Spirit Day
Today is “Spirit Day”. GLAAD asked people to “go purple” today to call attention to the recent suicides of six teenagers because they were gay. I’ve been thinking about these kids since the first suicide this summer. Thinking about how I’m surprised when *any* teenager makes it through that time in our lives, much less a teenager who is being bullied. Especially being bullied about a part of their lives that so many parts of society have put shame on.
Maybe I should be glad that I don’t understand the people who do the bullying. If I could I wouldn’t find it so shocking, disturbing and terrifying. Being a teenager is so dramatic and angst-filled even if you don’t have something that is so easy for insecure kids to target.
There has been a lot of writing, blogging and updating about all of the bullying in the past couple of weeks. A lot of conversation, and you should take the time to read it. There are two videos that are amazing and you should watch now. Right now. Because it gets better.
The “It Gets Better” project is doing some amazing stuff with social media, including video, that you should check out.
At a recent City Council meeting in Ft. Worth, Texas, Councilman Joel Burns used his speaking time to address all the teenagers out there who might be getting bullied. It is a touching video and a brave moment.
I hope, one day soon, we won’t need Spirit Days.