text:
(Home-My Story) (Español)
True, Tragic and Unnecessary Gay Youth Suicide Stories
Stories To Wake You Up
It doesn't have to be this way
What can you do?
from Gary Lynn
had for years been the target for hurtful homophobic comments by classmates
without anyone at school ever intervening. As a model student, he never
complained about the situation. Other boys did not consider him masculine
enough, and the talk was that he was a "fag." One day his class was passing the
school's swimming pool, so some boys threw him in fully clothed. Everyone
including the teacher had a good laugh. Nicholas was humiliated and distressed,
and the event became the final straw. The next day he killed himself by jumping
from the top of the village's railway bridge.
After his funeral, a recently hired teacher tried to sensitize the school to the possible relationship between the ostracism inflicted on Nicholas and his suicide. The man's efforts were met with the firm recommendation that he be silent on the issue, and his teaching contract was not renewed.
This story was told to us by Nicholas's mother a little less than a year after her son died. He was fifteen years old. (1)
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Jean-Philippe* was an inquisitive adolescent involved with others and a confidant for many of his friends. In so many ways he was the kid that parents dream about having. However, he was deeply troubled by a great secret. After his sister found him hanging from a wooden beam in the family home, the note written just before his final act was discovered:
To all who love me and to the ones who did not love me. I am sick of this shit of a life. Sick, to the point of wanting to puke!!! I am so lonely. So alone with what I am suffering. I'd rather die than go on suffering like this.
Jean-Philippe xxx
PS: By the way, I was gay and I would like to say to the ones who still love me that I will never forget them.
In their attempts to retrace what could have happened to
precipitate Jean-Philippi's crisis, his parents discovered that he had recently
visited many Internet sites with homosexual content. Without doubt the
revelation or the confirmation of his attraction to same-sex individuals caused
him great distress, leading him to anticipate the worst. This is what his
parents believe, but they insist they would have been supportive if their
son had told them of his problems. Unfortunately we will never know
exactly what Jean-Philippe was feeling, just as he will never know that his
parents would have been much more accepting of his nature than he believed.
He was fourteen years old when he died. It happened on a Saturday, the
first time that Jean-Philippe ever failed to deliver the morning
newspapers. (1)
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(1) These true stories were taken from the following book: Dorais, Michel with Simon L. Lajeunesse (translated by Pierre Tremblay) "Dead Boys Can't Dance", Montreal, McGill-Queen's University Press, 2004, pages 1 & 2.
* Not real name to protect privacy.
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Joseph Walker-Hoover was 11-- hardly old enough to
know his sexuality and yet distraught enough to hang himself last week after
school bullies repeatedly called him "gay." The Springfield, Mass., football
player and Boy Scout was ruthlessly teased, despite his mother's pleas to the
New Leadership Charter School to address the problem.
Sirdeaner L. Walker, 43, found Carl hanging by an extension cord on the second floor of the family's home [Monday] April 6, 2009, just minutes before she was going to a meeting to confront school authorities again.
"I am brokenhearted," she told ABCNews.com. "We worry about the economy and about Iraq, but we need to be worried about our schools."
Walker, who works as a director of homeless programs, said Carl -- a slight child who loved his schoolwork -- had endured endless taunts since he started sixth grade in September.
The boy had been active in his church, taking communion on the recent Palm Sunday and playing a wise man in the Christmas play. He helped the needy and a black history program. "That's the type of kid he was," Walker said. "You could rely and count on him."
Walker said her son's 11-year-old tormentors were worse than the breast cancer she had survived four years ago.
In an ironic twist, the boy would have turned 12 on April 17 -- the same day students in thousands of schools across the country will participate in the annual Day of Silence to bring attention to anti-gay harassment in schools.
"There was no reason for the mother to believe he was gay," said Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network [GLSEN] spokesman Daryl Presgraves. "It just happens he was someone his peers targeted, calling him, 'girlie,' 'gay' and 'fag.' According to the mother, it was a daily occurrence."
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Jaheem Herrera woke up on
April 16, 2009 acting strangely. He wasn't hungry and he didn't want to go
to school. Jaheem Herrera's mother thinks he hanged himself because he was
perpetually bullied at school. But the outgoing fifth grader packed his bag and
went to school at Dunaire Elementary School in DeKalb County, Georgia.
He came home much happier than when he left in the morning, smiling as he handed his mother, Masika Bermudez, a glowing report card full of A's and B's. She gave him a high-five and he went upstairs to his room as she prepared dinner. A little later, when his younger sister called him to come down to eat, Jaheem didn't answer. So mother and daughter climbed the stairs to Jaheem's room and opened the door.
Jaheem was hanging by his belt in the closet.
"I always used to see these things on TV, dead people on the news," says Bermudez. "I saw somebody die and to see this dead person is your son, hanging there, a young boy. . . . To hang yourself like that, you've got to really be tired of something." Bermudez says bullies at school pushed Jaheem over the edge. He complained about being called gay, ugly and "the virgin" because he was from the Virgin Islands, she said.
"He used to say Mom they keep telling me
this . . . this gay word, this gay, gay, gay. I'm tired of hearing it, they're
telling me the same thing over and over," she told
CNN, as she
wiped away tears from her face. But while she says her son complained
about the bullying, she had no idea how bad it had gotten.
"He told me, but he just got to the point where he didn't want me to get involved anymore because nothing was done," she said. Bermudez said she complained to the school about bullying seven or eight times, but it wasn't enough to save him. "It [apparently] just got worse and worse and worse until Thursday," she said. "Just to walk up to that room and see your baby hanging there. My daughter saw this, my baby saw this, my kids are traumatized."
She said Jaheem was a shy boy just trying to get a good education and make friends. "He was a nice little boy," Bermudez said through her tears. "He loved to dance. He loved to have fun. He loved to make friends. And all he made [at school] were enemies." Bermudez said she thinks her son felt like nobody wanted to help him, that nobody stood up and stopped the bullies. "Maybe he said 'You know what -- I'm tired of telling my mom, she's been trying so hard, but nobody wants to help me,' " says Bermudez.
After Jaheem's death, the school board expressed condolences, saying the school staff "works diligently to provide a safe and nurturing environment for all students."
Trying desperately to understand what went wrong, Bermudez asked her son's best friend to recount what happened on the day Jaheem killed himself. "He [said he was] tired of complaining, tired of these guys messing with him," Bermudez said, recalling the conversation with Jaheem's best friend. "Tired of talking, I think to his teachers, counselors and nobody is doing anything -- and the best way out is death." ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN)
More Gay Teen Suicide Stories Down Below
What Can You Do?
First of all, make your first, second and
forever reaction to people with different sexual orientations than yourself be
that of love and acceptance. Nobody ever wants to kill themselves when they are loved in
every facet of their lives. Then click on one of the below sites for
information on how you can join the effort to bring respect, dignity and
equality to all students in your nation's schools:
Click Here for The Family Acceptance Project (FAP): The Family Acceptance Project™ is the only research, intervention, education and policy initiative that works to decrease health and related risks for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth, such as suicide, substance abuse, HIV and homelessness – in the context of their families. We use a research-based, culturally grounded approach to help ethnically, socially and religiously diverse families to decrease rejection and increase support for their LGBT children. The Family Acceptance Project™ (FAP) is directed by Caitlin Ryan at the Marian Wright Edelman Institute at San Francisco State University, and was developed by Caitlin Ryan and Rafael Dìaz in 2002. (Oct. 2013)
Click Here for: The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
Here for:
GayStraight Alliance
Gay–straight alliances
are student organizations, found in high schools and universities in North American and around the world that are intended to provide a safe and supportive
environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) youth and their straight allies (GLBTA).
Click Here for: Human Rights Campaign (HRC) - The Human Rights Campaign represents a grassroots force of over 750,000 members and supporters nationwide. As the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, HRC envisions an America where LGBT people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.
Click Here for: Lambda Legal - Lambda Legal, founded in 1973, is a national leader in the fight for the civil rights of lesbians and gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and people with HIV. Through groundbreaking litigation, public education, and legal advocacy, Lambda Legal has played a crucial role in combating discrimination around the United States.
Mel White's SoulForce
- freedom for lesbian,
gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious and political oppression
through the practice of relentless nonviolent resistance. Read
his powerful and courageous autobiography,
Stranger at the
Gate-To Be Gay and Christian in America
Click Here for: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) - PFLAG's Vision. We, the parents, families and friends of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, celebrate diversity and envision a society that embraces everyone, including those of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.
Click Here for: The NALT (Not All Like That) Christians Project: The purpose of The NALT Christians Project is to give any and all LGBT-affirming Christians a means of sharing their belief that there is nothing anti-biblical or sinful about being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. How does it work? You make a YouTube video saying that you are both Christian and fully affirming of LGBT-people; you upload your video onto your (free and easily obtainable) YouTube channel; via the Submit form on the NALT Christians website you inform the NALT gang that your video is ready to go; soon thereafter your video is added to the chorus of other videos on the NALT Christians website that are helping to change the world.
Why should I make a NALT Christians video?
1.To refute the widespread belief that Christianity is synonymous with anti-gay bigotry.*
2.To counteract the destructive effects on all young people of the message that God condemns and rejects LGBT people.
