LGBT teen suicide

Yesterday's Tulsa World featured a front page article about LGBTQ teens. It focused on a new survey showing 40% of gay teens in the area have attempted suicide:

Ben Crittenden was not shocked by a survey suggesting nearly 40 percent of gay, lesbian or bisexual young Tulsans have attempted suicide.

"It doesn't really surprise me," the Catoosa High School junior said.

"Coming from my own experience, before I came out I had thoughts of suicide because I wanted to be accepted in the world," he said.

I doubt very few who grew up gay in my generation would question the results of that survey. Of course, there are now parts of the country where it is easier for LGBT teens, but there are still many areas where they are more socially and culturally repressed. For instance, any community existing within what is commonly referred to as the nation's Bible Belt presents special challenges to anyone who might exist outside what the Fundamentalist Talibangelicals consider acceptable, according to their interpretation of the Bible. Bullying of gay youth exists across our nation, but I suspect it is worse in the Bible Belt, and any positive changes the LGBT leaders, and other progressive members of society, make in this area have a positive ripple effect across the country, simply because places like Tulsa, Oklahoma could be considered "ground zero" for more gay inclusive cultural change.

That said, I hope our readers read this important article and then also choose to register at the Tulsa World so you can make some positive supportive comments to our LGBTQ teens, who might just be reading them, to counteract some of the hideous comments I've just read in response to the article, like this gem:

marine2.0 writes:

Shocking an abnormal behavior, homosexuality, follwed by another abnormal behavior, suicide. Would never have made that connection.

How about we ask any grade schooler, or anyone for that matter-have you ever experienced bullying or harassment? I can safely say without a scientific study being conducted that 100% of the population has experienced some form of bullying and harassment. I think the root cause has something to do with that little thing called HUMAN NATURE.

What's with the Q?

"He said he realized he was gay at age 13 and came out at age 15."

Barely culpable of committing a crime and distinguishing right from wrong at that age. Why is that the mental maturity is ageless when it comes to homosexuality? Thanks for exploiting this young man.

And this one:

scooter2 writes:

They need to turn their lives over to Jesus Christ and be set free. I have to agree with alot of Marine2.0's comment. It is an unacceptable livestyle with God. That is sound Bible teaching.

"Livestyle." Uh huh. Again, it would be nice to see supportive comments especially for those brave young future LGBT leaders who were featured in the article. Read More...

Backlash grows in Maine against Bishop Malone and the Catholic Diocese

The marriage campaign in Maine is going to end up costing Bishop Malone much more than $550,000.

This morning, there was a silent protest in front of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, Maine. That's the church my parents attend, where I was baptized and confirmed and where we had the funerals for my grandparents. The Facebook crowd was organizing the protest, but when I told my 73 year old mother about it (and she's not the Facebook crowd), she said, "Oh, I wish I knew." It's hard to explain the significance of that. My mother also just read this letter to the editor to me from Saturday's Portland Press Herald:

It is ironic that Maine Bishop Malone is thanking those who helped repeal the law permitting same-sex marriage, saying that "these past few months have served as a teaching opportunity to explain to parishioners and the wider community about how and why the church views and values marriage as the union of one man and one woman."

Newsflash to Bishop Malone: civil rights are not "values." And, as the multitude of successful lawsuits against the church on behalf of exploited children will attest, you long ago surrendered your legitimacy to dictate morality regarding sex.

People of faith and others will continue the work against discrimination and toward a real "wider community," not a shrouded endorsement of prejudice. And we will pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

Patricia Brinkman

Portland

The Bishop won a battle, but he's going to lose this "war" that has been declared on LGBT Americans by the Catholic Church. And, the leaders of the Catholic Church may think they're off-the-hook from the horrific child abuse scandals. They're not. They've got no moral authority and we'll keep hammering that point.

The Catholic hierarchy is getting bitchy. Today, the Public Editor at the New York Times examines the whining of New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan. He thinks the Times, including Maureen Dowd, are being mean to the Catholic Church. The Editor of Jesuit Magazine, James Martin, doesn't like the focus on the church's sex scandal:

Martin said he didn’t think most Catholics appreciated reporters’ efforts to be accurate and fair. “On the other hand, I don’t think editors realize how tired Catholics are of seeing the Church portrayed through the lens of sex abuse,” he said.

That is probably the defining lens through which to view the Catholic Church -- that and it's aggressive gay bashing. Read More...

NY Times on marriage equality: "The big battlegrounds now are New York and New Jersey"

After recapping the ups and downs of lgbt equality in last week's election, today's New York Times issues a strong push for movement on marriage in New York and New Jersey. In New York, the State Senate could act as early as Tuesday. In New Jersey, we need movement before Corzine leaves office:

The big battlegrounds now are New York and New Jersey. New York’s governor, David Paterson, has called the Legislature back to Albany. The budget crisis heads the agenda, but gay rights must be there, too. The Assembly has already approved legislation giving same-sex couples the freedom to marry. Democratic leaders need to allow debate to proceed, and rally the Senate’s 62 members to follow suit.

In New Jersey, Gov. Jon Corzine’s loss to Christopher Christie means that the Legislature must move urgently to approve marriage equality. Mr. Corzine has said he would sign the bill. Mr. Christie has said he would veto it. Legislators must act before Jan. 19, when the government changes hands.

If you live in New Jersey or New York call your legislators ASAP.

In New York, State Senators need calls. For New Yorkers, the Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) has a site that will connect you to your State Senator here.

In New Jersey, all you need to know can be found on the website of Garden State Equality (GSE), which needs three minutes of your time to call legislators.

In each state, there is a short window for success. So get calling if you live in NY or NJ. You know the Mormons and the Catholic Bishops are in overdrive.

And, we're not forgetting D.C. We'll have more on that effort in the City Council this week, too. Read More...