What do you all think about the recent string of Gay teen suicides?

[The Rev]

I don't see that it was really discussed here, and seeing as its been so numerous, and so prevelent in the media lately (at least 10 in the US in the past month), and well, I just wanted to hear what Neowinians have to say about it.... Do you know any glbt teens that have taken their life? have you considered taking your life? What can we do to stop these teens from taking their own life? I mean, teens as young as 12 and 13 are attempting and succeeding at suicide.... That's not only insane, that is a ****ing crisis! No 13 year old, hell, no child alive should ever feel for one SECOND that they are not acknowledged, loved, supported, and protected.

What can we do? How can we make it stop? What are we doing right? What are we doing wrong? Is this the best we can do, or can we do something more to make suicidal teens, gay or not, choose life over death?

[Nick H. Supervisor]

It's tragic, I agree. However, someone that is intent on killing themselves will succeed. You need to look at why they want to kill themselves.

Bullying seems to be a big reason. Children grow up being told that men and women are naturally drawn to one another. As they get older they notice that there are some men that are drawn to men, and some women that are drawn to women. Children discussing it amongst themselves think that this is weird, and with no one to tell them otherwise at the time it becomes a joke. The problem then is when someone that they know realises that they are gay. They don't want to be open about it, because they have heard the other kids talking about it as if it is a joke. Sure enough, they keep quiet and one day it gets out. Rather than being proud they feel like outsiders, and rather than being accepting the other children mock and ridicule the child.

The best way to stop this is to educate children. They need to be told not that there are "some" men that like men, and "some" women that like women, but that there is no difference between liking a woman or a man regardless of your sex. You don't need to enter in to the..."finer details" of attraction, you just need to let the children know that it doesn't matter, and that there is just as much point in mocking homosexuality as there is in mocking heterosexuality.

If children were brought up with this mentality, they wouldn't discriminate, bullying would decrease (or at least, bullying someone because of their sexuality), teenagers wouldn't hide themselves away because of who they are, and suicides would hopefully decrease.

Of course, the above is just one of the possibilities for gay teenage suicides. There could be lots of other possibilities.

EDIT: Just noticed that this should probably be in Real World Issues, since there is no article per se, this is a discussion.

[Richteralan]

because USoA is a conservative/close minded country.

therefore there's not much to discuss.

[shakey]

It's due to as others have already said, The closed minded nature this or most of the world has towards it. People need to stop being so judgmental and learn to accept people how they are.

[Subject Delta]

Another problem caused by America's relationship with Christian conservatism.

Frankly I personally believe gays in the US would be better off in Europe

[Richteralan]

Another problem caused by America's relationship with Christian conservatism.

Frankly I personally believe gays in the US would be better off in Europe

I don't think it's actually caused by some religion.

I've met many extreme close-minded people with no religion.

[Hum]

Doesn't really bother me.

All part of the spiritual evolution of humans.

Many other suicides going on for other reasons, not sexual.

No one should feel pressured to 'conform' -- they should not feel ashamed of their spiritual preferences.

I don't see why anyone is worried about who is attracted to whom.

As long as no one is being forced into a relationship, why care ?

Live and let live.

[Farstrider]

Perhaps what everyone here needs to look at, is how many people in a population of 300 000 000, commit suicide every year in the United State of America? So if ten of them are gays what is that telling you, nothing! They are just part of an overall statistic, thats all!

[Richteralan]

Perhaps what everyone here needs to look at, is how many people in a population of 300 000 000, commit suicide every year in the United State of America? So if ten of them are gays what is that telling you, nothing! They are just part of an overall statistic, thats all!

of course.

But this article is not about the statistic. It's about the reason and cause of those suicide.

[matt4pack]

Kids have been bullied for just about anything and killed themselves over it since forever but of course the media only gives a damn when it happens to be gay bullying.

Just like how they ignore most child abductions unless they can make a huge story out of it. Pathetic.

[+Warwagon MVC]

I think it's gay :unsure:

[Hedon]

It's about time.

[Darth Laidher]

I don't care.People commit suicides all the time so, why should I care if they are gay?

[the evn show]

Perhaps what everyone here needs to look at, is how many people in a population of 300 000 000, commit suicide every year in the United State of America?

• About 35,000 Americans kill themselves every year. Adjusted for population this rate is similar to other wealthy industrial democracies (ie: it happens at the same rate as accidental death or cancer, and not an exaggerated rate like homicide). That seems to indicate that there isn't a social pressure unique to America (IE America isn't a depressing hell hole).
  
• Child suicide (≤14 years old) is rare, but you still expect to see about 10 per day in a population the the size of America.
  
• Of all the young people (≤24 years old) in America that die, about 1:20 are killed by suicide (they are as likely to kill themselves as be murdered by others)
  
• People with "sexual identity issues" commit suicide at a rate 3x greater than their peers. Drug abusers and alcoholics commit suicide at a rate approximately 10 times greater than their peers.
  

