How I spend a typical work day.
Lumberlodge in the spring.
The new Google+ blew my mind this morning.
And now I’m going to make an effort to use this wonderfully designed UI.
(And this post is also to check my twitter/tumblr connection.)
I am an advocate; “When I Get Married”
I came across a link to the personal web page of a young boy named Kenneth Weishuhn yesterday. He had a blog where he collected photos and bits from around the internet for his friends and others to see.
Kenneth was a romantic. Kenneth had a huge crush on Louis Tomlison and loved collecting photos of him. Kenneth also loved dreaming about his wedding. Fresh faced and fourteen years old, this kid already had his sights set on settling down and finding the love of his life.
He collected photos of two men holding hands, two men in suits walking down beaches, matching wedding bands, and gay family portraits. Kenneth is the kind of guy who knows that his true love is just waiting somewhere around the corner from him. Head and shoulders above all the other kids that age, Kenneth was someone who was full of love and hope for his future.
But Kenneth is never going to see that future. Because he is dead.
Kenneth killed himself this week. One short month of opening his heart and coming out to his friends and family, Kenneth killed himself.
Kenneth will never walk down a beach hand in hand with the love of his life. Kenneth will never slip a ring onto the finger of the man of his dreams. Kenneth will never get to live out his love story.
His life was cut short.
And while media outlets are reporting Kenneth’s death as another in a string of gay teen suicides, I am going to make the argument that it wasn’t.
As a matter of fact, none of the widely reported stories of gay teens killing themselves have been suicide. These children have been murdered.
Every hateful word and every nasty comment was one more nail in the coffin of this child.
Every single one of Kenneth’s classmates, outside of the small group of his friends who loved and supported him in his decision to be open about his sexual orientation, is responsible for his death, and should be held responsible as such.
Kenneth also took part in the recent movement called “It Gets Better.”
The idea is simple enough and has been making its rounds online for a while now. Celebrities and regular folks making videos and posting the slogan to let gay kids know that, while their lives may be a living hell right now, it will eventually Get Better.
That while every day of their life might be a harrowing ordeal faced with unthinkable adversity, someday things will Get Better.
But things never got better for Kenneth, because he is dead.
It Gets Better does not work.
The hearts and minds of those making the videos is in the right place.
These are people who see the suffering that these kids are going through and who are reaching out to them to let them know that someday their nightmare will be over. It is admirable, and it is something that has helped to keep some kids stay strong with their heads up until they can put their youth behind them and move on with the rest of their lives.
But a child died this week because, for him, there was no future in sight. His every day became so horrifying — receiving threats through his mobile phone and online accounts, dealing with his abusers every day in school — that death was a viable alternative to life. For this child, dying was more comfortable than living.
This is not okay and this needs to stop right now.
The root cause of the problem needs to be addressed and the kids who are contributing to the deaths of their peers need to be called to task for their actions and criminally charged for their role in the death of a child.
The kids we call “bullies” are so much more than that. The term “bully” calls to mind images of wedgies and pulling pigtails when the reality is something much more sinister — they are harassers and abusers systematically devaluing someone’s life.
Telling kids to keep their eyes on the prize and get out of school with as much dignity as they can keep may help some race for the finish line. But it isn’t enough.
Harassment in schools needs to end.
And it is the responisbility of everyone - parents, teachers, and fellow students - to stop this from happening. Callling someone out for reprehensible behaviour needs to become the norm. People who overhear abuse need to know that calling the police and telling the school administration what is going on is saving someone’s life. Become someone’s advocate.
Tell every gay kid you know: I AM YOUR ADVOCATE.
I am ready to become the advocate of anyone who is being harassed for their sexuality and I hope that any and every willing adult will join me. If a child in your life is being harassed for being who they are, you need to get every person you know on the phone or in the office of school and police with the names of everyone who is responsible for the harassment so we can begin formulating plans to save someone’s life.
Kenneth will never be able to see his dream wedding come. Advocate on behalf of someone you know. We can’t let this happen again.
Up & Coming… soon