3.To support and encourage other LGBT-affirming Christians. (October 2013)
Click Here for: The Trevor Project - The Trevor Project is the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. The Trevor Project operates the only accredited, nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for LGBTQ youth. If you or a friend are feeling lost or alone, call The Trevor Helpline. There is hope, there is help. The Trevor Helpline at 866-4-U-TREVOR or 866-488-7386 is a free and confidential service (USA only) that offers hope and someone to talk to, 24/7. The Trevor Helpline's trained counselors will listen and understand without judgment. See box and Image below.
for: The Tyler Clementi Foundation
- The Tyler Clementi Foundation (TCF), guided by the life and story of Tyler
Clementi promotes safe, inclusive and respectful social environments in homes,
schools, campuses, churches and the digital world for vulnerable youth, LGBT
youth and their allies. Through educational partnerships, research, public
dialogue and awareness programs, TCF fosters empathetic, constructive
discussions of respect and dignity for youth and families, at all levels of
We envision a world where human dignity will be exhibited by unconditional love and embraced inclusive of society and regardless of sexual orientation. TCF is focused on creating broad impact in multiple areas. At the root of the organization's reason for existence lies the core component of honoring Tyler Clementi's legacy and story.
Click Here for: Thinkb4youspeak Campaign - Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) teens experience homophobic remarks and harassment throughout the school day, creating an atmosphere where they feel disrespected, unwanted and unsafe. This campaign aims to raise awareness about the prevalence and consequences of anti-LGBT bias and behavior in America's schools.
Click Here for WeGiveaDamn.org - Giving a damn matters. It's time to give a damn about the suicide risk of our gay and transgender youth. Not just because all kids deserve to know that someone cares about them, but also because research has shown that giving a damn actually makes a huge difference in the lives of gay and transgender teens. Peer support groups, teacher training, a caring adult — all help lower the suicide risk among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth. It's time to give a damn, because growing up should be about making friends, discovering the world and discovering yourself—not about finding a way to end your pain and end your life. Get informed, get involved. Join this site.
Click Here for: YesInstitute - Creating a Safer Word For All Youth - Their Mission is to prevent suicide and ensure the healthy development of all youth through powerful communication and education on gender and orientation.
Here for:
Youth Guardian Services
Youth Guardian Services is a
youth-run, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides support services on the Internet to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning,
and straight supportive youth.
Click Here for YouthResource (YR) - YouthResource is a Web site created by and for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. YouthResource takes a holistic approach to sexual health and exploring issues of concern to LGBTQ youth, by providing information and offer support on sexual and reproductive health issues through education and advocacy. Through monthly features, message boards, and online peer education, LGBTQ youth receive information on activism, culture, sexual health, and other issues that are important to them.
How not to react when your
child tells you he's gay - Dramatic live recording - YouTube Plus
A Gay Dad's Beautiful Response to the Rejection
More Heart-Wrenching Gay Teen Suicide Stories
Portrait of a Bisexual Son's Suicide - Bill Clayton's Story by Gabi Clayton (Bill's mother)
Out: Bill came out to us as bisexual when he was 14. He was afraid to tell us,
because he knew that other kids had told their parents and that their parents
had disowned them or reacted in other ways that were frightening. He had read
the book I had loaned him "Changing Bodies, Changing Lives," and there were
coming out stories in the book. Finally he worked up the courage to tell us and
we assured him that we loved him and accepted him. He was so happy that he
wanted to tell the whole world. We recommended a support group out at the
college which I had just graduated from. Bill went to that group three times and
stopped - he said he really liked it but that he was fine and didn't need to go
any more. But that was not true.
Click Here to continue reading.
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Robbie's Story - How a Fragile 14-year-old Boy Was Crushed In His Struggle To Accept Himself as Gay
During the early morning hours of Thursday, January 2,
[1997], fourteen-year-old
walked through his sister Claudia's bedroom and climbed the stairs to
the attic. He had gone into his father's room earlier the same day, where he
found the key to the lock on his father's gun. Before walking away with the weapon and some ammunition, he put the keys back exactly where he had found
Alone with his secret and the loaded gun, Robbie decided once and for all to put an end to the life that caused him so much sadness and confusion. Pulling the trigger, he reasoned, would stop the turmoil he felt inside. He wouldn't have to keep his secret any more. Robbie Kirkland had grown weary of being different. He was gay; and in Robbie Kirkland's mind, death seemed like the easier option. Click Here to continue reading Robbie's Story. Click Here to read more about Robby.
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Bruce's Story - How a 21-Year-Old Boy Put an End To His Life, Because He Couldn't Accept Being Gay
Suicides are often homophobia induced, as it was for
Bruce David Michaels,
a 21-year-old male. Bruce traveled from Florida to the Grand Canyon where, at No Name Point, a
450-feet jump put an end to his life. A short note identified the reason for his death:
Dear Family & Friends, I'm sorry it had to end this way but it was my fate. I couldn't handle life anymore. You see, the reason I ran away before to commit suicide is the same reason I did again. I'm gay. I never wanted to be and I always wished it would change, but it didn't. I wanted to live a normal life but God created me this way for some reason and there was nothing I could do to change it. I was born this way, believe me I would not choose this way of life for I know how hard and unaccepted it is.
I'm painfully sorry you all had to deal with this but I couldn't deal with it. This way I could live a peaceful afterlife instead of a life of fear, agony, and manic depressiveness. Please realize I did not want to hurt anyone I just wanted to end my own pain. I love you all dearly and will someday see you all again hopefully with your understanding hearts and souls. I just hope God will bring me to heaven. Love always & eternally, Bruce. Click Here to continue to read Bruce's story in the words of his Mother, Roz.
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Jacob's Story - "To me taking Clubs from us is like putting a gun in our hands and waiting for . . . . ."
On September 3, 1997, only eight days after classes began, Jacob Lawrence Orosco hanged himself at his mother's home. He was 17, a senior in high school, incoming President of the East High School Gay/Straight Student Alliance Club at East High School - part of the Salt Lake City School District, except that the Alliance had been prohibited from meeting as a student group and had been effectively prevented from meeting as a non-student group due to the imposition of a ridiculously high rental fee (including $1 million in liability insurance coverage). This time last year, Jacob Orosco's life was fuller than it had ever been.
Jacob was a very fun, hyper, and cool individual. He loved so many people and so many people loved him. He was out of the closet, not just to friends and family but to the entire community. He has given so many people happiness and a smile when they needed one. He has also helped other people get courage and strength to show who they are. He had helped found a gay club at his high school, a move that had prompted the Salt Lake City School Board to shut down all extracurricular activities rather than accept the club's existence, and the state legislature talking about giving up all federal education aid rather than accept the club's existence.
Click Here to continue to read Jacob's story. Click Here to read more about Jacob.
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Marcus' Story - Marcus' step-father said, "It didn't matter if Marcus was gay or straight. As long as he was safe and happy. You never know what you have until you lose it."
Wayman Memorial Campaign - Marcus Wayman was eighteen years old and a high
school senior in 1997 when he committed suicide after police found condoms in
his friend's pocket and concluded they were gay. Marcus and a 17 year-old friend
were coming from a high school football party in April 17, 1997 when they pulled
into an abandoned parking lot near the Beer City beverage distributor in
Minersville, where the police stopped them. The small town police
threatened to out him to the community and family members. Marcus, hours later,
took a revolver and shot himself in the head. In November 2001 a jury in
Allentown acquitted the police from any wrongdoing. It was later overturned on
appeal. Click
Here to read
more. Click
Here to read more about
More Recent Gay Teen Suicides
July 9, 2010 -
Justin Aaberg, age 15, Minnesota
According to his mother, Justin hanged himself because he couldn't put up with the anti-gay bullying anymore at his high school. Click Here or on the title to read what led Justin to give up on life and what his mom is doing to try to make things better for lgbtq teens now so that they will have many more reasons to live than Justin did. The article "One Town's War on Gay Teens" is from the February 16, 2012 issue of Rolling Stone. Facebook
September 9, 2010 - Billy Lucas, age 15, Indiana
According to his friends, many kids bullied and made fun of him at his high school and he couldn't take it anymore. They called him "gay" and told him that he should go kill himself. Unfortunately, he did.
September 19, 2010 -
Seth Walsh, age 13, California
Seth Walsh, a 13-year-old California openly gay middle school student, died in the hospital, 9 days after he attempted to take his own life after reportedly enduring relentless bullying at his school. Seth, a student at Jacobsen Middle School in Tehachapi, Calif., was found unconscious and not breathing on Sept. 19 after he apparently tried to hang himself from a tree in his backyard.
Investigation: Tehachapi district's response to bullying inadequate
Moving YouTube Video by Seth's Mother, Wendy Walsh, as she reads Seth's Suicide Note and explains what Seth's life was like after he came out of the closet in the Sixth Grade. His life after coming out was like Hell on earth for Seth - he was ridiculed, made fun of, pushed into the lockers, tripped and pushed to the ground. It's all in the video.
September 23, 2010 -
Brown, age 13, Texas
The eighth-grader killed himself by shooting himself in the head after enduring what his mother and stepfather say was constant harassment from four other students at Hamilton Middle School in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District.
Brown, his family said, was "bullied to death" — picked on for his small size, his religion and because he did not wear designer clothes and shoes. Kids also accused him of being gay, some of them performing mock gay acts on him in his physical education class, his mother and stepfather said.
September 29, 2010 - Raymond Chase, age 19, Rhode Island
Raymond Chase was
an outgoing, popular and openly gay teenager who suddenly decided to kill
himself and nobody is sure why. On Wednesday afternoon, Chase, 19 years old,
wrote a note to his loved ones—filled with praise and deep affection for them,
but no explanation for his actions—and proceeded to hang himself in his dorm
room at Johnson & Wales University. There is no indication that Chase suffered
at the hands of bullies or anything but his own demons. His family and friends
are still reeling from the shock.
Chase, as a sophomore and a culinary arts major, did not seem to struggle with his gay identity—he was out to his friends and family, and to a much larger and accepting social circle. He is described by a close friend as the life of the party, loved by many and hated by none; Straight guys fist-bumped him. Everyone just wanted to be around him. His friend also said that he was never, ever bullied, at least at college, and nobody was ever mean to him.
