Joel Burns, Gay Texas Councilman, Gives Emotional Testimony Against Bullying (VIDEO)

Openly gay Fort Worth, Texas, City Councilman Joel Burns gave an impassioned plea to youth struggling with their sexual identity during a meeting Tuesday night, urging them not to despair in the face of intense adversity.

"I want to tell any teen who might see this, give yourself a chance to see just how much better life will get," Burns said, fighting back tears. "And it will get better, you will get out of the household that doesn't accept you, you will get out of that high school and you never have to deal with those jerks again if you don't want to. You will find and you will make new friends who will understand you and life will get so, so, so much better."

Burns began his speech with a display of a number of recent teens who have taken their own lives as a result of gay bullying from their peers. The councilman admitted that he, too, had been a victim of persecution as a high school student.

He began to tell a story about the effect that a specific incident in which he was called a variety of slurs and beaten up had had on him, but decided that it would be too difficult to relay to the council.

"To those who are feeling very alone tonight, please know that I understand how you feel, that things will get easier," Burns said. "Please stick around to make those happy memories for yourself. It may not seem like it tonight, but they will."

Burns's testimony was met with applause from fellow councilmembers, who later commended him on his bravery. From the Forth Worth Star-Telegram:

"So very proud of my friend and colleague Joel Burns for his stance against bullying of gay youth and those perceived to be gay," Councilwoman Kathleen Hicks wrote on Facebook during the meeting. "I am sure he saved many tonight."

Councilman Sal Espino echoed Hicks' thoughts.

"Burns displayed tremendous personal courage today in speaking out against bullying against youth and children particularly gay youth in light of the recent tragedies," he also posted on Facebook. "Fort Worth is a diverse community and we believe that all of God's children should be treated with dignity, compassion, and love."

Video of Burns's testimony is below.

WATCH:

Comments

[terri autorino]

11:15 PM on 10/19/2010

There are two amazing HuffPo blogs that EVERYONE should read, "The Bullying Years: A Survival Guide for Gay Kids", by Gary Cohan and "Homophobia Is Itself An Abomination" by Rabbi Boteach. Their words offer HOPE and are saving lives around the world.

[RunningARaceWorthRunning]

07:26 PM on 10/19/2010

I teach college freshman and sophomores and they are all appaulled at the recent tragic events.

I am daring to hope that the tide is finally turning.

If a councilman in Texas can do this and get this reception, then this is more evidence that surely it is.

Councilman Burns,
May God provide you, and all of those in need of your words, with his Tender Mercies.

[LondonJim]

07:20 PM on 10/18/2010

What a brave, emotional and ultimately inspirational speech. Viewing this speech prompted me to immediately become a monthly donor to The Trevor Project. Tragically, in this day and age, it's needed more than ever.

[petit chaton]

07:41 AM on 10/18/2010

This video should be played to every city county council making decisions about our schools and children. It should be followed by someone standing up on thos councils and saying, "Now, what are we going to do about this problem".

If a councilman on the Fort Worth council can stand up, it can be done anywhere. We need people of conviction like Mr. Burns running for higher offices. IMPRESSIVE.

[atodcunningham]

11:58 PM on 10/16/2010

Joel says this may have political reprucussions. It does. I want to see him in the governor's mansion, the US Senate, and eventually in the White House. This is a good man. A quality glaringly lacking in our country's leaders, republican AND democratic.

signed dissaffected democrat

[Bubbles99]

05:40 PM on 10/16/2010

Wow, wow, wow. That is the bravest thing I have ever witnessed. Ever. I think it would be easier by far to risk your life doing something stereotypically "herioc" than to make the speech Joel Burns made in that room. In a country that beat Matthew Shepherd to death and then crucified him on a barbed wire fence, to see a gay man make himself that vulnerable was stunning, and incredibly moving. Burns has twice the spine of 99% of the human race, male or female, conservative or progressive, LGBT or straight. I only hope that every LGBT teen in America manages to see that video, and that the so-called adults running our educational institutions find their own spines and do something about the growing hate crimes against LGBT students (hello, Rutgers, are you listening?)

