IT GETS BETTER!!!!

A few weeks ago I attended the University of Connecticut's homecoming Lipsync celebration. The last act to go on was that of the Rainbow Center, a cultural center on campus meant for LGBTQ and Allys to be safe, happy and express who they are without fear of hatred or bigotry. The RC won the Lipsync competition for the cultural centers category and there was not a single "booo" or hateful word said in response to the announcement. In stead, in a room filled with "competitors" there cheers of appreciation and admiration. In a very competitive arena, (Gampel Pavillion - UCONN basketballs home court to be exact) every group cheered each other on and looked forward to seeing the performances that had been created. Why does the world not work like this ?

I ask this, because a few days after this event I was in Staples with my mom when I got a call from my partner. She sounded upset and when I asked what was wrong, she responded with "didn't you hear?" I had been out of the house for most of the morning and had not heard the recent news. Her mom had told her about a boy at Rutgers University who was tormented by a video post that his roommate had secretly posted online of him and another male in their dorm room. The allogations and postings of him being gay were enough for him to jump off of the George Washington Bridge leaving behind only a facebook status post.



How cruel and intolerant can a person be?! I began to tear in the store and purposely did not tell my mom. She found out later that day and began to cry. She loves me, no matter what. I can not imagine the pain and suffering that his family is enduring in this national news story of their son's torment and suicide.


Respect. We do not have to date each other. We do not even have to like each other. But if these students who posted that video had simply respected the space of their roommate/aquaintance, TYler would still be alive. Thousands of children, teens and adults, would still be alive. This is not a single, isolated incident, nor is it isolated to LGBTQ youth. Bullying and teasing should never be tolerated, for any reason. A child who has a disability, who is gay, or who is from another country, is still a child, just as we all are. To your parents, you will always be their baby. And now, another baby is lost for no reason at all. 


The past few weeks have been filled with hateful messages, and tragic stories of young LGBTQ people ending their own lives. You MUST know that there are people out there who LOVE LOVE LOVE you!!!! The Trevor Project and It Gets Better Project have been created in a time that we should no longer need to tell people that their lives are worth it, and that they are PERFECT just the way they are. . . but we do need these places to go. We do need reassurance sometimes that there are people who care, because sometimes yes, this world is cruel. But we can learn to take the ignorance, and turn it into education. We can take the hate, and turn it into love. People need to open their hearts, and their minds to understand someone who is gay is NO different than someone who is straight, tall, white, black, hispanic, Christian, Jewish or any other classifying trait.  


Show those that you love, how much you care. Be there for them and support them. Being an Ally is not a weakness, but takes incredible self strength and security to stand up for another person. But if everyone in this country stood up for what they believed in, we would no longer need postings like this. 


The Trevor Project Hotline
866 488 7386