There is speculation that he might have been deeply upset over a crush he had on a straight boy, a good friend, to whom Chase confessed his affection this summer. Though any romantic feelings were unrequited, the crush treated Chase with utter dignity and respect, before and after the admission. Still, Chase seemed haunted by his feelings. Click here to read more of this story in The Daily Beast. Based on an article by Claire Howorth in The Daily Beast.
September 30, 2010 - Tyler Clementi, age 18, New Jersey
Tyler Clementi, 18, an accomplished violinist
and a freshman at Rudgers
University in New Jersey, jumped to his death from a bridge after discovering
his sexual encounter with another man had been streamed live to
other students by his roommate by way of a webcam in the room.
He was said to be distraught before plunging from the George Washington Bridge into the Hudson River in New York. He left a post on his Facebook page saying 'jumping off the gw bridge sorry'.
Click Here to read "Letters to My Brother" as Tyler's older brother James, reclaims his memory from the headlines and pays tribute to his abbreviated life. (Tyler [left] and James Clementi / Photo courtesy James Clementi - Out Magazine)
Click Here for The Story of a Suicide - Two college roommates, a webcam, and a tragedy - By Ian Parker in The New Yorker
Dharun Ravi found guilty in Rutgers webcam spying trial
Dharun Ravi Trial: NJ Spycam Case Stirs Debate Over Hate Crime Laws
After Gay Son's Suicide, Mother Finds Blame in Herself and in Her Church
Tyler Clementi's Parents Leave Grace Church In Ridgewood, N.J., Over Anti-Gay Teachings
Parents of Rutgers student who Committed Suicide Change View of Homosexuality
A Brother's Pledge: Standing Up for Love by James Clementi
November 5, 2010 - Brandon Bitner, age 14, Pennsylvania
According to his suicide note, Brandon could no longer live with the constant bullying from other kids at his high school, who called him "fag" and "sissy". So Brandon, a very good violinist, walked out in front of a tractor trailer on a busy highway early in the morning. Click Here for the website set up by his family and friends in his honor. Facebook
September 18, 2011 - James "Jamey" Rodemeyer, age 14, New York
Jamey Rodemeyer, a 14-year-old high school freshman at Williamsville North High School in Buffalo, N.Y., was bullied. A lot. After years of being called gay slurs at school and being told by anonymous people online that he should die, he did in fact kill himself. Jamey was found dead outside his home of an apparent suicide by his sister on the morning of Sunday, September 18th.
Jamey's mother, Tracy, told the
Buffalo News that her son had
questioned his sexuality and that his classmates began to tease and bully him.
His parents were supportive of their son, and Jamey was seeing a social worker
and a therapist. But that didn't stop the bullying, and it didn't ease Jamey's
pain, which spilled onto his Tumblr account.
"No one in my school cares about preventing suicide, while you're the ones calling me [gay slur] and tearing me down," he wrote on Sept. 8. He said the next day: "I always say how bullied I am, but no one listens. ... What do I have to do so people will listen to me?" Click Here to read more of Jamey's tragic story. Facebook
October 14, 2011 - James (Jamie) Hubley, age 15, Ottawa, Canada
The father of an openly gay Ottawa teen who committed suicide Saturday told CBC News his son was constantly bullied throughout elementary school and into high school. Allan Hubley, an Ottawa city councillor who represents Kanata South Ward, also spoke Tuesday about his 15-year-old son Jamie's depression over the bullying and his desperate desire for acceptance.
Hubley said the bullying began when Jamie was in Grade 7 and teens tried to stuff batteries down his throat on the school bus because he was a figure skater. "[Jamie] was the kind of boy that loved everybody," said Hubley, "He couldn't understand why everyone would be so cruel to him about something as simple as skating. He just wanted someone to love him. That's all. And what's wrong with that?
Jamie kept a blog called "You Can't Break... When You're Already Broken", he wrote openly of his struggles with depression and the challenges of being an openly gay teenager. "I wish I could be happy, I try, I try, I try ... I just want to feel special to someone," he wrote. Click Here to read more of this tragic story.
May, 2010 - Dominic Crouch, age 15, Gloucestershire, Great Britain
Nov. 28, 2011 - Roger Crouch, age 55, Gloucestershire, Great Britain
Hero Dad Died of a Broken Heart after His Son's Suicide
Roger Crouch, who won an award for his anti-bullying work, found hanging 18 months after his son's suicide
An award-winning campaigner against anti-gay bullying, Roger Crouch, was found
hanging in his garage, 18
after his teenage son committed suicide, an inquest heard. Crouch, 55, was
discovered by his wife, Paola, at their home in Gloucestershire, UK on 28
His death came a matter of a few weeks after he was named
Hero of the Year by
leading British gay campaign organization, Stonewall, at a ceremony in London.
Mr Crouch's anti-bullying work began after his 15-year-old son, Dominic, jumped to his death from a six-storey building near his school in May last year. The teenager left a note saying he was the victim of homophobic bullying at his school following a game in which he accepted a dare to kiss another boy. Widow Paola has said her husband died of a 'broken heart', having never recovered from their son's death. Click Here to read more of this heart-breaking story. Based on an article by Nick Rutherford in gaystarnews.
December 7, 2011 - Jacob Rogers, age 18, Tennesee
Tuesday night, December 6th, 18 year old Jacob Rogers posted this on his
Facebook page, "I LOVE YOU ALL, and I'm very sorry. This is me, signing off."
The next day, Jacob shot and killed himself after being bullied for years. Those
closest to him say he was kind, loving, and had a great sense of humor, and he
was also gay.
Jacob had been bullied at Cheatham County Central High School for the past four years, but at the start of his senior year, it had become so bad he dropped out of school. "He started coming home his senior year saying 'I don't want to go back. Everyone is so mean. They call me a faggot, they call me gay, a queer.'"
"He just always had a smile on his face," grandmother Norma Rogers said of her grandson who lived with her. Jacob's family says behind that smile, the 18-year-old was hiding more pain than anyone could imagine. "The comments just kept getting worse and worse and worse about him. All just because he was homosexual," cousin Harley Jackson said. "People made fun of him because of the way he dressed, or he dyed his hair, or that he talked different," says Jacob's friend Joney Williams. Click here and here to read more.
January 1, 2012 - Jeffrey Fehr, age 18, California
In the early hours
of New Year's Day, Jeffrey Fehr, hanged himself in the front entrance to his
family's home in a tony Granite Bay neighborhood. He was 18 years old.
Since that day, his parents have searched their hearts and minds for answers. Though Jeffrey, who was gay, had recently ended a relationship and had been treated for depression, they believe something more insidious put him on the path toward suicide. They are convinced that a lifetime of taunts and bullying contributed to his decision to take his own life.
"We will second-guess ourselves forever," his father said. "But we do know that for years and years, people knocked him down for being different. It damaged him. It wore on him. He could never fully believe how wonderful he was, and how many people loved him."
At a reception for almost 1,000 people that followed his funeral, many spoke of a gifted young athlete who was funny, kind and compassionate. They called Jeffrey an inspiration and a mentor. For Jeffrey's parents, Pati and Steve Fehr, the scene was stunning. "So many people gained strength from Jeff," his father said, looking out at the crowd. "The unfortunate part is that Jeff didn't realize it." Click Here to read more. Facebook
January 11, 2012 - Eric James Borges, age 19, California
Just one month
after filming an "It
Gets Better" video in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
youth, a Visalia, California-based gay teen filmmaker has taken his own life.
Click Here
to Watch his short film, "Invisible Creatures" on YouTube.
Nineteen-year-old Eric James Borges, who went by EricJames among friends, worked as an intern with The Trevor Project, and as a supplemental instructor at the College of the Sequoias, according to Queer Landia blogger Jim Reeves. "A brief introduction left me with the impression of a fine young man, and I regret that I did not get to know him better," Reeves writes of his experience with Borges.
Borges spoke frankly of being tormented throughout his adolescence and young adulthood in his video. "I was physically, mentally, emotionally and verbally assaulted on a day-to-day basis for my perceived sexual orientation," he said. "My name was not Eric, but 'Faggot.'" In high school, he said he reached his breaking point when he said he was assaulted in a full classroom with a teacher present. He dropped out, graduated through independent studies and went to college.
He also described a traumatic coming out experience in an "extremist Christian household." His parents did not accept his sexuality and he said he was kicked out of his home around the end of September. "My mother knew I was gay and performed an exorcism on me in an attempt to cure me," Borges said. "My anxiety, depression, self-loathing and suicidal thoughts spiked. I had nowhere safe to go, either at home or school." Click Here to read more. Facebook. Above article from Huffington Post and ABC News.
January 20, 2012 - Phillip Parker, age 14, Tennessee
Phillip Parker, Gay Tennessee Teen, Commits Suicide After Enduring Bullying
A Tennessee teen's
parents claim that constant anti-gay bullying led their son to take his own life.
As WSMV is reporting, parents and grandparents found 14-year-old Phillip Parker's body last Friday, along with a handwritten note in his trash can reading, "Please help me mom." Family members say they had previously reported concerns about their son's treatment to Gordonsville High School but to no avail. It just got worse.
"I should have knew something was wrong, but he seemed happy," Philip's mother Gena Parker told News Channel 5. "After he did what he did, we found out a lot that we didn't know and there is a lot of bullying that goes on at the school."
His grandmother, Ruby Harris, indicated that young Phillip felt like he "had a rock on his chest," and he wanted to take it off so he could breathe. Click Here to read more of this tragic story.
January 29, 2012 - Rafael Morelos, age 14, Washington
Gay Washington Teen, Commits Suicide After Reportedly Enduring Anti-Gay Bullying, Cyberbullying
Family members and
friends are distraught over the death of a Washington teen who reportedly killed
himself because he was bullied by his classmates for being gay.
