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Sat, 11 Jun 2011 02:07:00 -0400

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Shhh … Pledge Silence on April 15 to Speak Up for LGBT Bullying

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 03:30:15 -0400

Bullying of any kind must end immediately and it starts with you. Take the first step tomorrow by vowing to be silent for the day.

On April 15, the National Day of Silence will be honored by hundreds of thousands of students across the country who will be taking a pledge of silence (you don’t have to be gay or a student to pledge!) to raise awareness for the heinous anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender bullying that goes on in schools everyday.

With the event’s tagline, “What are you going to do to end the silence?” the answer is clear, show who’s boss and be silent.

Silence is powerful and can often speak louder than words. By holding back your words tomorrow, you will be representing all those who have suffered in silence when they did not have freedom and acceptance from their peers to be themselves and as a result, fell victim to abuse.

This campaign is a peaceful way to combat inequality, open doorways for discussion and bring positive transformation to the lives of individuals and communities everywhere!

This grassroots initiative began in 1996 at the University of Virginia after a small group of students were fed up with experiencing and witnessing name-calling, cruel behavior, discrimination and harassment towards member of the gay community.

By 2008, GLSEN (The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network) took over and had over 8,000 schools on board with the movement, making a huge splash. It’s grown tremendously ever since.

With your help, tomorrow could easily be one of the largest Days of Silence in history! Considering the fact that last year nine young people committed suicide in the month of September alone because of bullying, it better be.

In the words of our favorite gay rights diva Lady Gaga in her latest hit single “Born this Way:”

“Whether life’s disabilities left you outcast, bullied or teased, rejoice and love yourself today, cause baby, you were born this way. No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian, transgendered, life I’m on the right track baby I was born to survive.”

That’s right! She speaks the truth.

Show your support tomorrow by: 1. Be silent for the day. 2. Tweet @dayofsilence like a maniac to all your friends so they can join too. 3. Like Day of Silence on Facebook. 4. Share this pledge!

Openly gay Irish senator announces presidential bid

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:18:19 -0400

Irish Sen. David Norris, an Independent, has launched his campaign for the presidency of Ireland, according to the Irish Times:

Asked if Ireland was ready for an openly gay president, Mr Norris said: “I don’t see myself as a gay president, I see myself as a president who happens to be gay.”

He added: “I think the Irish people are a little bit bored with my sexuality”. He said the Irish people knew him and his values and knew he had lived a decent and good life.

The Irish president is a largely ceremonial head of state directly elected by voters to a term of seven years.

Polling earlier this year showed Norris with more support than any other potential candidate. The election will be held in October unless the current president, Mary McAleese, leaves office early.

Norris would the world’s only openly gay head of state. Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, the openly lesbian prime minister of Iceland, is head of government, but not head of state

Harvard University Attaches Itself to Extreme Anti-Gay, Anti-Islam Hatred

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:12:37 -0400

Got any plans for April 1-2? If you happen to be in Cambridge, Massachusetts, you can attend an event hosted at Harvard University featuring some of the most vocal, aggressive, and virulent leaders from the religious right — people who blame homosexuality, Islam, and women’s rights for the downfall of America, and who have financial ties to efforts in Uganda to pass an Anti-Homosexuality Bill that would institute the death penalty or life imprisonment for LGBT people.

Given the April 1 date, one wishes this were an April Fool’s joke. It sadly is not, with the Harvard University name and shield branded all over the event’s page. It’s known as the Social Transformation Conference, and it’s being put on in partnership with the Harvard University Extension Service and Leadership Society, a group that seeks to engage Harvard Extension School students in opportunities for public service. It’s open to the entire Harvard University community from all schools, and will focus extensively on a biblical concept known as “Reclaiming the 7 Mountains of Culture,” an effort by radically conservative activists to “reclaim” institutions like academia, the government, entertainment, and more in the name of God.

If you’re feeling some red flags pop up right about now, it’s for good reason. A list of the names of scheduled speakers is enough to make one wonder whether Harvard University would consider hosting Rev. Fred Phelps for Class Day.

