I cannot help but see some irony in the fat that while Sally Kern and other self-righteous "Christian" homophobes are going about voicing nasty anti-gay statements and basically comparing gays to terorists and/or diseased vermin, a new study has been released that shows that gay teens in the nation's capital are much more at risk of committing suicide than their straight counterparts. Of course, what makes the study results even worse is that in relative terms, Washington, D. C., is a relatively liberal, gay friendly area. Imagine life for gay teens in more rural Red State areas. Not that Ms. Kern and those of her ilk give a flying f**k. That would be expecting way too much of such cold, self-centered people.
The truth is that gays are living, breathing, feeling, and worthy human beings who are the beloved sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters of other citizens. A fact that never crosses the hate-filled minds of Christianists. I find such peoples to be disgusting and cannot help but wonder how they came to be such unloving, unfeeling, and generally horrible people. How did the Gospel message become so perverted? In any event, here are some highlights from the Washington Blade (http://www.washingtonblade.com/2008/4-4/news/localnews/12337.cfm):
D.C. high school students who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual are four times as likely to contemplate suicide than their heterosexual counterparts and regularly report being bullied and harassed by their classmates, according to a survey released last week by the District’s public school system.
Andrew Barnett, acting executive director of the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League (SMYAL), a D.C. group that advocates for gay youth, said the survey findings confirm what SMYAL has learned anecdotally from the youth who participate in its programs — that anti-gay harassment is a common occurrence in the city’s high schools.
Also among the report’s findings:
* 24.8 percent of Washington gay high school students reported using ecstasy one or more times compared to 3.9 percent of straight students.
* 39.1 percent reported using marijuana three or more times compared to 17 percent of straight students.
* 30.6 percent reported being bullied at least once on school property in the previous year compared to 16 percent of straight students.
* 30.6 percent of gay teens considered suicide in the previous year, 28.9 percent made a plan to commit suicide and 32.6 percent attempted suicide. That compares to 13.8 percent, 12.1 percent and 8.6 percent respectively in those same categories for their straight counterparts.
* 40.3 percent answered yes to the question, “During the past 12 months, did you ever feel so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that you stopped doing some usual activities?” Just 25.7 percent of straight students said yes.
* 24.8 percent of Washington gay high school students reported using ecstasy one or more times compared to 3.9 percent of straight students.
* 39.1 percent reported using marijuana three or more times compared to 17 percent of straight students.
* 30.6 percent reported being bullied at least once on school property in the previous year compared to 16 percent of straight students.
* 30.6 percent of gay teens considered suicide in the previous year, 28.9 percent made a plan to commit suicide and 32.6 percent attempted suicide. That compares to 13.8 percent, 12.1 percent and 8.6 percent respectively in those same categories for their straight counterparts.
* 40.3 percent answered yes to the question, “During the past 12 months, did you ever feel so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that you stopped doing some usual activities?” Just 25.7 percent of straight students said yes.
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