As The Wentachee World is reporting, 14-year-old Rafael Morelos hanged himself Jan. 29 after friends say he was subjected to bullying at Cashmere Middle School, where he had enrolled last fall.
"He told me he got shoved and punched in the face in P.E. in the locker room at Cashmere," one friend said. Added another: "He was tired of people saying that his little brothers would follow in his footsteps and be gay, too." In addition, friends say one bully even created a fake Facebook page so that he or she could taunt Rafael, who was openly gay, online.
Morelos' mother, Malinda, told local Fox affilate Q13 she wasn't aware of what her son was going through. "He did not tell me he was being bullied. He had a dark side inside him that he never told me his feelings anymore," she said. "I thought it was just him being a teenager, and I just didn't know why." Click Here to read more.
April 15, 2012 - Kenneth James Weishuhn Jr., age 14, Iowa
Iowa Teen Commits Suicide; Family Says He was Bullied because he was Gay
A gay Iowa teen has
taken his own life after friends and family say that classmates sent him death
threats on his cell phone and made him the subject of a Facebook hate group.
As KTIV is reporting, 14-year-old Kenneth Weishuhn Jr. began to be teased and bullied by classmates at South O'Brien High School after he came out earlier this year. "People that were originally his friends, they kind of turned on him," sister Kayla Weishuhn, a sophomore, is quoted as saying. "A lot of people, they either joined in or they were too scared to say anything."
The anti-gay teasing reportedly also continued online, where classmates created a hate group against gays and added Kenneth's friends as members, and got even worse when the freshman started receiving death threats from students on his phone.
Weishuhn's mother Jeannie Chambers said her son told her, "Mom, you don't know how it feels to be hated."
Details on Weishuhn's death are otherwise scarce, but a Facebook group has already been started in the teen's memory. "Unfortunately, the culture most of us have been raised in has been the mindset that you get 'picked on' in school and that's just part of growing up," one user writes. "Bullying is like most other crimes, the only way it's going to stop is if the offenders get caught and are prosecuted."
Adds another: "I hate to think of what he must have gone through to decide suicide was his only option. I hope and pray all of these bullies feel responsible for what happened." Some of Kenneth's friends have put together a homemade video on YouTube in loving memory. A Pinterest page with Kenneth James Weishuhn's name says, " I love Louis Tomlinson, A lot." (Tomlinson is a member of the boy band One Direction) One section, titled, "When I get married. (:" has several photos of same-sex couples. Click Here and Here to read more. Obituary Facebook
April 22, 2012 - Jack Denton Reese, age 17, Utah
Friends and family are mourning the death of Jack Reese, a gay Mountain Green,
Utah teen who took his own life after allegedly being subjected to anti-gay bullying
at school.
Though details of the 17-year-old Reese's suicide are scarce, his boyfriend Alex Smith spoke frankly about the repeated bullying the teen had experienced at school. Smith, 18, reportedly recalled the incidents at a packed community event earlier this week at which the anti-bullying film, Bullied, was being screened. What no one in the room yet knew, including Alex, was that Jack had already taken his own life.
An obituary describes the teen as having been "very good with computers and loved to play his X-Box games."
"Jack loved animals and will miss his cat, Cat," the obit continues. "He was also very good with kids and loved taking care of them. Jack was learning to speak Japanese and loved anything to do with Japan. He was also very good at drawing and photography."
A Facebook group in memory of the teen has been established, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jack-Reese/395728883793416. "His suicide has impacted so many people," one user wrote. "I HONESTLY hope things will change because of this, but I also wish that it didn't have to come down to this for awareness to actually be seen in others who decide to bully others for their sexuality." Click Here and Here to read more.
May 6, 2012 - Jay 'Corey' Jones, age 17, Minnesota
Bullying because of his sexual orientation played a big part in the suicide of
a 17-year-old Century High School student on Sunday in Rochester, according to the boy's
Jay 'Corey' Jones knew he was gay from a young age and was bullied for a number of years because of it, suffering depression as a result, said to his father, JayBocka Strader of Rochester. "He said all of his life they always picked on him," Strader said. "He'd still try to keep his head up at school, but then he'd come home and be really sad about it."
Jones, a member of Century's gay-straight alliance, had an image on his Facebook page that said, "Gay & Proud." "He was open about his sexuality and occasionally wore tight, colorful tank tops and short-shorts to school," Strader said.
"He just got really depressed about it because the guys weren't accepting him," Strader said. Jones jumped from a pedestrian bridge near the same Century High School on Sunday, May 6, according to police. Click Here to read more.
June 2, 2012 - Brandon Elizares, age 16, Texas
Gay El Paso Teenager Tormented To Death By School Bullies
El Paso, Texas – A 16-year-old gay boy took his life in response to two years of relentless bullying at school in El Paso. Saturday, his mother left Brandon Elizares at home for a short while to run errands, only to find him dead upon their return, according to KFOX14 TV. Elizares, who could not bear to live in the closet any longer, had come out to family and friends. The response from his own family was mixed. Most family members supported Brandon, but some made it clear to him that they did not approve of his "lifestyle." At Andress High School, the 2,000 student senior high school he attended on the northeast side of El Paso, however, the response to his sexual orientation was brutal, unrelenting bullying. His mother, Zachalyn Elizares, says that the torment her son received from schoolmates pushed him to suicide. "He got bullied simply for being gay," Elizares said to KFOX. "He's been threatened to be stabbed. He's been threatened to be set on fire."
Brandon's mother said that officials at Andress High School had worked aggressively to stem the bullying, but in the case of her son, it was not enough. "They've reprimanded several kids and they did everything that they could," she said. Brandon's friends told Elizares that he had been insulted for being gay just before the weekend, and that at least one of his tormentors had threatened to fight him when they saw each other on the following Monday, according to the Dallas Voice. Elizares believes the threat of physical violence was what drove her son to take his own life.
This is what
Brandon wrote in the note he left behind. "My name is Brandon Joseph Elizares
and I couldn't make it. I love you guys with all of my heart." "My son had every
right to live his live the way that he wanted to, without having to fear that
people would call him names or threaten to beat him up," his mother said sadly. Click
to read more.
November 27, 2012 - Josh Pacheco, age 17, Michigan
Parents blame bullying for son's suicide; Linden High School junior remembered
for love of theater
FENTON, MI – Linden High School junior Josh Pacheco had a heart for theater and an infectious smile, but above all else he cared for others, his family said. "My son was very funny and exceptionally sensitive and loving to other people's feelings," said Pacheco's mother, Lynnette Capehart.
Pacheco was part of the Fenton-based Kidz Theatre Kompany, worked at Tim Hortons, loved his advanced placement politics class and called his four siblings his best friends, Capehart said. Pacheco also was gay, which led to him being bullied both inside and outside of school, said his mother. He told his mother he was gay just two months ago, but Capehart said she wasn't surprised and she said it made no difference to her. She loved her son just the same.
Pacheco was always smiling and entertaining friends and family -- and he loved a random mix of music from The Beatles to One Direction. "A young man with an old soul," even as a child he was always comfortable talking with adults, especially about plays, history and politics, Capehart said.
Although he never got into sports -- "it just wasn't in him to be aggressive," said his mother -- he loved to go out on the boat, go tubing and swimming. As the middle child, his siblings - Alicia, 20, Tiffani, 19, Grant, 14, and Haylee, 12 - were his best friends, Lynnette Capehart said.
Lynnette and stepfather Michael Capehart said they didn't know until recently that Pacheco was bullied. Capehart said her first indication that there was a problem came after the homecoming dance on Oct. 6. She was out of town, so she called to see how the dance was. It was the only one he attended this fall. Pacheco was upset and crying, but wouldn't tell her why, Capehart said.
After his death, she found out from students that her son had been pushed into lockers and teased at school. It wasn't surprising that he didn't tell many people about it, Lynnette Capehart said, because Pacheco never wanted to make anyone else upset. "He was having problems with bullying. He didn't really want to tell us very much," she said. "It was very disheartening to me."
The weekend after Thanksgiving, Pacheco talked to his sisters, questioning life and his future -- comments that worried his parents. His mother talked to him that Sunday and on Monday, Nov. 26, set up an appointment for him to see a counselor on Wednesday -- even though he seemed back to his normal, "quirky" self.
Around lunch time on Nov. 27, Michael Capehart saw Josh's Facebook status, quoting a line from Bilbo Baggins, a character in the "Lord of the Rings" movies: "I regret to announce that this is the end. I'm going now, I bid you all a very fond farewell. Goodbye." It immediately worried Michael Capehart. Pacheco was home sick that day, so Capehart called his neighbor to check on Pacheco. He was found unresponsive in his truck, which had been running in the closed-up garage. He left a note in the truck: "I'm sorry I wasn't able to be strong enough."
After news of Pacheco's death had spread around the school, Lynnette and Michael Capehart said they received calls from friends and parents saying Pacheco had been bullied. "We had just lost one of the gentlest spirits God had ever created," Lynnette Capehart said. Click Here to read the rest of this sad article on mlive.com. Article by Sarah Schuch.
February 3, 2013 - Jadin Bell - 15 - Oregon
Gay Oregon Teen Who Hanged Himself Dies After Being Taken Off Life Support
The 15-year-old gay
Oregon boy who had been
put on life support after hanging himself from school playground equipment
has died.
An Oregon Health and Science University spokesman confirmed that Jadin Bell died early Feb. 3 at the Portland hospital, according to the Associated Press.
The teen, who was said to have been a victim of bullying because he was gay, had attempted to hang himself Jan. 19 at an elementary school playground in La Grande. He was rushed to an area hospital before being airlifted to Portland, and was eventually taken off of life support on or around Jan. 29, according to reports.
