Purple in Spirit all the time.

Queer thoughts is purple all day today. Then again, aside from the colour being purple today, we are purple in Spirit all the time.

Today collectively we are wearing purple. Its about making bullying visible and remembering those that have suffered at the whims of bullies. Anyone young or old can be bullied. It is particularly hard on young people in high school.

In high school we are learning how to socialize, we are on our own away from our parents and make many more of our own decisions. Sometimes we don't fit in. If you are different then you can be the easy target of a bully. Homophobia is one of the causes. Kids do not innately become gay haters. They learn that behaviour. They hear their parents talking about fags, at church they hear the preacher telling you gays are going to hell so don't be gay. In our workplaces, sporting venues, our laws and our culture, we have demonized gay people.

You don't have to be gay to experience homophobia. Someone just has say you look gay, you must be gay, or you have gay friends, or you don't fit in, presto, you're not like us so you're gay.

Today things are better for gay kids collectively, laws are slowly eliminating legal discriminations from Marriage to adoption to the workplace. Individually that's not so much the case. Being bullied today because you are gay or are thought to be gay, hurts just as much as it did when I was bullied in school 35 years ago.

There is no excuse today. Adults in authority must be responsible and take action every single time they see bullying. Imagine if you were a boy sitting in the stands in Ohio last week and all the boys around you stood up and started chanting "Powder Blue Faggots" over and over. Would you remain seated, would you stand up? Would you join in the chant? Heady questions when you understand that your actions may result in being called a fag yourself, or worse beaten and or taunted all the time. Just because you didn't join in the ritualized chant.

Kids learn to be bullies, kids learn from you and me...



Its not easy being different, especially when you yourself may not know why you are. It shouldn't be easy to bully either.

Marco 13 - Takes on Bullies

After seeing the video of the Ohio high school supporters taunting the opposition with anti gay slurs, I was so happy to see this story via my twitter account.

Marco says he's been bullied since the school year began. Mostly verbal assaults, but once he was pushed down and hit his head. Marco said, "It makes me upset ... not that upset to where I want to kill myself ... but upset to where I want to make a difference to help people who are getting bullied and keeping quiet and to the people who are the bulliers."

Its amazing what each of us can do on our own.  This 13 year old boy with the support of his parents is taking direct action. It would be a good idea if others in his area went out to help him.  Marco Melgoza goes to Desmond Middle School in Madera County California.


Here is a video of an interview he did with KFSN, the local ABC affiliate.

Ohio - Powder Blue faggots

High schools are dangerous places for many young people. Especially if you are gay. Watch the video below. Its a high school football game and some 300 students are taunting the opposition team, chanting Powder Blue Faggots.



The game officials did nothing. The chant went unchallenged. The school says they students have learned a life lesson, that is until they are at the next game.
Former North High student Heather Ike took the video. "I sat there for a little bit thinking it would stop, and it happened again, and it happened three times," Ike said, adding that she left the game after a few minutes, disgusted.

All of this occurred after world wide attention on the suicides of several teenagers caused because they were being bullied because they were gay and or perceived to be gay.

Its clear to me, after three separate chants, the school has decided to do nothing. The game should have been halted. The offending students evicted. If it kept up, then the team they are supporting should be banned from playing football for the rest of the year.

Get serious. Adults are abandoning their responsibilities here. Teenagers are bullying because they know nothing will happen. And just maybe, they know some of the adults like what they hear...

Memories to share with 13 year old

I was really moved by this "It Gets Better" video. A local councillor in Fort Worth Texas, Joel Burns talks about the many young boys that have taken their lives due to bullying. These boys were gay or perceived to be gay. Its a very touching speech. He touches much about my life. I will write about that in a post in the next few days. I hope you can watch this video. I hope you can reflect on this and just maybe, you can help another young person survive. to see that It Gets Better.

"High school was difficult, coming out was painful," he said. "I want to tell any teen who is watching this, life will get better. ... Life will get so, so, so much better."

Burns' sometimes tearful comments drew praise from his fellow council members.

"So very proud of my friend and colleague Joel Burns for his stance against bullying of gay youth and those perceived to be gay," Councilwoman Kathleen Hicks wrote on Facebook during the meeting. "I am sure he saved many tonight."

Councilman Sal Espino echoed Hicks' thoughts.

"Burns displayed tremendous personal courage today in speaking out against bullying against youth and children particularly gay youth in light of the recent tragedies," he also posted on Facebook. "Fort Worth is a diverse community and we believe that all of God's children should be treated with dignity, compassion, and love."

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/10/12/2542148/fort-worth-councilman-offers-hope.html#ixzz12LEtf3Tl

Vigils - Lives Lost to Homophobia

Vigils are planned across Canada this month, for lives lost due to homophobic bullying:

Toronto - Oct 6, 8pm - Church & Wellesley
Kingston - Oct 6, 8pm - JDUC, University & Union
Montreal - Oct 6, 8pm - Parc de l'Espoir, Beaudry Metro
Ajax - Oct 20, 8:30pm - Heritage Square, Ajax Town Hall

more info at Xtra Canada  

When I learn of additional vigils, I will post them here.

13 year old boy dies after bullying

Another boy takes his life due to bullying. Seth Walsh, the Tehachapi 13-year-old who hanged himself from a tree in his back yard after years of being bullied, died Tuesday afternoon after nine days on life support. See story here.


Here is a video posted shortly after Seth was taken to hospital, made by one of his friends...

Homophobia killed Asher Brown

Have a look at this face. You see a boy. I see a boy... He should be thinking about meeting up with friends, going camping, maybe dinner tonight with his parents

He was bullied to death. He is dead.

Asher Brown, a 13-year-old eighth grader at Hamilton Middle School outside Houston Texas.

He was bullied because he was small, because he was gay.

The story is here

11 year old cheerleader called "sissy" and has his arm broke

A young boy gets beaten by two boys who end up breaking his arm.  The boy is 11 years old.  He was beaten after being taunted and bullied for joining a cheer leading squad for a local football team.  The boys in his school called him a sissy and queer. 

This really pisses me off.  The boys who did this were not just being "boys".  They purposely bullied their classmate.  For all of those people out there that say we don't need strong and effective anti-bullying programs along with anti-homophobia instruction have a look at the video below.

This boy likely does not know if he is gay or not.  His arm was broken because some boys thought it was okay to beat the crap out of another boy they assumed to be gay.  Homophobia does not only affect queers, it affects all of us.

Due to many advancements in legal protections for gays, many people think its much easier in school today.  This story says otherwise.  Kids that appear different or do different things are cast out by those that feel its their right to do so.

These kids are not doing it on their own.  They are being taught these behaviours.  They may be modelling their parents, siblings, or their church preacher when they attack someone that does not appear to conform to the norm as they have learned it to be.

From grade 10 on I was the victim of bullying and homophobia, much before I learned myself that I was gay.  It was okay then to beat the crap out of a homo, queer, or fag.  Its still okay today as you can see.  We have a long way to go before every child is afforded a safe healthy experience in a public school.



Link to Fox 8 News story - Findlay Ohio