Take, for instance, Dr. Lance Wallnau, who is a featured speaker at this Harvard show. Wallnau’s bio includes his stint as a petroleum industry executive and his role as founder of the Lance Learning Group. What it does not include, however, is the fact that Wallnau has deeply radical and extreme beliefs regarding homosexuality, Islam, and reproductive rights for women. Wallnau has ties to Cindy Jacobs (yes, the Cindy Jacobs who suggested that birds were falling out of the sky because Congress repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”), and as recently as 2010, was on record with the following message:

“You’ve got Islam invading the United States. So you’ve got your homosexual activity, your abortion activity here, Islam coming in, you’ve got a financial collapse — all of this, to those of us who are Christians, is an apocalyptic confirmation that when you remove God from public discourse, when you don’t line up your thinking with kingdom principles, you inevitably hit an iceberg like the Titanic and you go down,” Wallnau said. For good measure, he also referred to same-sex marriage as “hellish,” and something that could help Satan catch grasp of the United States. Sounds exactly like the type of voice that the nation’s most revered academic institution should be holding up, right?

Another speaker at the Harvard conference in April is Os Hillman, who is President and Founder of a group called Marketplace Leaders Ministries, which merges business, capitalism and faith in a way that would make even Joel Osteen salivate a little. But what’s not in Hillman’s bio is that he’s a close colleague and financial backer of a minister in Uganda named Julius Oyet, who next to Martin Ssempa has perhaps been the most vocal religious leader urging for passage of the country’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill, colloquially known as the “Kill the Gays” bill. In fact, according to the mouth of Oyet himself, he was involved in helping formulate the Anti-Homosexuality Bill: “I have been part of the brains behind it. We worked on it. We planned who should propose it. It is the Ugandan’s bill. It is the culture of Uganda to keep purity.”

Wow. These two alone are worth mammoth red flags springing from the earth in Cambridge. But there are others, too. Larry Bizette from Antioch Family Church will be there. This is the same Larry Bizette who has gone on record saying that same-sex couples will destroy the institution of marriage. Bizette also added his name to a sign-on statement in opposition to efforts to recognize the LGBT community in Baton Rouge. That statement (pdf) said that cities should not recognize LGBT people, because in doing so condones a “behavior” that is “sinful” and “not natural.”

There’s Dr. Jerry Anderson from the La Red Business Network, which adheres to a “morality” policy that believes in the following: “God made man and beast as male and female for reproductive purposes. It is only the human that practices homosexuality. Only humans become addicted to drugs and alcohol and plan abortions. It may be legal or politically correct, but these things are still morally wrong.”

And to save the best for last, there’s Dr. Bill Hamon from the Christian International Ministries Network (CIMN). Dr. Hamon makes Mike Huckabee look like the grand marshal of a pride parade. Check out some of his nuggets of wisdom: On this page on his Web site, Dr. Hamon compares homosexuality to sex with animals and incest, and suggests that those “guilty” of homosexuality should receive the death penalty, per God’s wishes. And per the CIMN mission statement, “God instituted monogamous marriage between male and female as the foundation of the family, the basic structure of human society. For this reason homosexuality is an abomination before God.” And they’re featuring commentary on their Web site that lauds the passage of Proposition 8, and urges Christians to get down on their knees and pray that same-sex marriage never becomes a reality in the United States.

What a total package of hatred getting ready to descend on the campus of Harvard University. So why is the University and the Harvard Extension Service and Leadership Society allowing their name and images to be branded to an event featuring such a high dose of bigotry? That’s a great question. Because if the mission of the Harvard Extension Service and Leadership Society is to be conciliatory, focus on public service, and host events on the topic of negotiation, it’s hard to see how the speakers at this event contribute to that mission. Because by and large, these are speakers who want to overturn inclusive policies at Harvard that welcome and celebrate the diversity of all students on campus.

In fact, the event’s Web site even says as much, suggesting that Harvard is in spiritual decay, and must be saved by the power of Christ. Seriously? And the University is sponsoring this event and allowing campus resources to be dedicated to it?

