Bullied to death

Anthony Nguyen

The Signal

During the span of three weeks, seven teenagers – Cody Barker, Justin Aaberg, Billy Lucas, Asher Brown, Tyler Clementi, Seth Walsh, Corey Jackson – took their own lives. The common link? Each was the subject of bullying because they were either gay or perceived to be gay.

“Nearly everyday in middle school I was shoved into lockers and called ‘fag’ for the way I acted and spoke,” said Preston, a 16-year-old high school junior. “I spent a lot of time considering suicide.”

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youths are four times more likely to attempt suicide than other young people.

“I wasn’t exactly bullied until I got to high school,” said Matt, a 20-year-old college student. “What really stopped [the bullying] was a suicide attempt during my sophomore year, from which I was mostly left alone. I just felt like nobody wanted me around; like I was some infected lowlife that didn’t deserve to be there, let alone exist. I thought I was doing the world a favor.”

The school setting ranks second to the home in terms of where adolescents spend most of their time. Parents traditionally raise their children to have the same values and mindset as they have.

“Being raised in the Catholic church, I was taught that being gay was wrong and that troubled me greatly,” Preston said.

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life says that approximately 83 percent of all U.S. adults belong to a major religion. Of this, more than 78 percent belong to a Christian denomination.

Some churches believe that homosexuality constitutes a sin.

“The Bible is very clear that sin is a problem and that God takes sin seriously,” said Kyle Jackson, student pastor at Heritage Park Baptist Church. “I think that Jesus does love the LGBT community. But just like anyone – all people who have a sin problem in their life – Jesus came and the only reason that Jesus came is to be sacrificed so that our sin problem can be dealt with.”

Other churches do not attribute homosexuality as a sin.

“Our denomination is very inclusive in regards to homosexuality,” said Mike Besson, reverend at St. John’s Episcopal Church in La Porte, TX. “We work very hard to ensure that all are made to feel welcome and understand that they will not be judged based on their sexual orientation. It is very difficult to lose one’s self from the constant bashing they may have heard for most of their lives. And so it is vital that they search for a church that will love them and welcome them into the Body.”

Columnist and author Dan Savage challenges those who are unsupportive of the LGBT community as partly accountable for contributing an atmosphere conducive to bullying.

“And – sorry – but you are partly responsible for the bullying and physical violence being visited on vulnerable LGBT children,” Savage said. “The kids of people who see gay people as sinful or damaged or disordered and unworthy of full civil equality – even if those people strive to express their bigotry in the politest possible way (at least when they happen to be addressing a gay person) – learn to see gay people as sinful, damaged, disordered and unworthy.

“And while there may not be any gay adults or couples where you live, or at your church, or in your workplace, I promise you that there are gay and lesbian children in your schools,” Savage said. “And while you can only attack gays and lesbians at the ballot box, nice and impersonally, your children have the option of attacking actual gays and lesbians, in person, in real time.”

Savage’s columns can be found in “The Stranger” and online at www.thestranger.com.

The recurrent suicides have prompted public schools to respond to the hardships of the LGBT community and bullying in general.

Clear Lake High School is among many schools in Texas and across the nation to implement the multi-faceted, bullying-intervention program “Safe School Ambassadors” on its campus.

“Our superintendent, Dr. Greg Smith, has made ‘bullying’ one of the superintendent’s targets,” said Vicki Pittman, lead counselor and director of college counseling at Clear Lake High School.

Students at UHCL looking for someone to listen and understand without judgment can contact Unity, the gay straight alliance, through Student Life, SSCB 1202.7, or a Safe Zone Ally through the Office of International and Intercultural Student Services, SSCB 1203.

UHCL alumna Josephine Tittsworth points out that children who are transgender are at a much higher risk of being bullied than any other group because they cannot hide their gender identity issues.”

“While I was a student at UHCL, it was common for someone to let some of the air out of my handicap electric scooter while I was in class,” Tittsworth said. “A few faculty [members] would intentionally use the wrong pronouns in my presence and also tell transgender jokes while I was present. After exposing myself as a transgender person on campus, the major triumph was when Dr. Staples [president of UHCL] signed off on the inclusion of gender identity and expression into the nondiscrimination statement.”

What has Texas done, on a legislative level, to address bullying?

As a watch-dog organization that advocates on the behalf of bullied children, Bully Police USA reports on State Anti-Bullying Laws.

Forty-five states have anti-bullying laws, while five do not. Texas is one of these five.

Bill White, Democratic candidate for Texas Governor, endorses anti-bullying laws.

Rick Perry, the Republican incumbent candidate, has a record of endorsing school safety measures and hate crimes legislation; but has not publicly backed anti-bullying laws.

However, Perry recently made this statement: “We’re creating more jobs than any other state in the nation. … Would you rather live in a state like this, or in a state where a man can marry a man?”







The 2010 Houston Out of the Darkness Walk took place Nov. 6 at Stude Park in Houston to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Reporter: Mechele Williams, Videographer: Anthony Nguyen.







The Houston Out of the Darkness Community Walk was held at Stude Park on Nov. 6, 2010 to raise funds and increase awareness for suicide prevention. Photos by The Signal reporter Mechele Williams.