Family friend Bud Hill, who said he considered Bell his nephew, told the Komo news station and KTVB that the high school sophomore had been the victim of intense bullying both in person and on the Internet because he was gay.
"He was different, and they tend to pick on the different ones," Hill said at the time. "If someone was down and out he would walk into a room and say a couple quick words and everybody would just forget about their problems and smile. He just had a gift." Click Here to continue reading on the Huffington Post.
Jadin Bell's Father, Joe Bell, Killed While Walking Cross Country For Tribute To Dead Gay Teen
March 14, 2013 -
Ayden Keenan-Olson - age 14 - England
Borough of Colchester in Essex. According to The Guardian, Ayden Keenan-Olson, 14, was found dead in his bed by his father, Tim Olson, at the family home in Colchester, Essex, England at 7.20am on March 14. He had taken an overdose of prescription drugs and left two suicide notes outlining the homophobic and racist bullying he had experienced at Philip Morant school, an inquest in Chelmsford heard.
Ayden's mother, Shy Keenan, an author and prominent child abuse campaigner, said he had been "bullied to death". A police investigation found that in the month leading up to his death Ayden had bypassed settings on his computer to research suicide methods on the internet. Keenan told the inquest: "My job is to protect kids online but I could not keep my own son safe."
The Essex coroner, Caroline Beasley-Murray,
recorded that Ayden's death was the result of suicide. The inquest heard that
Ayden had attempted to take his own life six months earlier. The family believe
he took prescription drugs from home and hid them at school.
Referring to suicide websites, the coroner said: "The court regrets the
influence that such sites have on young people. He clearly was much loved and
had so much going for him and I hope you can look back on the happy memories
that you have of him."
The school's head teacher said Ayden had reported up to 20 incidents of bullying since joining the school. Beasley-Murray said it was not her job to attribute blame and she made no finding regarding bullying or the school's conduct.
Keenan told the hearing that her son had been bullied for several years and attempted to take his life in October last year. Breaking down in tears during her evidence, she said her son had been targeted with violence, abuse and malicious allegations because fellow pupils believed he was gay and because he had part-Japanese ethnicity.
Shortly before Christmas he had told his family he thought he was gay. Keenan said: "He said he was gay and had found somebody he thought he loved but it was not reciprocated. We didn't care, we just loved him whatever. After Christmas it was like talking to a different boy – since he was able to say out loud to people that he was gay." She described Ayden as a sensitive child who had planned to start his own anti-bullying campaign. He was a keen musician and idolised the television presenter Gok Wan. "People would call him Gok as a compliment," she said. "He tried very hard to look like him."
The school's acting headteacher, Robert James, defended its policies for dealing with bullying. "As a school, our first priority is to make sure our students are safe," he said. To read more about the suicide of Ayden Keenan-Olson in the Mail-Online Click Here
July 16, 2013 -
Carlos Vigil - age 17 - New Mexico
Gay New Mexico Teen Commits Suicide After Reportedly Being Bullied By Classmates
Tragedy has struck the senior class at Los Lunas High School in New Mexico this week, as bullying reportedly resulted in one 17-year-old's suicide. The messages he left on Twitter before his death have given those who knew Carlos Vigil insight into just how much pain he was in before he decided to take his own life this weekend. Here is a segment of that message:
"I'm sorry to those I offended over the years. I'm blind to see that I, as a human being, suck. I'm an individual who is doing an injustice to the world and it's time for me to leave," read a post on Vigil's Twitter account, continuing: "The kids in school are right, I am a loser, a freak, and a fag and in no way is that acceptable for people to deal with. I'm sorry for not being a person that would make people proud. I'm free now. Xoxo - Carlos"
"We found out three
years ago that he was going through this stuff and we've been trying to help him
every day since," said Vigil's father. "We realize he's been going through it
every day since he was in the third grade, that's a long time for a child to
hold that within himself."
Vigil's father, Ray Vigil, said that he came home as soon as he saw the post that his son had made on Twitter. Unfortunately, by that point in time it was too late for anything to be done. His family took Carlos off of life support late Sunday evening. So far they are using this tragedy as an opportunity to spread Carlos' message. To read more click Here, Here and/or Here.
July 29, 2013-Alexander "AJ" Betts Jr.-16-Iowa
Iowa teen Alexander "AJ" Betts committed
suicide over the weekend. The 16-year-old Pleasant Hill native is the fifth
student at Southeast Polk High School to take their own life in as many years.
"We had no indication that anything was wrong. He is the happiest kid I've ever met. Everybody who meets him says that," AJ's mom, Sheryl Moore, told KCCI-TV News 8. But Moore admits "It must have been really horrible, if my son got to the point where he would hurt my husband, my daughters and I to take his own life," Moore said. Still, she added, "Several people who are gay or lesbian teens told us that AJ saved them from committing suicide when they were feeling desperate, and I really hope, for AJ's sake, that we can stop it, so that maybe, even if we can save one more life from bullying, that would be a success."
The teen kept a tough exterior and a smile on his face despite what his mother is learning from his friends as they pay their respects. "About a year and a half ago, AJ was involuntarily outed as gay at Southeast Polk High School. Everyone got a long with my son very well until they found out he was gay," said Moore.
The teen's friends said Betts was constantly ridiculed not only for being gay, but also because he was half African-American and was born with a cleft lip. "He's different. He doesn't add up to what they're used to," said the teen's best friend, Noah Lahmann.
But his mother knows Alexander Betts Jr.'s story won't end there. The Pleasant Hill boy who spent his whole life helping others will help once more — his organs will be donated to dozens of people. Click Here to read more.
December 3, 2014-Ronin
12-Year-Old California Boy Takes His Own Life After Facing Anti-Gay Bullying for Being the Only Male Cheerleader on an All Girl Squad
FOLSOM - Families
gathered in silence in a Folsom neighborhood Thursday night to mourn the death
of a 12-year-old boy. Friends and parents said seventh-grader Ronin Shimizu took
his own life Wednesday because of ongoing bullying.
According to a family friend, Ronin had been bullied for years throughout elementary school and middle school. Last year, Ronin was in sixth grade at Folsom Middle School. The bullying got to be so bad, Ronin was taken out of school and had to be home-schooled, according to several classmates and parents.
Friends said Ronin was bullied for being a cheerleader (pictures) while he was with the Vista Jr. Eagles squad.
"He was bullied very badly," Riley Coleman said as she teared up. The Folsom Middle School sixth grader is on the Vista Jr. Eagles cheerleading team. "It's not OD to bully people," she said through tears.
"So sad to know that people can hurt you that way," student Allie Flahive said.
"I was devastated when I found out. I started crying," Ronin's friend Grace Velander said. "I've known him since sixth grade. Me and him had classes all last year together."
"He was just a sweet child. For him to feel that hopeless is heart-breaking," concerned parent Cynthia Brown said.
Stephanie Doherty, another parent, said, "I can't imagine a child taking it to that level. I've had a son that's been bullied. It's so scary."
The parents of 12-year-old Ronin Shimizu, Brandon and Danielle Shimizu, released the following statement on their son's death Saturday:
"The tragic loss of our son has and will forever change our life. The love and support that we received from family, friends and the Folsom community has been immeasurable and words cannot begin to express our gratitude through this most difficult grieving process. The people close to our family know exactly who Ronin was, but since the story of this tragedy has spread worldwide, we want to take a minute to let the world know who he was. Ronin was one of the most loving, compassionate, empathetic, artistic and funny kids to grace this earth. Ronin was a child who was not afraid to follow his heart, and we as his parents did everything in our power to allow him to pursue his passions, while protecting him from the minority that could not understand the specialness he possessed. As you already know, Ronin loved to do Cheer, but he also loved art, fashion, being a Scout and most recently crew/rowing. It is true that because of his specialness, Ronin was a target of bullying by individuals that could not understand or accept his uniqueness. Ronin was not just a target of bullying because of his participation in cheer, but for him just being Ronin. We as his parents always knew that he would make an impact on the world, we just thought it would be in something like fashion design or art related. We had no idea that God and Buddha had a more important role for him, and we as his parents will make it our mission in life to turn this tragedy into something positive and hopefully prevent another senseless tragedy. In closing, please remember that education in regards to bullying prevention does not only need to occur in our schools but also in the home.
"Thank you, "Brandon and Danielle Shimizu"
To learn more of this tragic suicide click Here, Here or Here.
May 30, 2015-Adam
Suicide of Sonoma, California Bisexual Teen Sparks Discussion about Bullying
The death of a bisexual Sonoma Valley teen who killed himself after years of bullying has sparked a community discussion about the emotionally scarring behavior while raising questions among his family about the way he was treated.
Adam Kizer, a 16-year-old sophomore at Sonoma Valley High School, died Saturday at a hospital after being taken off life support, his family said.
He hanged himself four days earlier and did not respond to life-saving efforts, said his father, William Kizer.
The elder Kizer said his son had been a target of bullying since elementary school in Wyoming, where other kids once bound him and poured gasoline on him. The abuse continued in Sonoma after the family moved there in 2011, with students at Sonoma Valley High picking on the slightly built teen with shaggy hair, encouraging him to take his own life, the father said.
He had attempted suicide before and suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress, his father said.
"It's the worst pain you can ever imagine," the father said.
In a show of community support, about 200 people attended a vigil Sunday night at the Sonoma Plaza. Makeshift shrines sprung up at a park near the school as well as on campus, where students were taking final exams before the end of the school year.
Advocates say gay, bisexual and transgender teenagers are 30 percent more likely to attempt suicide. Ed Ness, co-chairman of the Oakland/East Bay chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, said bullying at school, home or online can lead to extreme feelings of despair.
"Very often, kids are not mature enough to realize what they say and do can have a rippling effect on their fellow students," Ness said.
