Sometimes I look at the photos of my friends from middle school - several of whom have since come out - and our smiling, squishy faces look just like these photos of Jamey Rodemeyer. But I remember the despair in some of the conversations we were having at the time, and the sadness we carried and hid, and how difficult it all really was. 

Most kids are assholes, and we all experience our share of ostracism. But when it crosses the line into daily torment, shit like this happens.

For heaven’s sake - talk to your kids. Like people, with real problems. But if they see you be a judgmental dick and make discriminatory comments about people who “aren’t their kid,” they’ll assume you think the same of them regardless of how “supportive” you act. It’s easy to fix: Don’t be a dick. Actions speak louder than words. Love may be innate, but trust is earned.

To quote a comment floating around: It doesn’t “get better.” We have to make it better.

The Advocate:

Another tragic reminder that bullying against gay youth is a continuing problem comes with the suicide of a 14-year-old boy, Jamey Rodemeyer, who had asked for help repeatedly.

The Buffalo, New York, teen died on Sunday, his body found later outside his home after an apparent suicide, according to the Buffalo News. His death followed not only taping his own It Gets Better video, but also blogging on Tumblr about the bullying at school that just wouldn’t stop.

“I always say how bullied I am, but no one listens,” he wrote on September 9. “What do I have to do so people will listen to me?”

In May, he was on a high after coming out to friends, and he pointed to the support from people online as the reason it gets better.

“I have so much support from people I don’t even know online,” he told the camera. “They don’t ever want me to die.”

Reaction on Tumblr has been of shock and sadness.

“Jamey Rodemeyer is dead? I’ve followed him on Tumblr since I made mine,” wrote one person. “I can’t believe this. I don’t even know what to say. Although I didn’t know him in real life, it’s hard to cope with his suicide.”

(Source: everllar-k)