It's Not About Being Tolerated
When I was eight years old I was a victim of bullying. It was an experience that has shaped the person I am today, for better or worse. Today I do not remember much of the details of the attacks, I just remember the emotions I experienced during them. Being bullied can be a traumatic experience. Most adults think it is just harmless teasing and that there will be no serious damage. That is where the problem lies, that people in general do not take bullying seriously and most do not intervene. I am not sure if it is becoming an epidemic but lately there have been numerous youth suicides in result to bullying. Most of the reported cases have been LGBT related. Just this month four teenagers have committed suicide over bullying. Last week a Rutgers Freshmen by the name of Tyler Clementi jumped off the George Washington Bridge because he was being harassed by his roommate. His roommate had to audacity to record Tyler being intimate with another man. I can only imagine how violated and humiliated Tyler must have felt to have his personal life put on full display. For the most part you expect your roommate to respect your privacy, they might not like you but you deserve their respect.
Then I have been hearing about 13 and 15 year olds killing themselves because they are being tormeted by thier peers. When I was 13 I was convinced I was going to marry Nick Carter and in love with Britney Spears(Stronger was the ish). Suicide was not even on my radar. They must have reached a boiler point where they felt the situation was not going to get better and that it would be best to take their own lives then to have to live one more day being verbally whipped by their peers. I am looking at a picture of Asher Brown(the 13 year old), he is the same age as my nephew. So much was ahead of him but he is no longer with us. That just breaks my heart. I just wish he knew that everything was going to be okay. I really do believe in my heart that one day bigotry will be eradicated from our community. I am not sure how long but I believe in my heart that it will be gone.
I will be the first to admit that I was not always open minded to the LGBT community. I come from a strong Christian and West African background. I was extremely sheltered from non hetero-relationships. I did not know anyone who was openly gay until I came to college. Luckily I was not someone who ostracizes people who are different from me, I embrace differences. I am not perfect and I think that it is our flaws that make us uniquely beautiful. That is what irritates me about people who are so self-righteous that they condemn people without even giving them a chance. Maybe the whole self-righteous act is an illusion people need to not focus on their own imperfections and problems. If they convince themselves that they are better than someone they won't be forced to focus on their own worth. Interesting. Just a thought.
Then I have been hearing about 13 and 15 year olds killing themselves because they are being tormeted by thier peers. When I was 13 I was convinced I was going to marry Nick Carter and in love with Britney Spears(Stronger was the ish). Suicide was not even on my radar. They must have reached a boiler point where they felt the situation was not going to get better and that it would be best to take their own lives then to have to live one more day being verbally whipped by their peers. I am looking at a picture of Asher Brown(the 13 year old), he is the same age as my nephew. So much was ahead of him but he is no longer with us. That just breaks my heart. I just wish he knew that everything was going to be okay. I really do believe in my heart that one day bigotry will be eradicated from our community. I am not sure how long but I believe in my heart that it will be gone.
I will be the first to admit that I was not always open minded to the LGBT community. I come from a strong Christian and West African background. I was extremely sheltered from non hetero-relationships. I did not know anyone who was openly gay until I came to college. Luckily I was not someone who ostracizes people who are different from me, I embrace differences. I am not perfect and I think that it is our flaws that make us uniquely beautiful. That is what irritates me about people who are so self-righteous that they condemn people without even giving them a chance. Maybe the whole self-righteous act is an illusion people need to not focus on their own imperfections and problems. If they convince themselves that they are better than someone they won't be forced to focus on their own worth. Interesting. Just a thought.
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