Sonoma Valley High
Principal Kathleen Hawing said teachers were holding classroom discussions and
counselors have been on hand to assist with grieving. The school notified
students that Adam Kizer was on life support last week.
Hawing said she had not heard any reports that Kizer had been bullied. She called it the "collective responsibility" of faculty and students to address the issue should it come up.
"This is just a tragic loss," Hawing said. "We're working through it."
Art teacher Aaron Anderson, who advises the campus Gay-Straight Alliance, said Kizer was among 20 to 25 members of the club. He took part in lunchtime rallies each Thursday and regarded the group as a place where he could be supported and feel most comfortable, Anderson said.
Click Here to continue reading a 3 page story in the Press Democrat.
Los Angeles Times - February 21, 2017
Same-sex marriage laws helped reduce suicide attempts by gay, lesbian and bisexual teens, study says
By Melissa Healy•Contact Reporter
Guess what? It did get better for gay, lesbian and bisexual high schoolers when the states they were growing up in changed their laws to allow same-sex marriage, a new study finds.
More specifically, in a 16-year period during which changes in state marriage laws were sweeping the nation, states that adopted laws allowing same-sex marriage saw an immediate decline in suicide attempts by gay, lesbian and bisexual high school students — a group in which attempted suicide is two to seven times more common than among their heterosexual peers.
In the year following any state's adoption of marriage
equality, rates of attempted suicide among such high schoolers in that state
fell 14% below that group's rate of suicide attempts in states that
had not changed their policies on gay marriage.
In short, the research suggests, the effect of state marriage equality laws passed between 1999 and 2015 extended far beyond gay men and lesbians intent on marrying: For high schoolers coming to terms with their "sexual minority" status, their state's adoption of a marriage equality law appeared to ease a stigma that drives many to consider suicide.
All told, the researchers estimated, from 1999 to 2015, same-sex marriage policies would be associated each year with 134,000 fewer adolescents attempting suicide.
Click HERE to continue reading more about this amazingly positive information at the Los Angeles Times.
The Forsaken: A Rising Number of Homeless Gay Teens Are Being Cast Out by
Religious Families -
While life gets better for millions of gays, the number of homeless LGBT
teens - many cast out by their religious families - quietly keeps growing.
By Alex Morris | September 3, 2014
"There will come a time when you
believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning." - Louis L'Amour
There are roughly hundreds of thousands if not millions of stories of gay youth suicides like the above that have occurred over the centuries due to homophobia, but only a few have been put down in writing, and only one to my knowledge was based on intricate diaries like Bobby Griffith kept and that was published in book form in "Prayers for Bobby." That book, published in 1996, was made into a Lifetime TV movie staring Sigourney Weaver. Since the broadcast of the movie Bobby Griffith has become the unofficial poster boy for the reality of gay youth suicide. Click on the image or title to go to my page devoted solely to his tragic story.
Prayers for Bobby
A mother's coming to terms with the suicide of her gay son
Click Here for What Parents of Gay and Lesbian Teens
need to Know about Suicide.
What Are The Warning Signs?
The 'Sissy Boy' Experiment - What Goes Around Comes Around - Actions Truly Have Consequences
Therapy designed to make feminine boys more masculine does deep and irreversible harm leading to suicide
Watch Anderson Cooper's report in four Parts on this sad story: Part 1: Part 2: Part 3; Part 4
In 1970, a five-year-old boy named Kirk Murphy was subjected
to an ex-gay experiment. Under the care of Dr Ivor Lovaas and George Rekers,
then a doctoral student, of UCLA, he underwent therapy that lasted nearly a year to eliminate supposed
effeminate behaviors. In 1974, Lovaas and Rekers jointly published a paper
about the boy they renamed "Kraig," heralding his treatment for "childhood
cross-gender problems" a success and claiming he had been transformed from a
gender-confused homosexual-in-waiting to a healthy, heterosexual young man.
On the back of this study, Rekers built a career as an anti-gay activist and a supposed expert in childhood sexual development. He co-founded the Family Research Council and championed reparative therapy to turn gay men straight. Last year the State of Florida spent hundreds of thousands of dollars hiring Dr. George Rekers as its star witness in the case against adoption by gays in Florida. (Source for image and article: milkboys.net)
In 2003, Kirk, 38 years old, gay, and according to his
brother, sister and mother, suffering from a life long battle with the harmful
effects of this misguided therapy, committed suicide.
Religious Bigotries Against Gays Exposed For What They Are!
The religious right points to the suicide rate among gay teenagers — which this same religious right works so hard to drive up — as evidence that the gay lifestyle is destructive. It's like intentionally running someone down with your car and then claiming that it isn't safe to walk the streets.
I encourage readers to click here to read more of Dan Savage's thoughtful article written in response to the SL Letter of the Day: "Almost Sorry" on SLOG from which the above commentary is based on - dated Oct. 1, 2010.
Good Advice!
I'm reminded of some advice once given to Genesis P Orridge that went
something to the effect, "Don't commit suicide because that's what they want
– If you commit suicide, they win. Choose life if only to spite them and
p*** them off."
That advice helped me choose life during some dark moments when some 'people' (I use the term loosely) were encouraging me to commit suicide. I chose life to spite them until circumstances changed and I had more reasons, positive reasons, to choose life.
Towleroad comment 8june2015 - Posted by: Ashton | Jun 8, 2015 4:03:17 PM
It Gets Better Project
After the death of above listed Billy Lucas, this same columnist and author Dan
Savage, decided enough was enough and launched the
It Gets Better Project,
a YouTube channel of messages of encouragement and survival aimed at gay and
lesbian youth. As he explained in his "Savage
Love" column, "Gay adults aren't allowed to talk to these kids. Schools and
churches don't bring us in to talk to teenagers who are being bullied. Many of
these kids have homophobic parents who believe that they can prevent their gay
children from growing up to be gay -- or from ever coming out -- by depriving
them of information, resources, and positive role models. Why are we waiting for
permission to talk to these kids? We have the ability to talk directly to them
right now. We don't have to wait for permission to let them know that it gets
better. We can reach these kids."
The YouTube channel, which should be required viewing in every middle and high school in America, has, in a just one week, become crammed with hundreds of videos from both gay and straight adults, from celebrities and regular folks, offering light at the end of tunnel of hell that can be adolescence. (1)
or on the above Image to go to The
Trevor Project. It is the leading USA organization focused
on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.
The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LGBTQ youth by providing life-saving and life-affirming resources including our nationwide, 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline, digital community and advocacy/educational programs that create a safe, supportive and positive environment for everyone.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
(1) Based on Mary Elizabeth Williams' article in Salon, Why Are So Many Gay Teens Dying?
If you would like to communicate with me, my e-mail address is: email@example.com
Click for A Bisexual's Beliefs About God
and Religion at The Present Time - Gary Lynn
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A Gay Teen Short Story ♂♂
Church is so confusing for Zack. His new pastor preaches nothing but hate and condemnation of gays and lesbians, but no matter how carefully he reads his Bible, he can't find where it says God hates him. Will things change when Zach's boyfriend Billy suggests that they all go to his church instead? Click Here or on the icon to read the story.
Proof that Homosexuality is Not a
Choice - Try the Test On Yourself!!
So Click Here to see what the test involves and also see the scientific and medical evidence that confirms that homosexuality is not a choice. Homosexuality: Nature or Nurture? (Part 1 of 5). Also On The Same Page "Realizing That You're Different From Others, What a Gay or Lesbian Teen Goes Through"
below to go to:
The Anti-Gay Religious Right's Really Cruel and Idiotic Argument
Their Message to a Gay Person is: Be alone. Live alone. Die alone.
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It only takes a minute to get started. Fill out our simple sign up form and login to the website.
This step is noncompulsory but will drastically multiply your chances of getting interest from other over 40s members on the site. Write a little something about yourself, your interests and upload your nicest photo of yourself.
Utilise our website's state-of-the-art search to locate over 40s members who match your criteria. Or just look through listings and locate singles that appeal to you.
Found someone who looks appealing? Send a note to them or just a wink and see if they're interested. With a little luck you'll be on your way to uncover your ideal date.
It doesn't take long

subset: commoncrawl


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The last single member of Kings of Leon is now officially off the market!
Bassist Jared Followill, 25, is engaged to model Martha Patterson, 21, People reports.
RELATED: Kings of Leon's Caleb Followill to be a Dad
According to the news source, Jared proposed on April 11 in Nashville.
Jared, previously linked to Twilight star Ashley Greene, reportedly began dating Martha in January.
Jared's older brother and fellow band member Caleb is married to Lily Aldrige (and are expecting their first child this summer), while eldest brother Nathan said "I do" in 2009 to Jessie Baylin. Cousin Matthew has a one-year-old son with wife Johanna Bennett.
They Dated?! Surprising Celebrity Hookups
Star Sightings: Celebrity Candids
Stars Keep it Real


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You know you're famous when your last name becomes a verb.
But after NFL quarterback Tim Tebow was first spotted down on one knee, praying on the sidelines during games, a website popped up featuring pics sent in from people all over the world posing in similar style, everywhere from mountaintops to outside the Louvre. "Tebowing" took off … and a star was born.
The latest issue of Vogue proves just how big a star. After all, it's not every day Annie Leibovitz shoots a football player and features him in the world's most acclaimed fashion magazine.
Despite denying recent rumors he would appear on "The Bachelor" next season, the 25-year-old certainly seems to have gone Hollywood. According to the Vogue article, he attends to A-list parties, employs stylists, and signed with talent agency William Morris Endeavor, but it's for a good reason: to draw attention to the Tim Tebow Foundation, which focuses on outreach programs to both domestic and international hospitals and orphanages.
