Ellen DeGeneres on bullying gay youth: 'Four lives lost is a crisis'
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GoogleEllen DeGeneres is speaking out on her website about the recent tragedies of gay teenagers being bullied and committing suicide to escape the torment. Columnist Dan Savage has also started the YouTube channel called "It Gets Better" to offer support for LGTB youth.
Ellen says:
I am devastated by the death of 18-year-old Tyler Clementi. If you don't know, Tyler was a bright student at Rutgers University whose life was senselessly cut short. He was outed as being gay on the internet and he killed himself.
Something must be done. This month alone, there has been a shocking number of news stories about teens who have been teased and bullied and then committed suicide; like 13-year-old Seth Walsh in Tehachapi, California. Asher Brown, 13, of Cypress, Texas and 15-year-old Billy Lucas in Greensberg, Indiana. This needs to be a wake-up call to everyone: teenage bullying and teasing is an epidemic in this country, and the death rate is climbing.
One life lost in this senseless way is tragic. Four lives lost is a crisis. And these are just the stories we hear about. How many other teens have we lost? How many others are suffering in silence? Being a teenager and figuring out who you are is hard enough without someone attacking you.
My heart is breaking for their families, their friends and for a society that continues to let this happen. These kids needed us. We have an obligation to change this. There are messages everywhere that validate this kind of bullying and taunting and we have to make it stop. We can't let intolerance and ignorance take another kid's life.
I want anyone out there who feels different and alone to know that I know how you feel. There is help out there. You can find support in your community.
Things will get easier, people's minds will change, and you should be alive to see it.
Ellen also posts on her website:
If you need someone to talk to or if you want to get involved, here are some organizations doing great work:
The Trevor Project at 866 4U TREVOR. It's a 24-hour, national help line for gay and questioning teens. You can learn more about The Trevor Project at their website: thetrevorproject.org.
Angels and Doves is a nationwide anti-bullying non profit organization. Their website is AngelsandDoves.com
The National Center for Bullying Prevention is helping to promote awareness and teach effective ways to respond to bullying. You can learn more about them at their website: Pacer.org/bullying
The Matthew Shepard Foundation runs Matthew's Place, an online community and resource center for LGBTQ youth. The website is matthewsplace.com
GLSEN is also a great organization that is working to eradicate bullying and bias in schools. Their website is: glsen.org
STOMP Out Bullying is focused on reducing bullying and cyberbullying. Find out more on their website: stompoutbullying.com
Please -- if you need help, seek help. Suicide is not the answer. Don't let the bullies win.Follow Zap2it and Zap2it Andrea on Twitter and Zap2it on Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news.
I stand with Ellen 110%. I'm sick of bigots and hateful individuals who project their insecurities onto others. It's pathetic. Something has to be done. Let's eradicate hate.
Well said. My heart aches for the families and my thoughts and prayers are with them. My 13-year-old daughter made a good point when she said that people are still fighting for their civil rights. As a society no matter how far we think we have come, there is much work to be done.
I am sick of any kind of bullying. It needs to end now.
Right no one ever was picked on before four boneheads who kill themselves and now its a crisis.
These kids need to know that things are changing and changing fast. Only 13 years ago, even having a gay character on TV was a big deal. If things can change so much in 13 years, think what kind of changes can take place in your lifetime!
Ellen is absolutely correct. Bullycide is preventable and must be met with education & awareness by both teens and parents. After 23 years in juvenile court, I firmly believe that teens learn from the experiences of their peers. Consequently, "Teen Cyberbullying Investigated" was published in January, 2010. Endorsed by Dr. Phil on April 8, 2010 ["Bullied to eath" show]"Teen Cyberbullying" presents real cases of teens in trouble over their online and cell phone activities. Civil and criminal sanctions have been imposed over emails, blogs, Facebook entries and more. Our youth need to "Think B4 U Click" or post and parents need to Tech Up - at least get on the same page as your kids so you can monitor their digital lives and keep them safe.
Thanks for looking at "Teen Cyberbullying Investigated" at www.freespirit.com [publisher] or on www.askthejudge.info [a free, interactive website for & about teens and the law].
Regards, Judge Tom.
Tyler Clementi wasn't bullied. He had sex on his dormroom and kids videotaped him. They spread the video on the internet.
Yes, LalaLand, which is even more upsetting. I couldn't imagine going through that. I don't know what I'd do. It would just definately not be taking my life. That I'd never do. It's sad that that is the only solution he could come up with. My condolences to his and all the families who've lost children to bullying and harassment.
kids don't know how to take something like that and deal with it either. there were bullies before, but now it seems that instead of a parent being there to tell them that this isn't the rest of their lives, or helping out in any way (including looking the bullies parents up and dealing with THEM), they're just left to their own devices and they don't have the faculties cope with it. parents need to wake the f&^$ up and get involved with their children...
I agree with Ellen that bullying of all kinds needs to stop, but she and others miss the point with the most recent suicide: it doesn't matter what Tyler Clementi's sexual orientation was (although it certainly added to the cruelty visited upon him). To do what his roommate did to ANYBODY is beyond cruel, and both he and the girl who set the thing up need to be thrown under the jail. To have such callous disregard for anybody, let alone somebody who was supposedly a friend, makes the roommate less than human. Rutgers should immediately expel the two of them, regardless of who they are and what they might have brought to the university. They are pathetic cretins who don't deserve to continue to enjoy a college education, let alone a long and productive life.
And as for the current trend of gay men and women telling younger folks online that "It will get better," they need to add a caveat to that. Sure, it may get better, but you might go through hell and back. Not everybody will make it.