It’s time to send a message to Harvard University, and the Harvard Extension Service and Leadership Society that hosting these kinds of speakers on campus is only legitimizing dangerous and damaging theological perspectives that continue to dehumanize LGBT people, Muslims, women, and many other “others” who don’t fit the mold of these very conservative, rigid faith leaders. There are better ways to talk about public service and social entrepreneurship than catering to elements who foster such hatred and bigotry toward people of a different gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or faith.

As Truth Wins Out notes, “Let’s hope that LGBT advocates … will stand up to these biblical bullies and let people know that their presence at Harvard is poison ivy.” Let’s send that message now by clicking here.

Facebook Adds “Civil Union” and “Domestic Partnership” Options

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:05:56 -0500

LGBT couples and individuals on Facebook now can express their relationship statuses more effectively – the social networking site has added “in a civil union” and “in a domestic partnership” to its relationship status options. Facebook has over 600 million users worldwide – the move demonstrates the growing everyday acceptance of LGBT couples and individuals.

The changes were made in consultation with Facebook’s Network of Support. HRC was one of the founding members of the Network, which was formed in October 2010 in an effort to combat LGBT cyberbullying.

HRC spokesperson Michael Cole-Schwartz praised the move in a Huffington Post article: “As LGBT people face a patchwork of relationship recognition laws, this gives people more tools to adequately describe their relationship. “Facebook has been a company that has tried to be inclusive of the LGBT community and this just one sign of it.”

Obama appoints lesbian to U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 22:12:04 -0500

President Barack Obama today announced his appointment of Roberta Achtenberg, an out lesbian, to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

In 1993 Achtenberg became the very first openly LGBT American appointed by a U.S. president to a Senate-confirmable position. President Bill Clinton tapped her to become an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Prior to her public service, Achtenberg was a civil rights attorney, nonprofit director and legal educator who helped found the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, which is composed of eight commissioners (four of whom are appointed by the president), is an independent commission of the U.S. federal government that investigates, reports on and makes recommendations concerning civil rights issues.

Achtenberg, who was an early advisor to the LGBT community’s ongoing Presidential Appointments Project, is believed to be the first openly LGBT commissioner appointed to the panel. She also currently serves on the board of trustees for the California State University.

Homophobia disgusts me more so than anything else.

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 22:02:43 -0500

fuckyeahlgbt:

I just sent this email to the Harps store in Mountain Home, AR

I recommend you do the same, just go to this website

Regarding this post.

Thank you so much.

via mara-youignorantslut

Work your magic Tumblr

Want to blog for Esteen?

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 21:13:13 -0500

Want to blog for Esteen?:

Esteen needs people to blog for it. It’s a great way to get your personal Tumblr known, if you are interested in blogging for us, just click the above link fill out the form and presto, you’re on your way to being on the team.

Bullied Gay Student Commits Suicide in Minnesota

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 19:58:57 -0500

The narrative of anti-gay bullying leading to suicide was not a flash in the pan news story limited to 2010. This is a chronic problem that has existed for decades, and a problem that will continue well into the future until school districts get with the program and enact tough anti-bullying policies inclusive of LGBT youth, and find ways to include LGBT themes into curriculum.

The latest tragedy comes from Jefferson High School in Alexandria, Minnesota. Over the weekend, an 18-year-old gay student, Lance Lundsten, took his own life. Friends and those who knew him said that he was bullied at school because of his sexual orientation.

Another tragic story, with an all too familiar ending. Adding to this tragedy, as Box Turtle Bulletin points out, is the fact that Jefferson High School does not have an anti-bullying policy inclusive of LGBT students. According to the policy, physical and verbal abuse is considered bullying when it “degrades people because of their race, sex, religion, ethnic background, physical or mental handicaps.”

No sexual orientation. No gender identity. That needs to change.

Speaking to the local ABC affiliate, KSAX, a local activist said that people in the community are working to make sure Alexandria is a more inclusive place, but that there’s a long way to go.