[Razzer]

12:03 PM on 10/16/2010

What an amazement you are, Councilman Burns. Thank you for prevailing when it looked bleak. Thank you for coming forward and sharing such a deeply personal, moving message - and addressed to the kids, specifically.

I wish we would see such leadership in our national political bodies, as you have shown here.

[Patricia Win]

10:43 AM on 10/16/2010

THANK YOU JOEL BURNS ! A great act of courage much needed, much appreciated. I am a mom (hetersexual) but I can so understand how hard it must be for the parents of those gay young people who took their own lives because of bullying from others. I really think the kids who bullied should be rightfully charged with "hate crimes". The consequences of their behavior is something they really need to think about and hopefully, care about.

[RockyMissouri]

11:50 AM on 10/17/2010

The teachers who allow it are even MORE guilty than the bullies......

[jennifer scinto]

11:46 PM on 10/15/2010

I think Joel is awesome. I had a twin brother in the eighties that was bullied so much that he got kicked out of school and he was tutored at home because the football team was more important than him to keep the school team a great football team. Also my older brother was killed by bullies in upstate NY from his own highschool. I myself was bullied by girls at my highschool who were lovers of the jocks of the football team. I had a friend in school that killed himself by the same people who bullied my brother. But in the eighties no one did anything about it. They made them look like a freak.I feel so bad about the resent suicides. God Bless Joel. Love Jennifer

[Patchdee]

07:28 PM on 10/15/2010

Thank you Mr Burns! Your words brought tears to my eyes and chills down my spine. I am a straight 63 year old woman who still remembers the taunting and name calling I endured in Catholic grade school just for not being "cool". My self-confidence and ability to even TALK to boys was affected for years! Luckily I had a loving family to come home to.

I can't imagine how a gay child deals with the fear of rejection from their own family!

Schools, churches and parents have to do a better job of protecting children from the cruelty of other children. For gay children it is so much worse because the bullying they experience seems to be condoned by the extreme right wing preachers and politicians. How can preachers use the word abomination and then not expect impressionable children to take that to heart?

[Linda Carlson]

04:41 PM on 10/15/2010

Thank you, Joel...on behalf of all the hurting kids who need good responsible adults not just to listen but act on their behalf. God bless you. You truly are a hero in so many ways. This is a wonderful thing you've done and I am proud of you. You are a blessing.
Linda
http://thewordsmith.faithweb.com/themercysite.html

[HarrietLittle]

03:40 PM on 10/15/2010

God bless you Joel.

[Lexi Suarez]

03:40 PM on 10/15/2010

I couldn't watch this video all the way through without stopping it once to catch my breath and control my tears. Thank you Mr. Burns.

[kylennblack]

03:39 PM on 10/15/2010

That was heartwrenching, I'd go back in time and give teenage Joel a hug if I could. Just amazing. He and Tim Gunn have the two most heartfelt and compelling It Gets Better vids I've seen.

Hugs to both of them.

[zetacplus]

03:23 PM on 10/15/2010

This video is going viral on YouTube. I hope Joel Burns goes far in politics. Our country needs more people like him instead of the racist bigots that threaten our freedoms and democracy. This is one of the most heart wrenching but hopeful videos about love, compassion, and humanity that i've ever seen. Joel Burns just turned himself into a gay rights hero and I'm hopeful his words helps a lot of kids who are thinking of harming themselves for whatever reason.

thetrevorproject.org is an awesome gay support/anti suicide hotline. It saves lives everyday.

[RockyMissouri]

12:06 PM on 10/17/2010

He's a hero to ALL Americans...showing us what real courage looks like..!
Showing us how REAL men behave, by letting us see their humanity!...and showing any of us who feel different or left out or not popular or whatever--that, just hang in there..tomorrow will be better...at least you have the chance that it will be better, and you wouldn't want to miss that!