Action Alert: Speak Up Against Bullying and Prevent Gay Teen Suicide

Jamey Rodemeyer, victim of gay teen suicide

We see all too many stories of gay teen suicide cases in the news. This one is particularly horrifying. Jamey Rodemeyer was only 14 years old when he took his own life this week, after being relentlessly bullied for who he was. His story is all the more tragic because his struggle with this issue was so public: he wrote regularly on his blog about other students teasing him for having girls as friends, and even made a video for the It Gets Better Project (you can watch it here).

It feels like once these stories hit the news it’s too late to do anything; a life has been lost to bullying, and there’s no way to bring it back. But a bunch of big players are banding together to fight gay teen suicide. They’re calling it “The Stop Bullying: Speak Up Social Pledge App.” A bit of a mouthful, yes, but also a way to for you to join a movement to prevent more tragedies like losing Jamey:

Another anti-bullying law in honor of a fallen gay student.

California is primed to join the growing list of states with a strong anti-bullying law, prompted by the suicide of a gay student, harassed to the breaking point at school. The bill has now passed through the State Assembly and Senate, and only needs Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature to become law. Fittingly, it will be called “Seth’s Law,” in memory of 13-year-old Seth Walsh, who hung himself in his backyard one year ago this month.

Seth Walsh, via SFGate.com

Seth’s Law would make schools provide bullying complaint forms on their websites, give schools a timeline to investigate and resolve complaints and have them post policies throughout campuses. It would go into law in July 2012.

“Public schools have tremendous power and responsibility to protect students from bullying and harassment,” said James Gilliam, director of the Seth Walsh Students’ Rights Project at the ACLU of Southern California, in a statement. “Better school procedures and policies to prevent and address bullying will make a safer environment for students who are suffering.”

Gilliam’s Seth Walsh project is an initiative also aimed at combating bullying and discrimination in California schools, particularly against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning students.

(via Bakersfield.com)

Bullying is a very real issue for gay teens, as anyone who’s come across a video from the It Gets Better Project knows all too well. Adolescence is a particularly tough time for most of us, and the more “different” a kid can be painted, the worse the scorn can be from his or her peers. Gay student suicides have gotten a lot of press in the past year, which is good news and bad — it’s a tragedy that so many young people are still struggling with this harassment in the 21st century, but stories like Seth’s do seem to be making a difference. New Jersey passed some of the strongest anti-bullying protections in the country last week in memory of Tyler Clementi, and Seth’s mom says the California anti-bullying law makes her feel “truly honored. Seth would be very honored.”

Take Action: Take a moment to let a gay teen in your life know you’re there for them today, and leave your support in the comments. Knowing there are people out there rooting for you can make all the difference.