Do some napkin math and you would expect to see approximately 65 people under the age of 19 commit suicide every day in America. Of those you would expect approximately 40 of them to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Assuming sexual identity is established by age 10, you would expect one gay, lesbian, or bisexual child (≤14 years old) to kill themselves every 12 hours.

source 1 source 2

The story isn't that "10 in the last month" have killed themselves - that happens every week, and has for more than a decade. Expand "teen" to cover those up to age 19 and you'll hit 10 gay teenagers before you finish your second cup of coffee each day. The fact that it's present in the media just indicates that it's the newest trend in the news cycle. It'll blow away in a couple of months just like sexual molesters last year, and abductions a few years prior.

[Growled Member]

The fact that it's present in the media just indicates that it's the newest trend in the news cycle. It'll blow away in a couple of months just like sexual molesters last year, and abductions a few years prior.

Very good post, evn. I agree, we think it's just now happening because the media has focused on it. In a few months they'll be on to other things.

[The Rev]

Very good post, evn. I agree, we think it's just now happening because the media has focused on it. In a few months they'll be on to other things.

So what does that mean? We should just forget about it? Not bother trying to do anything about it?

We can do better. Would you feel the same way if it was your son or daughter that killed themself? Would you expect your parents to just shrug their shoulders and go "oh well, he was just one kid, what does he matter?" if they found out you killed yourself?

The moment we refuse for one second to consider that 1 life lost, especially that of a child, is anything more than a drop in the bucket and doesn't really matter, we lose our humanity.

[Farstrider]

With due respect Rev Spam, when you say: "We should just forget about it?" Who are we?? Who are these people to whom you refer?

"Not bother trying to do anything about it?" Once again, with due respect, what are you doing about this?

The problem, when you think about it, is that one of the most bizarre things a human can do, is to kill themselves! It generally is an act of desperation and utter selfishness! The ones who really want to do this, will ultimate do it, no matter what "we" try to do to stop it!

[The Rev]

With due respect Rev Spam, when you say: "We should just forget about it?" Who are we?? Who are these people to whom you refer?

"Not bother trying to do anything about it?" Once again, with due respect, what are you doing about this?

The problem, when you think about it, is that one of the most bizarre things a human can do, is to kill themselves! It generally is an act of desperation and utter selfishness! The ones who really want to do this, will ultimate do it, no matter what "we" try to do to stop it!

Well, the point is to stamp out the type of bullying and abuse before it has a chance to bring kids to suicide. I think we can do better, stop being reactive and start being proactive, by educating kids about bullying, spotting bullies or bullies in the making, and figuring out why they are bullying kids in the first place, and try to rehab them and/or find out what underlying issues are causing these teens to bully other teens and correct it before it's too late.

I personally consider even the bullies as victims, because they somewhere along the line were essentially rewarded for their bullying behavior, and thus continued doing so (classical conditioning anyone?) I think if we can do a little intervention on bullies, as well as support for their victims, we can at least slow down the trend of bully-related suicide/death, regardless of whether sexual orientation is a factor.... I bring up gay teens because it seems they take bullying a lot more to heart than others....

[TrueMonolith]

Normally i would make a remark about "why would a gay girl kill her self?", Every guy on the planet would be like "can i PLEAASSSEEE watch?" and you're going after girls who are just as insecure as you are.

Then i realised there might be guys who take offense to being called "fudgepacker".

What people need to realise is...weird **** can happen in the bed room....and that weird ****, can be incredibly fun to the 2 people who are involved and disturbing for others....so keep yer noses out of it!

[Memphis]

Well, the point is to stamp out the type of bullying and abuse before it has a chance to bring kids to suicide. I think we can do better, stop being reactive and start being proactive, by educating kids about bullying, spotting bullies or bullies in the making, and figuring out why they are bullying kids in the first place, and try to rehab them and/or find out what underlying issues are causing these teens to bully other teens and correct it before it's too late.

I personally consider even the bullies as victims, because they somewhere along the line were essentially rewarded for their bullying behavior, and thus continued doing so (classical conditioning anyone?) I think if we can do a little intervention on bullies, as well as support for their victims, we can at least slow down the trend of bully-related suicide/death, regardless of whether sexual orientation is a factor.... I bring up gay teens because it seems they take bullying a lot more to heart than others....

I disagree, hundred of suicides happen a year. Many of them can be related to bullying of some form. The media just loves to report on ones involving homosexuality and so on.

[Skyfrog]

Sensationalist media story of the week. It's sad that it happens but it's nothing new.

[ahhell]

I blame Twilight.

This is a non-story. 10 suicides in a month out of a population of over 300 million. That couldn't be more statisically insignificant.

[Memphis]

Oh you've changed your tune, yesterday I was gay according to you

Make your mind up

Your something, you could very well be in denial, but either way, what your spewing is hate and DOES NOT help others to promote a reasonable conservative stance.

[Phenom II]

Your something, you could very well be in denial, but either way, what your spewing is hate and DOES NOT help others to promote a reasonable conservative stance.

:laugh:

(N) Fail

Backtracking across the universe...

[Richard Hammond]

Enjoy your ban.