“Bullying is a huge issue, particularly with the youth in our country now,” Facilitator of the Diversity Resource Action Alliance Shari Maloney said. “I think because we’re in central Minnesota, and we aren’t as diverse as some of the larger Metropolitan areas are, someone who is different maybe draws more attention and it’s not always positive.”

A Facebook page has now sprung up to help activists in the community and around the country address anti-gay bullying at Jefferson High School. Its mission statement says that because administrators at Jefferson aren’t addressing anti-gay bullying, students will have to be the ones to pressure them to do so.

“If this can happen in our small town of Alexandria, MN, it truly proves that this can happen anywhere. Stop another senseless death,” the group writes.

Part of stopping more senseless deaths is making sure that school administrators come together and create an environment where all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, can feel safe. That means establishing school policies that are inclusive of LGBT students, and making sure that anti-bullying programs are put in place that talk about sexual orientation and gender identity.

As one member of the Jefferson Anti-Bullying Coalition wrote: “This needs to stop. We need to teach our children tolerance not hatred.” Help send that message to Jefferson High School, and hope that this tragedy leads to better policies that protect all students, and give all students a safe learning environment.

We’ve turned your favorite Esteen poster into a t-shirt,...

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 21:25:37 -0500

We’ve turned your favorite Esteen poster into a t-shirt, “Bullying Won’t Straighten Our Rainbow” is available on Spreadshirt in a large range of colors for both men and women.

We hope to add more t-shirts to the store in the near future. The profits go towards Esteen’s website, contributors and marketing. Our website constantly needs updating and maintenance, our contributors deserve a little something for their hard work. We need to reach more LGBT people, we can only do this by promoting, and of course promoting comes at a cost.

So support Esteen by buying this t-shirt, you will be the envy of all your friends, except the haters, haters gonna to hate.

No HIV/AIDS Treatment for Perverts, Says North Carolina State Rep. Larry Brown

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:51:01 -0500

North Carolina state representative Larry Brown thinks his state should not treat HIV/AIDS patients if the infections came about because of the “the way they live.” Also, he will pass a law requiring everyone to kick three-legged dogs. One of these statements is false. Gold star if you can guess which one.

In discussing his legislative priorities for the coming session, Brown said that he does not condone using taxpayer money to treat an illness contracted while “living in perverted lifestyles.”

Yeah, he said that out loud.

But he’s not a total monster. He’s totally cool with using state money to treat little babies with HIV. But mom and dad? Nah…

I’m confused. Will state health professionals be inquiring into what kind of sex patients are having before treatment? I’m just about that farthest thing from a health care worker, but what would stop people from saying that they always get it on with someone of the opposite sex? Will there be secret sex spies, whose sole purpose is to determine who you’re having sex with and when?

I don’t know, it sounds exciting, but it seems like a lot of work. My voyeuristic tendencies and my sloth are battling. It’s a close one.

Oh, maybe I’m being too hard on Brown. Maybe he’s just not incredibly eloquent, and he said something in a way he shouldn’t have. I can’t really think of a way he could have said it to make it acceptable, but I am not here to judge. The Dalai Lama tells me every day via Twitter to be more compassionate, so that’s what I’m going to do.

But this guy is making it really hard. The HIV treatment malarkey came on the heels of Brown’s declaration that he supports a state constitutional amendment that would bar marriage equality. And before that, he sent an e-mail to North Carolina House Speaker Joe Hackney that called gay people “queers” and “fruit loops.”

I will admit, it will take more than His Holiness’s 140 character aphorisms to make me feel compassion for this dingle.

Not only is this aggressively homophobic, it’s just another example of how such irrational hate and misunderstanding is dangerous for everyone. It shows a complete misunderstanding of what HIV/AIDS is, who can become infected (anyone) and under what circumstances.

Brown said that he doesn’t care if those nasty perverts (gays? He doesn’t specify…) get treatment, but that the state should focus on those who contracted the disease “with no fault of their own.”

Whatever that means. Does he think that people go out and get HIV on purpose? Really, anyone who does drugs or has any kind of condomless sex and contracts the disease have only themselves to blame, right?