[Video] Behind-the-Scenes with Tim Tebow at his Vogue Photo Shoot
"You can get looked at in a certain light, or people think, 'This is this type of person, he wouldn't do this.' Sometimes it's fun breaking those norms," he says in the magazine's October issue. "There are a lot of goals and ambitions that I have in life, things I want to accomplish. Who knows? I mean — it could be politics one day. I want to have a life that can help people."
Growing up the son of missionaries, Tebow spent time traveling abroad with his parents as a kid, spreading the Gospel, and remains vocal about his Christianity … and about the fact he plans to remain a virgin until marriage.And speaking of his future wife, she has her work cut out for her. "I've been blessed to have an amazing mom and two amazing sisters — so they set a very high standard," Tebow says. "Obviously looks play a big part. Being attracted to someone plays a big part, but there's also so much more than that for me. It's about finding someone sweet and kind — and that has a servant's heart. It's about finding a girl who likes me for me, and not because of what I do or who I am or the name."
That might be a tall order, but Tebow doesn't shy away from challenges. In the interview, he also recalls how he felt after he first heard sports commentators saying he'd "never make it in the NFL' a few years back. "I just love that!" he insists. "I try to thrive off of that — off of challenges and obstacles, overcoming them."
Lebron James, Michael Phelps, more athletes in Vogue
While he rose to fame as a member of the Denver Broncos, the Heisman trophy winner recently kicked off his first season as quarterback of the New York Jets after being traded earlier this year. While those New York fans can be pretty intense, there's something else that Tebow, who recently bought a house near the Jets' New Jersey training facility outside of Manhattan, is more concerned about … surviving in the Big Apple. "The city itself is a little overwhelming," he admits. "It's going to take a while before I actually build up the courage to drive in."
More celebrity features on Yahoo!:
- Shakira reveals she's pregnant with first child
- Giuliana and Bill Rancic reveal identity of their surrogate
- Lindsay Lohan arrested in New York City


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The Texas Ballet Theater has been touting its upcoming tour to China to perform "Cleopatra" in the fall for months. Recently came word that costs the troupe expected to be covered would not be — necessitating a last-ditch effort to raise the funds.
Alas, it didn't work. The TBT just announced it will be canceling its China trip and will not be seen by half a billion TV watchers. Â


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Miguel kicks fan in head at Billboard Music Awards (Video)
R&B singer Miguel had quite the memorable performance at Sunday night's Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. One young lady certainly will not forget it anytime soon.
That is, if she can remember it.
Miguel, the Grammy-award winner, tried to leap from the stage onto a catwalk during his performance. In the process, he landed on a woman's head near the stage. He later said that he got "caught up in the performance."
got caught up in the moment, thank goodness Khyati is okay— Miguel (@MiguelUnlimited) May 20, 2013
Billboard later tweeted that the young lady was seen backstage with Miguel with an ice pack.
And laughing it off too! bit.ly/12NGwOU RT: @miguelunlimited got caught up in the moment, thank goodness Khyati is okay #BBMA— Billboard(@billboard) May 20, 2013


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Appeal to improve cancer treatment at Norfolk hospital surpasses quarter-way mark
PUBLISHED: 09:48 05 August 2013 | UPDATED: 09:48 05 August 2013
Archant Norfolk
Hopes of turning a Norfolk hospital into a regional leader for cancer treatment have received a boost after passing the quarter-way mark in a fundraising appeal.
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital launched a public appeal last autumn to raise £600,000 to help treat more cancer patients locally and to shorten their treatment times.
Officials from the NHS trust spoke of their delight after receiving more than £160,000 from donations and fundraising activities in less than a year.
However, they have called on the people of Norfolk and north Suffolk to do what they can to help them to hit the target by 2015.
Bosses at Norfolk's biggest hospital hope to treat more cancer patients a year as part of its Targeted Radiotherapy Appeal by upgrading the Colney Centre to offer more brachytherapy treatments.
Officials from the foundation trust said that the £600,000 would be spent on buying new equipment and constructing an operating theatre to treat some prostate, lung, colon and oesophageal cancers.
The hospital already treats around 50 patients a year with brachytherapy for cervical cancer and doctors hope to treat around 100 prostate cancer patients a year with the treatment, which is more effective in targeting a tumour.
Tom Roques, clinical director of the Colney Centre, said normal radiotherapy targeted the cancer from the outside, but it has to go through healthy tissue to get there. With brachytherapy, the radiotherapy is put inside the tumour and is treated from the inside out.
"For some patients with prostate cancer there is some evidence there is an advantage of brachytherapy over normal radiotherapy."
"There are 57 radiotherapy centres in the country and most do brachytherapy. However, there is nowhere else in East Anglia doing high dose brachytherapy. The public are always very willing to give their time and volunteer to support something like this and we are getting the message out," said Dr Roques.
The changes would mean that the hospital could treat more patients and become one of just 10 hospital trusts in the country offering prostate brachytherapy. Currently, men who need prostate brachytherapy have to travel to Cambridge or London each time.
Louise Cook, fundraising manager at the N&N, said the public had been extremely generous so far with young people handing over their spare change at the Royal Norfolk Show and a collector selling his vintage bike and giving £2,000 to the appeal.
"We are looking to 2015 for funding and it takes time to get awareness and it is getting people to become aware that this is a charity and is not being subsidised by the NHS," she said.
"If you want luxury items, that is where the charity comes in and it is about providing over and above the standard treatment.
"If you have prostate cancer, you will be treated well here, but we want to give a platinum service."
"Patients have 37 treatments of radiotherapy at the moment, but if we get this up and running, we can give 15 treatments of radiotherapy and one treatment of brachytherapy, which means that we have extra space for patients.
"It cuts the treatment time from seven-and-a-half weeks to three weeks and if you are living with cancer, that is a huge difference. The long-term side effects with brachytherapy are less," she said.
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is already ploughing £4.5m into an expansion of its radiotherapy department, which is on course for completion by the end of the year, and include a new building and two additional machines and will increase capacity by a third.
One of the Targeted Radiotherapy Appeal's next big fundraising events will be the Cambridge to Norwich Bike Ride on Sunday, September 29.
The 77 mile cycle ride will start from Coldham's Common and wind along country roads before ending at Earlham Park, in Norwich.
It is the third year the hospital has held a fundraising cycle ride.
Donate online by visiting www.justgiving.com/NNUH-TargetedRadiotherapyAppeal. Text a donation by texting NNUH44 £10 to 70070. Donations can also be sent to the NNUH Charitable Fund, 6th Floor, Fundraising, 20 Rouen Road, Norwich Norfolk NR1 1QQ


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JERUSALEM (Oct. 25)
Negotiations are under way-with American investors for financing of modernization of the oil refineries at Haifa, it was indicated here today by Ministry of Finance circles. The refineries were built in 1938 by the British Petroleum Company. The facilities became Israeli property after they were purchased last February, by the Government and a private firm.
At the same time it was learned today that Israel will soon become an exporter of refined petroleum products again, for the first time since the Arabs closed down the Iraq-Haifa pipeline, 11 years ago, during Israel's War of Independence. It was revealed that under a new contract, an unidentified country will market 400, 000 tons of gasoline and other petroleum products annually. The "gas" and other products are processed in the Haifa refineries.
Finance Ministry sources said that, when the contract becomes effective, the Haifa refineries will be able to operate at 50 percent capacity, instead of the present one-third capacity. The present capacity is enough to provide Israel's needs of 1, 500, 000 tons a year. Ultimately, the Haifa refineries are to be brought up to full capacity of 4, 000, 000 tons a year. The exports will go, under the new contract, to several European countries.
It was also disclosed today that work is ahead of schedule on conversion of the Eilat-Haifa pipeline into a 16-inch line. Parts of that line now includes tubes of only eight-inch bore.


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Have Parenting Questions? Ask a Parenting Counselor for Answers
i have 5 girls and two boys. boys age 6 and 13 and the girls 2 5 9 12 and 15 years old. when she was little girl, she was very restless and her parents had to take her out around the block before she would go to sleep. is there anything i can do to get the importance of organization and decipline across to her. she also trained our kids that for any chore at home they get some thing in return other wise they would not do it.
Hi this is the wife i just want to let you know that what my husband is saying is not all true the only thing i ask him is to discipline the kids with respect and love and not put them down by words. by the way we live in an apt. buliding with 2 bedroom and 7 kids. i asked my husband so many times to go to parenting classes or go to a family counseling but for some reason he refuses.


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Blotter, Oct. 31, 2013
Police make big pot haul
Two men were arrested Tuesday near mile-marker 18 on Interstate 70 in Fruita on suspicion of possession of marijuana with intent to sell, according to the Mesa County Sheriff's Office.
A Mesa County Sheriff's deputy pulled over George Frederick Chandler, 23, and Cody Ki Williams, 21, both of Manhattan, Kan., on suspicion of speeding and smelled raw marijuana in their vehicle, according to an arrest affidavit. A K-9 officer indicated there were drugs in the car as well, according to the affidavit.
The deputy searched the vehicle and found 20 vacuum-sealed bags of suspected marijuana in the trunk of the vehicle.
The bags of suspected marijuana weighed about 20 pounds, according to the affidavit.
Williams and Chandler were booked into the Mesa County Jail.
According to the Grand Junction Police Department:
■ Someone caused less than $2,000 worth of damage to a vehicle Monday at 537 Melody Lane.
■ Two boys were found to be in possession of a controlled substance Oct. 18 at Grand Junction High School, 1400 N. Fifth St.
■ A boy was arrested on a warrant Oct. 23 at 1129 Colorado Ave. and found to be in possession of suspected illegal drugs.
According to the Mesa County Sheriff's Office:
■ A juvenile was arrested Tuesday at Central High School, 550 Warrior Way, on suspicion of unlawfully carrying a knife on school grounds, obstruction of a peace officer, and possession of drug paraphernalia and less than 2 ounces of marijuana.
