Published:
10/15/2011 08:51pm
Bullycide Takes Another Child
“Bullycide” is a term that Neil Marr and Tim Field coined in referring to those children who chose the shadows of death rather than one more day of being bullied. Bullying is not new, but it has become more vicious and insidious with technology allowing 24/7 harassment that with one simple click can rapidly spread rumors with no way to stop them. Once the word is out there, you can’t take it back. You can’t recover what you regret.
Jamey (Jamie) Rodemeyer, 14 years old, took his life last week in Buffalo, New York, after relentlessly inspiring others with the words, “It gets better.” Words and mantras can only provide hope for just so long. Unless the environment and culture changes, the pain speaks louder than words that provide no solace and no solutions.
Jamey was bullied continuously for his sexual orientation. The fact is that it has not gotten better and it won’t until we accept the fact that the problem is not isolated, but rather systemic. Until compassion is learned and caring cultures are created, we will continue to lose our greatest resources...our children. Jamie follows many before him as
I have sited below. Nothing changes until “you” do. Please take action now.
Brian Head, a quiet, caring and talented fifteen year old, walked into his economics class with a gun to his head and announced, “I can’t take this anymore,” and pulled the trigger. He wrote poetry and in his last poem he revealed his experiences of being bullied. Brian said he was seen by his peers “as an insignificant ‘thing,’ something to be traded, mangled, and mocked.” Brian found comfort in the darkness of death to end the pain.
He continued to write, “In the shadows, their evil eyes cannot stare my soul into oblivion...I am free to move without their judgmental eyes on me...I can sleep without dreams of despair and deception. In the shadows I am home.”
I was taught many years ago that suicide was anger turned inward. While suicide is violence inflicted upon oneself, with those choosing bullycide, I believe it is more of a desperate attempt to end the pain. Unfortunately, they see no other option in their darkest moments. It is our responsibility to make sure resources are there for them and they know how to access them.
Compared to students not bullied, those who continue to endure the trauma of being bullied show a higher rate of depression, anxiety, drugs, alcohol abuse, and school failure. Unfortunately, people bullied often internalize the putdowns and turn on themselves by kicking themselves for not being good enough. While the bully may eventually go away, the low self-esteem and internalized emotions of powerlessness and hopelessness do not. They often haunt the victim forever unless their therapy has been successful. This is why we must take action now!
The LGBT Community Requests Respect
Bullycide is most prevalent among those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender where harassment is considerably more frequent. Nine out of ten gay students report being bullied, giving them little escape from assaults. Until there is greater awareness and understanding, respecting differences will continue to be our greatest challenge in bringing dignity and equality to all people.a basic human.
A resource I highly recommend is supported by Dan Savage and other celebrities. Check out www.itgetsbetter.org.
Corey Bernstein, a sixteen year old activist in the anti-bullying movement, shared a quote from Dr. Seuss that gives a positive perceptive: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” Those people who truly care and support us don’t even see differences. Love brings us together and unites humanity to make each of us stronger.
Corey decided to take action and emphasizes that we all need to be who we are for authenticity has its own reward. His concern was that although TV shows like Glee show gay people in a positive light, they often reinforce stereotypes of h
