This mid-October, Jamie Hubley decided to end his own life because of the bullying he had to bear because he was openly gay. This fifteen year old high school student’s story is unfortunately not an isolated case. According to the Canadian Children's Rights Council, « [i]n Canada, suicide is the second highest cause of death for youth aged 10-24. Each year, on average, 294 youths die from suicide. Many more attempt suicide. Aboriginal teens and gay and lesbian teens may be at particularly high risk, depending on the community they live in and their own self esteem. »[1] Jamie Hubley’s story affected Rick Mercer, a comedian who has a popular show on CBC, and he made a rant saying that all well-known gays should be openly talking about their status and become role-models for the young gays of Canada. I believe all the well-known homosexuals of Canada should be public about their sexual orientations and be proud to defend and become role models for teenagers.
In Canada, suicide accounts for 24 percent of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16 percent among 16-44 year olds. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Canadians between the ages of 10 and 24 compared to the eleventh cause of deaths in Canada all ages combined.[2]Men are four times more a risk than women. Unfortunately gay teenagers are way more at risk than the rest of the teenagers.
It is important for adults to show the example and treat everyone with respect and see the world through other people’s eyes. Everyone has something to bring to the world but when someone takes away their own lives, it is someone who would have contributed to making the world a better place we lose.
As Jamie Hubley said before taking away his own life, he was tired of being the only openly gay person in his school.[3] It is hard to feel different and to feel alone. I believe gay teenagers feel bad about who they are because they feel different and not normal. This is why adults and well known people of Canada should be public about their sexual orientation to become role models for the gay teenagers but more importantly to not make them feel alone and different. Teenagers who get bullied because of their differences often feel like they need to change and like it is their fault if they are not like the others. They need to feel like they are not alone and they didn’t do anything wrong.
If more adults would show that they are gay, it would be more common to talk and see homosexual people. This would also discourage the bullies because they wouldn’t be bullying someone who is different because in fact they aren’t.
Everyone is different and no matter how different someone is, he needs to be respected for who he or she is. No one deserves to be bullied and as so many people have said before, it does get better.
As Jessie says the song ''Who you are''
Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing,
It's okay not to be okay...
Sometimes it's hard, to follow your heart.
But tears don't mean you're losing, everybody's bruising,
There's nothing wrong with who you are!
[3] http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/10/18/ottawa-teen-suicide-father.html
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