If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
The Blog
The use of religion to justify prejudice or as a means of controlling others is not acceptable in a diverse and free society. Sloganeering about "religious freedom" to force your dogma on everyone else is an insult to intelligence.
We need to look at the wider picture. We need to consider the fact that the law treats citizens differently. The law perceives some of us differently. The bullies aren't blind. Whose lead are they following?
The more I learn about different schools across the country, the more I realize that many are not doing a thing to make sure that LGBT students can be safe.
Believe anything you wish to believe. I don't care if you believe in Santa Claus, but the minute you start justifying bigotry, hatred, and violence with your belief you've infringed on the rights of others.
Hastily meting out consequences to satisfy a public relations problem hurts everyone and compromises the integrity of the entire school system.
Twelfth-grade English teachers secretly look forward to the Senior Prank. This year I had high hopes and expectations. What I got instead was an unexpected, cruel reminder of how much work we have left to do.
Given that some celebrities and public figures are deciding to leave Twitter because of hateful, racist, or threatening attacks from "Twitter Trolls"; is it completely unreasonable to speculate that Twitter may enact measures to mitigate this problem?
Bullying is a multi-layered epidemic. It's like a disease that cultivates and feeds off of the bloodline of social acceptance and like-minded opinion, fueled by fear and pain so deep, it is subconscious. But where exactly does bullying originate?
Gay culture is one of the most ageist cultures in America. As a result, older gay men are targets of some of the worst online vitriol from other gay men. Many older men have to get "creative" when listing their ages or risk being unattractive to younger guys.
This is a story about you: You will survive bullying. We have met individuals who, like you, feel lonely, ashamed, depressed, hated, and even ready to die. But they are still here, achieving their true potential and sharing their stories -- your stories -- in Yale College's "It Gets Better" video.
Adults often underestimate children's ability to grasp the heart of a concept -- or run with an idea of their own -- but we're wrong. They're a lot smarter and more take-charge than we think. We're seeing that ability take hold now with bullying.
Whenever I read yet another article, essay, book, or blog on the Bible and homosexuality, I feel exactly the same way as Murray's character did, caught in an endlessly repeating loop of Bible bashing. This cycle must end, now.
I've never heard a woman say, "I shouldn't eat those fries they're bad for my inner peace." No guy checking himself out in the mirror ever tells himself, "Your values and morals are looking hot today."
So how do I keep my son from becoming another statistic, another young person pushed to deadly means to end torment by those who think his existence is a sin, ugly, and wrong? Well, there is no guarantee that I can, but I can sure as hell try.
These pastors choose to use their pulpit to spread pain, disharmony, and hate in the world. I choose to broadcast a message of peace, forgiveness, hope, and understanding -- with the intention of validating the millions of gay people who live, love, and learn around the world.
