Panem Et Circenses

pansexualpride:

Queer Children Are Dying… But Many More Are Living

cassket:

Most of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth we saw on the news in 2011 were dead.

Last fall, media outlets around the country reported on the death of Rutgers University…

early-onset-of-night:

that the government could do what those laws gave it the power to do all along. Should we be shocked? Not if we are over ten years old. The government, you see, can do WHATEVER it wants, WHENEVER it wants. The laws are numerous enough and vague enough that they can be interpreted anyway the…

gaywrites:

Phillip Parker, a 14-year-old from Tennessee, took his own life on Friday after relentless bullying because he was gay. His family had reported incidents of bullying to the school, but nothing happened. 

Added grandfather Paul Harris: “Because he was gay, he got mistreated physically, mentally by several people out there at the school, and I am very resentful as a result of it. After he did what he did, we found out a lot that we didn’t know and there is a lot of bullying that goes on at the school.”

Tennessee, by the way, has taken some of the most controversial actions in terms of LGBT issues recently. Most famously, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill banning discussions of homosexuality in school is gaining momentum, and lawmakers are trying to change an anti-bullying law to exempt “condemnations of homosexuality based on religion.”

My heart is broken. These tragic stories are piling up again and we need the world to notice. Tell your friends about this. Make them understand why we need to take action against bullying. Get angry. Get emotional. Contact Tennessee lawmakers. Do something. If we don’t speak up, no one will.

Most importantly, if you need help, please call the Trevor Project lifeline at 1-866-488-7386, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are important. You can get through this. We are here to help you.

Rest peacefully, Phillip. I’m so sorry we couldn’t help you in time. 

Sexual orientation is commonly discussed as if it were solely a characteristic of an individual, like biological sex, gender identity, or age. This perspective is incomplete because sexual orientation is defined in terms of relationships with others