IT GETS BETTER: Tagline against Gay teen suicide

Yes my blog is about my road to business school and I will not divert from that, but I just read an article about another gay teen who has taken his life due to bullying and I felt compelled to write a note to any teenager out there struggling with their sexuality.

Coming off the heels of such an empowering weekend at the Reaching Out Conference in LA, it's breaking my heart to have to here these stories about LGBT Youth taking their lives.  So this post is in memory of all of the teens who have taken their lives in the last two months (Sept 2010 and Oct 2010)

Seth Walsh - 13 yrs old

Asher Brown - 13 yrs old 

Caleb Nolt - 14 yrs old

Billy Lucas - 15 yrs old 

Justin Aaberg - 15 yrs old

Felix Sacco - 17 yrs old 

Cody Barker - 17 yrs old

Justin Lacey - 18 yrs old

Tyler Clementi - 18 yrs old

Corey Jackson - 19 yrs old

Aiyisha Hassan - 19 yrs old

Zach Harrington - 19 yrs old

Raymond Chase - 19 yrs old 

Alec Whitney Henricksen - 19 yrs old

&

My Friend - 21, who took his life last year

No matter what anyone tells you...it gets better!  I've been through your situation and it sucks but do not let ANYONE push you to the point where you take your own life no matter how bad it gets.  Let it be something that makes you stronger not weaker!  If I were to say that 99.9% of us have been through what you're going through it may be an understatement, which is why we're all so touched by your stories.

I've been bullied and tripped in middle school while being called a homo.  I've been embarrassed in science class because a girl yelled out "Richard are you gay?" with malicious intent.  I've been on the bus and been called a faggot, because some kid thought that would make him cool.  I know how you feel and you feel about 1 inch tall and feel as though there's no reason to live.  It's something that's awkwardly tough to stomach because people are not attacking your clothes or intellect.  They're attacking the most core part of you, something that in most cases you haven't come to terms with yourself yet.

Trust me when I say... WE as a community know how you feel.  This is not to say that I know how one could actually go through with committing suicide, but, I do understand the process with which one

We've been there, but IT GETS BETTER!  I know I know it sucks to say that It Gets Better, because it should already be better for you.  If there was one thing that my 28 yr old self could tell my 12 and 13 yr old self it's that THING'S WILL GET BETTER IF YOU ARE ALIVE TO EXPERIENCE THEM!  I'm glad I'm alive to experience them!  :-)

To LGBT Friends, Families, and other Allies - TAKE A STAND!  If you hear of any homophobic remarks of any sort in a malicious manner, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO ONE WHO IDENTIFIES AS LGBT IN THE GROUP, SPEAK UP!