Stand Up 2 Bullying

A site of dedication. A site for change.

I am continually saddened & outraged by the recent suicides plaguing our LGBT youth. It breaks my heart that these innocents have suffered so unmercifully just because they are gay. I am further heartbroken & enraged that our LGBT youth are made to continue to feel that they are alone, unaccepted & unloved.

As human beings, we all believe that love & acceptance are inalienable rights. But for those of us who are gay, our society makes us feel like this isn't our right too. That we are somehow perverted. That we are somehow unworthy. That we are choosing to be gay. That we are abominations. That we are evil. That we are infectious. That we are less than human. That we are abnormal. Unfortunately, this 'that we are' list is never ending.

I decided to start this web site as a remembrance to honor those youths that have felt so alone, abandoned & unaccepted that their only solution was to take their lives. The statistics for teen suicides are staggering. When you factor in those youths that identify themselves as gay or are perceived as gay and bullied accordingly, that number goes up strikingly.

For now, I have JUST STARTED to compile a list by researching Google. Sadly this list is a LONG ONE. It's a daunting task to know where to even begin. This is a list not meant to disrespect these youths; rather, to honor their memories. As I add to this list, I hope it demonstrates to anyone reading it just how serious of an issue this really is.

I encourage all of you that have made it here to this site to PLEASE just reflect upon how much of a colossal travesty this is. Then I URGE you to do something about it. If you know of someone being bullied or bullying, please STAND UP. SPEAK UP. Don't let them continue to feel abandoned, unworthy & unloved.

Between 4,000 and 5,000 teenagers kill themselves every year in America[1],[2]. That's between 11 and 13 teens killing themselves every single day. gay teenagers are four times more likely to commit suicide than straight teenagers, which means about 3 gay teenagers are killing themselves every day, about 95 every month[3]

As for me, one day perhaps my name will be entered onto this list as well. I am HIV+. Despite having trained as a physician, my inability to cope with myself & the ensuing depression led me to engage in high risk behaviors with full knowledge of what I would contract. In my mind during those dark times, it was my way of sentencing me to death. While my health is currently stable (for the most part), should I one day succumb to AIDS...I will make sure my name gets added to this list as well.