According to the Fruita Police Department:
■ Misty Adamsey, 42, and Robert Cook, 57, were arrested Friday on suspicion of unlawfully entering an unoccupied room at the Park Hotel, 150 S. Park Square, and staying there overnight without permission.
■ A sex offense was reported in the city Oct. 22.
■ Two tires on one vehicle were slashed overnight Saturday in the 500 block of Hazel Circle. Estimated damage is $200.


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ALT-GEAR iKASE Tablet HolderItem #: AGR14004 Usually ships the next business day
Regular Price: $29.99Sale Price: $20.99 You Save 30%
product description
Use this handy tablet mount for your iPad or other tablet while using an indoor trainer. The ALT-GEAR iKASE Tablet Holder mounts easily to your bike's stem and handlebars with hook & loop fastener straps. And it conveniently rotates between portrait or landscape while on the bike for preferred viewing. It's extremely durable for long-life and years of service. The clear-view window keeps sweat and muck away from the tablet while allowing full touchscreen functionality. With multiple uses...mount it onto the back of a car seat to keep passengers entertained while traveling. Or use it off the bike to safely and securely store and use your device. Get the ALT-GEAR iKASE Tablet Bike Holder and stay connected.
Features & Benefits:
Features & Benefits:
- Securely holds most full-size tablets and devices
- Protects tablet from weather, sweat and muck
- Wide hook and loop fasteners
- Large see-through front window
- Full touchscreen functionality
- Access to all buttons and ports
Tuscaloosa, AL
4 Stars
I would recommend this item to a friend.
Useful, but only for the bike trainer
January 30, 2015
This was great for ensuring I could have a distraction & multitask on the bike trainer without getting my Ipad gross & sweaty. I wouldn't recommend taking it out while biking on the road though!
Sean "I Ride my Trainer a ton"
Las Vegas, NV
4 Stars
I would recommend this item to a friend.
Holds my iPad and keeps sweat out
January 6, 2014
This iPad case is great, it fits the bike well and responds well to touches through the case. I was sweating a bunch and the way it sits on the bike you would sweat on the screen but none of the sweat got through the case.
Pros:Sturdy, Easy To Use
Cons:Not Waterproof
Best Uses:Bike Trainer Sessions, Endurance Training
you may also like
- CycleOps Trainer Accessories Kit Price: $199.99
- CycleOps Fluid2 Trainer Price: $299.99
Popular items


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Ask Adlab
The Seaton Corporation, Chicago, Illinois, 1996
Ask Adlab is a pocket card for Adlab's hourly recruiter staff. Adlab hires new people every month, so this information needs to be disseminated constantly. Employee handbooks and memos are not portable. Also, the information changes rather frequently and may need to be reprinted. This wallet-size pocket guide is small, yet chock full of info and inexpensive to reprint. The type in red highlights the general information on that line, making it easy to find the correct phone number quickly. The cards are on coated matte stock to withstand wear and tear.
The Ask Adlab card has proven successful on many levels. First, it gives new hires a sense of community and a level of comfort about their new job and surroundings. For day-to-day use, employees have instant access to phone numbers and company policies. This card eliminates many frequently asked questions and also reduces misdirected phone calls.
- Design firm
- The Seaton Corporation
- Creative director
- Hugh Farrington
- Art director
- Kirsten Goede
- Designer
- Carissa Andi
- Typefaces
- Helvetica Extra Compressed, Gill Sans
- Papers
- Repap Matte 80# Cover, White Matte Finish
- Client
- Adlab


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Correspondence September 2013 | Volume 121 | Issue 9
Arsenic Levels in Chicken: Nachman et al. Respond
Citation: Nachman KE, Baron PA, Raber G, Francesconi KA, Love DC. Arsenic levels in chicken: Nachman et al. respond. Environ Health Perspect 121:A267–A268 (2013); http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307083R
Address correspondence to K.E. Nachman, E-mail: email@example.com
The authors declare they have no actual or potential competing financial interests.
Published: 1 September 2013
PDF Version 82 KB
In our paper (Nachman et al. 2013) we focused on dietary arsenic exposure from the use of arsenic-based drugs in food animal production, specifically chicken. We thank Lasky for broadening the discussion on arsenic regulations for food to include federal agencies beyond the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The results of our study (Nachman et al. 2013) indicate that the use of arsenic-based drugs increases the levels of inorganic arsenic in chicken meat. Based on these findings, we recommend banning the use of arsenic-based drugs in food animal production, which are under the jurisdiction of the FDA. It is important, however, to recognize the potential role that could be played by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) under its National Residue Program (NRP).
Under its mandate, the NRP facilitates the monitoring of arsenic levels in poultry products and supports enforcement actions for animal products in violation of arsenic standards (USDA FSIS 2012). Unfortunately, the NRP faces constraints (in addition to those noted by Lasky) that limit its effectiveness (Silbergeld and Nachman 2008). The most important of these constraints is the current arsenic standard for meat, which was set before 1963 (FDA 1963) and does not account for recent epidemiologic research. In addition, the standard applies to total arsenic concentrations rather than to inorganic arsenic, the species of greatest health relevance. Because arsenic can be present in food in various forms that have widely varying toxicity, standards might need to be species specific.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently revising its toxicological assessment for inorganic arsenic (U.S. EPA 2010) as part of its Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program. The purpose of this revision is to produce health-based guidance that can be useful in setting arsenic standards in different media (including foods) that reflect our current understanding of dose–response relationships between arsenic exposures and adverse health outcomes. To achieve this goal, coordination between the FDA, U.S. EPA, and NRP is essential. By applying appropriate standards and methods with adequate sensitivity for the arsenic species of interest, the NRP could play a central role in minimizing dietary exposure to arsenic through animal products.
Although sale of roxarsone remains suspended in the United States, nitarsone, a chemically similar arsenical drug, continues to be sold (Zoetis 2013). Industry statements in the media have confirmed nitarsone use in the turkey industry (Aubrey 2013), and the USDA estimates of per capita turkey consumption are increasing (USDA 2013). Research is needed to characterize potential contributions of nitarsone to inorganic arsenic concentrations in turkey meat. For these reasons, monitoring efforts remain relevant. In the absence of regulations that limit inorganic arsenic in our foods, the banning of arsenic-based drugs would minimize dietary arsenic exposures in poultry consumers.
Aubrey A. 2013. How Trace Amounts of Arsenic End Up in Grocery Store Meat. Available: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/05/15/184261664/how-trace-amounts-of-arsenic-end-up-in-grocery-store-meat [accessed 12 June 2013].
FDA (Food and Drug Administration). 1963. Food additives resulting from contact with containers or equipment and food additives otherwise affecting food. Fed Reg 28:10871.
Nachman KE, Baron PA, Raber G, Francesconi KA, Navas-Acien A, Love DC. 2013. Roxarsone, inorganic arsenic, and other arsenic species in chicken: a U.S.-based market basket sample. Environ Health Perspect 121:818–824; doi:10.1289/ehp.1206245.
Silbergeld EK, Nachman K. 2008. The environmental and public health risks associated with arsenical use in animal feeds. Ann NY Acad Sci 1140(1):346–357.
USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service). 2012. National Residue Program for Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products: 2012 Residue Sampling Plans. Available: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/2012_Blue_Book.pdf [accessed 13 June 2013].
USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture). 2013. World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates. Available: http://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/latest.pdf [accessed 13 June 2013].
U.S. EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2010. IRIS Toxicological Review of Inorganic Arsenic (Cancer) (2010 External Review Draft). EPA/635/R-10/001. Washington, DC:U.S. EPA. Available: http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris_drafts/ recordisplay.cfm?deid=219111 [accessed 24 October 2012].
Zoetis. 2013. Histostat Type A Medicated Article. Available: http://online.zoetis.com/US/EN/Products/Pages/Histostat.aspx [accessed 12 June 2013].
Come visit EHP Editor-in-Chief Sally Darney at the 29th Annual Scientific Conference of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology, to be held in Sydney, Australia, 24–28 September 2017. She looks forward to talking with EHP authors, reviewers, and editors. Contact Sally directly to make an appointment with her.
EHP is pleased to announce that "Maternal and Cord Blood Manganese Concentrations and Early Childhood Neurodevelopment among Residents near a Mining-Impacted Superfund Site," published in EHP on 28 June 2017, has been selected by the Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN) as its August 2017 Article of the Month. (more…)


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FL Congressman David Jolly Announces Run For U.S. SenateFlorida Congressman David Jolly announced Monday that he's running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Marco Rubio, who is running for president.
Florida Congressman Henry Radel To Take Leave Of AbscenceFla. Rep. Henry "Trey" Radel is going to take leave of absence and donate his salary after pleading guilty to misdemeanor cocaine charge.


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Artist description:
Java Draw Created Sep 29, 2008 470 x 338px Unless noted Copyright 2008 akatsuki_madgirl.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
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miguelskaterpsp Oct 03, 2008
muyyyyy bien nada mas que falto ver como lo dibujaste very good
Morb1d0 Sep 29, 2008
wow that's one angry wolf it scares me a lot =00 5/5
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Standing on a second-floor balcony, several republican members of the House hold signs reading "Kill the Bill." It's down to the wire, America is pleading with the Democrats who in turn are NOT listening!
Additional videos from earlier today at Hot Air Pundit:
Sunday, March 21, 2010
ABC's "This Week": 24 hours from armageddon!
John Larson and Eric Cantor debate healthcare kickbacks and John Boehnre's use of the word "Armageddon"! Lardon asks "Are you siding with the healthcare industry or on behalf of "the people" who have been waiting decades for healthcare legislation to pass". "The people" are his people NOT the American people who are currently resisting this.
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