British Teen Driven To Suicide Over Gay Taunts

The Christian Right in the USA and in the UK where their poison is being imported actively work to foster homophobia and this sad event reported by 365gay.com shows that homophobia kills. Whether or not Belinda Allen was actually gay, the clear message is that the hate and bullying directed towards gays lead her to kill herself at only 14. Since this is the second bullying induced suicide at this school, something is terribly wrong with the teachers and school administration for letting such an atmosphere exist. No child or youth should have to live with such abuse. Having been bullied for not being butch enough or enough of a jock in school myself, I have some inkling of what this poor girl felt. Here are some story highlights (http://www.365gay.com/Newscon08/01/011008teen.htm):

(London) British police are investigating the suicide of a 14-year girl who had been subjected to constant bullying by classmates who called her a lesbian. The body of Belinda Allen was discovered by a man walking his dog in Southwater. Police said the teen had tied a scarf around her neck and hanged herself from a tree. It is not known if the girl identified as being gay but she had suffered taunting and bullying for more than a year friends said on Thursday. Students called her "a dyke" and chided her for her clothes.

It is the second time that a student at the same school has committed suicide as a result of bullying. Last year an 11-year old boy hanged himself from his bunk bed at home using shoelaces. Following that death the West Sussex County Council set up an anti-bullying task force. But students say it has done little to curb schoolyard bullying.

In December the British government told schools beef up their protections for LGBT students. In an advisory sent to all schools across the UK the government warned principals that turning a blind eye to homophobia will not be tolerated. The advisory said that students who taunt gays need to be disciplined and that if detentions and suspensions do not work police should be called in to deal with the problem. It also reminded schools that homophobia is a crime.

The European Parliament also issued a declaration last year urging member states to enact laws preventing homophobic bullying in schools.