I dedicate this article to Jaheem Herrera and Carl Joseph Walker–Hoover.
Are you comfortable?
Sitting in a comfortable chair in your comfortable home, safe and secure?
As I’ve mentioned previously LGBT activism has been around for over 85 years. Longer than the women’s rights movement and, yes, longer than the African American civil rights movement.
Most of us in the LGBT community have known for quite some time there is a high incidence of suicide in our community. We didn’t need the APA or anyone else to tell us all the negativity heaped upon us has a price.
It’s a costly price to be sure. But we can’t place an amount on that price. We lost a fellow human family member and have no way of knowing what that individual would have contributed to society.
Imagine the loss to society if Michelangelo had committed suicide as a youngster! As a side note, in case you didn’t know Michelangelo was a LGBT community member. Some don’t want LGBT community members as teachers. So I must pose the question: You wouldn’t want Michelangelo to teach your child? hmmmmmm
If you never saw rain you might not understand that you get wet outside in the rain. Being outside in the rain brings forth the reality that you indeed get wet standing outside in the rain. Once you have experienced this it would seem odd for someone to tell you that you will get wet outside in the rain.
In a similar way, by being part of the LGBT community we already know about the negativity heaped upon us and the results.
Recently I mentioned the suicide of two young men, neither of whom had yet to reach their teenage years. To some, such tragedies may seem new. Those of us in the LGBT community know it is not new.
Such tragedies have been around for a very long time. However LGBT news historically has been shoved under the carpet. Finally, some of it is making it to mainstream news but there is still very much LGBT news which never makes it to mainstream services.
For the most part, LGBT activism has been the domain of mature adults.
While I do not condone suicide it would be an insult not to consider these youngsters martyrs. Along with so many others who have given or lost their lives simply for being who they were born, they join the ranks of martyrdom.
I ask that you join me in honoring these victims of inequality, hate and bigotry. Not only in words but also in deeds. I ask, when you see a chance to make a difference that you take action.
Do not remain silent or afraid to get involved.
If you aren’t part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
Many have paid the ultimate price due to hate, bigotry, injustice and inequality heaped upon our LGBT community.
So many lives have been lost way before their time.
We hear a lot about the welfare of children from the other side.
I ask, what about our LGBT children? Some of which are no longer with us!
What does it say about our society when children become martyrs?
Are you comfortable?
Sitting in a comfortable chair in your comfortable home, safe and secure?
As I’ve mentioned previously LGBT activism has been around for over 85 years. Longer than the women’s rights movement and, yes, longer than the African American civil rights movement.
Most of us in the LGBT community have known for quite some time there is a high incidence of suicide in our community. We didn’t need the APA or anyone else to tell us all the negativity heaped upon us has a price.
It’s a costly price to be sure. But we can’t place an amount on that price. We lost a fellow human family member and have no way of knowing what that individual would have contributed to society.
Imagine the loss to society if Michelangelo had committed suicide as a youngster! As a side note, in case you didn’t know Michelangelo was a LGBT community member. Some don’t want LGBT community members as teachers. So I must pose the question: You wouldn’t want Michelangelo to teach your child? hmmmmmm
If you never saw rain you might not understand that you get wet outside in the rain. Being outside in the rain brings forth the reality that you indeed get wet standing outside in the rain. Once you have experienced this it would seem odd for someone to tell you that you will get wet outside in the rain.
In a similar way, by being part of the LGBT community we already know about the negativity heaped upon us and the results.
Recently I mentioned the suicide of two young men, neither of whom had yet to reach their teenage years. To some, such tragedies may seem new. Those of us in the LGBT community know it is not new.
Such tragedies have been around for a very long time. However LGBT news historically has been shoved under the carpet. Finally, some of it is making it to mainstream news but there is still very much LGBT news which never makes it to mainstream services.
For the most part, LGBT activism has been the domain of mature adults.
While I do not condone suicide it would be an insult not to consider these youngsters martyrs. Along with so many others who have given or lost their lives simply for being who they were born, they join the ranks of martyrdom.
I ask that you join me in honoring these victims of inequality, hate and bigotry. Not only in words but also in deeds. I ask, when you see a chance to make a difference that you take action.
Do not remain silent or afraid to get involved.
If you aren’t part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
Many have paid the ultimate price due to hate, bigotry, injustice and inequality heaped upon our LGBT community.
So many lives have been lost way before their time.
We hear a lot about the welfare of children from the other side.
I ask, what about our LGBT children? Some of which are no longer with us!
What does it say about our society when children become martyrs?
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