old Destin Holmes, a lesbian student who stood with the SPLC in March and said she was consistently harassed because of her sexual orientation and because she dressed in hats and masculine clothes. The harassment came from administrators, teachers and students, said Anjali Nair, a staff attorney with Southern Poverty Law Center.

After that March news conference, the SPLC said it would try to reach an agreement with the district to change the bullying environment, but Nair said an agreement was not reached.

Betrayed And Exposed

This is a teen-written article from our friends at Youth Communication, a nonprofit organization that helps marginalized youth develop their full potential through reading and writing.
By Anonymous

A guidance counselor outed me to my mother

It was a sunny winter afternoon and I was heading to after-school drama club when I heard my phone ring. “Come home, now!” my mom yelled when I picked up. Rushing home quickly, I thought, “Did someone die?” When I got into my building, I bounded up the stairs. The moment my mom opened the door, I realized by the disappointed expression on her face I was in deep trouble.

When I entered the living room, I saw my whole family there. I felt like I was at an intervention. I sat down on the couch. There was an awkward silence in the room.

“I went to your school today and I talked to your guidance counselor,” my mom said.

For a moment, I was relieved that no one in my family was dead. But I could tell by her tone I had done something

“She told me you were gay, and that you had sexual relations with another boy.”

I was shocked! I didn’t know how my guidance counselor found out about my sexual encounter. At that moment, I felt as if my world came crashing down onto me. I was afraid that my mom would kick me out the house. All of a sudden, the environment of my living room went from a quiescent, comforting area to a harsh, judgmental arena.

“You know, it’s a sin to be gay!” my aunt yelled. “The Bible doesn’t accept homosexuality!”

“I don’t want a faggot for a brother! What will people say about me?” my brother screamed.

“Society makes people believe that being gay is a new trend. But, it’s not! You will go to hell! I will never have a son as a faggot!” bellowed my mom as she started to cry.

Punished for Being Me

I ran into the bathroom crying. I didn’t know what I’d done to deserve to be treated so cruelly by my family. They made me feel as if I wasn’t a part of the family by calling me names like faggot and sissy. I knew deep inside they still loved me, but they believed that my being gay would belie their Christian codes of conduct.

Later that night, my mom took away all of my electronic devices and put me on punishment. I didn’t understand how that would change my mind about being gay. I didn’t choose to be gay. As a young boy, I always had a copious interest in boys. That night, when I went to sleep, I asked God to turn me straight.

My mother had always been overprotective but now she was even more so. I don’t want to say she was all up in my business but suddenly she paid more attention to who I spent time with. If I hung out with friends, she would call the parents to make sure that’s what I was really doing.

Over the next few months, a friend I thought I could trust told a few people I was gay and soon everyone in my school found out. Other people I thought were friends began to scream gay slurs at me as I walked to class, on my way home, and even on Facebook. No one was there for me. I started cutting my wrist. I didn’t want to live anymore. Was I supposed to conform to the “normal” way of life?

S.C. Teacher Bullied Student Mercilessly, Called Him "Gay Boy," Until Student Attempted Suicide

According to lawsuit, teacher repeatedly belittled the student in front of his peers, calling him names in class such as 'Gay,' 'Gay Boy,' 'Mrs. Pete,' 'Mrs. Peters."

 

 A high school math teacher in South Carolina bullied a student so mercilessly as "gay" that the boy tried to kill himself, the teen and his mother claim in court.

John Doe and his mother sued the Charleston County School District in the Charleston County Court of Common Pleas.

The teacher, Alan Ingram, is not named as a defendant, though he is named throughout the complaint. Ingram was the boy's teacher at West Ashley High School in Charleston, the family says in the lawsuit.

"In early April 2013, Ingram began bullying plaintiff in class, in front of plaintiff's classmates, by telling plaintiff's classmates that plaintiff was 'gay,' and by calling plaintiff names and belittling him in the presence of his classmates. This continued on a daily basis for an extended period of time," the complaint states.

"During this time, Ingram repeatedly belittled plaintiff in front of his peers, calling plaintiff names in class such as 'Gay,' 'Gay Boy,' 'Mrs. Pete,' 'Mrs. Peters,' and other names.

"Ingram repeatedly told plaintiff's classmates that plaintiff was in a homosexual relationship with another male classmate and that they were 'boyfriend and girlfriend'.

"Further, Ingram encouraged and asked other students in class to pick on plaintiff as well and similarly belittle him during classes."

The boy's mother, who filed the lawsuit as Jane Doe, said her son felt particularly helpless because Ingram was in a position of authority,

"Plaintiff was made to feel that he could not report this to the school administration; and further, plaintiff felt he could not appeal to any of his classmates due to the alienation and isolation created by Ingram," the mother and son say in the complaint.

The teacher's bullying gave boy "emotional and psychological distress which was manifested by physical illness," his mom says. As a result, she says, her son "attempted to commit suicide by hanging himself."

He has since withdrawn from school, is being educated at home, and is undergoing mental health counseling, his mother says.

The family seeks damages for gross negligence and pain and suffering, and costs of the lawsuit and medical bills.

They are represented by Philip Hammond, with Uricchio, Howe, Krell, Jacobson, Toporek, Theos & Keith.

Ingram is still a math teacher at West Ashley High School, according to the school's website, checked this morning (Friday).