This is madness. Not only is this cockamamie idea unfair to every free person in North Carolina, but it shows an utter disregard for the public health. And this is a public health issue. It would be a pity for every citizen of North Carolina to pay the price for this guy’s ignorance.

theearthcharity: The Earth Charity supports the Queensland...

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:47:03 -0500

theearthcharity:

The Earth Charity supports the Queensland Floods Relief Appeal, but to help the victims of this devastating disaster we need your help, which you can do by donating.

Every contribution counts, you can donate online by filling out this form. Donate by phone by ringing 0600 – 2300 7 days on 1800 219 028. There are many more options on the appeal’s website.

Please help us spread this message by reblogging it, even if you can’t donate, you can raise awareness.

Nation’s first LGBT history museum opens

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:03:40 -0500

There may not be a single “ground zero” for the LGBT civil rights movement in the United States, but the intersection of 18th and Castro Streets in San Francisco comes pretty close. Now visitors to that famous neighborhood where Harvey Milk lived, worked and campaigned for public office will be able to learn about the movement’s history at the country’s first GLBT History Museum, which opens to the public today.

Local business owners helped raise money to establish the permanent museum. ”Harvey would want us to do to so, because he would recognize how important it is for younger gays to be aware of the legacy of their struggle and the future,” said Steve Porter, general manager of Harvey’s, a nearby restaurant.

The museum is run by the GLBT Historical Society, which just marked its 25th anniversary. View images of the new museum here.

State Department Changes Forms to Include Same-Sex Parents

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 07:19:54 -0500

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Tue, 11 Jan 2011 00:51:34 -0500

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McDonald's under fire for blocking gay websites in New Zealand

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 23:20:36 -0500

McDonald’s is under pressure to change the internet access policies at its restaurants because gay websites are not accessible.

The fast-food chain offers customers free WiFi access in 132 of its outlets nationwide.

The service has come under fire after members of the gay community complained that some restaurants - including one in Wellington - could not access various websites, including gaynz.com, because McDonald’s had them blocked.

Other blocked websites include familyplanning.org.nz, nzdating.com and rainbowyouth.org.nz, the site for an organisation for young gays.

Members of the homosexual community have slammed firm’s policies, calling them discriminatory.

A forum has been set up on the gaynz.com website, where dozens of people have already vented their anger.

One woman said: “Now is this serious and blatant discrimination or is it because gay being a key word may lead to porn sites?”

Another blogger said: “I don’t support McD’s censorship even if I understand their commercial wish to fit a family-friendly profile.”

Moderators of the website also posted their views, saying the site had moderators to make sure nothing inappropriate was put up.

The complaints have led to the chain saying it would review the blocked sites on “a case by case” basis.

However, it did maintain that the sole purpose of blocking such sites was to uphold the restaurant’s image of it being a family restaurant chain.

A spokesman for McDonald’s told 3 News: “We’re a family restaurant chain and as a part of offering this new service, our policy is that viewed content must be of a family-friendly nature - suitable for a child to view.”

Family First director Bob McCoskrie last night applauded McDonald’s actions and encouraged the restaurant to continue blocking such sites.

Mr McCoskrie said the issue was not about a certain group being discriminated against.

“It is about the content and material which is adult-rated [and therefore] should be blocked in a public setting like McDonald’s … and McDonald’s are to be congratulated for putting families first.

“Some of the websites which they have blocked have been blocked for a good reason.

“People desperate to access this material will have to do it in a private setting through their own [internet] server.”

Do the Salvation Army deserve your assistance?

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 08:00:07 -0500

The holiday season has begun, which no doubt means you’ve been shopping, you’ve passed those Salvation Army bell ringers dunning shoppers for donations, meant for the needy and destitute’s benefit. That is of course the benefit of those worthy in the Salvation Army’s eyes.

The group is a charity, but it’s also a religious sect and if you support gay rights, your opinions will differ with the Army’s, similar to most Christian churches. You may want to think otherwise before dropping a coin into their red bucket.

Bill Browning of Bileric reports:

When a former boyfriend and I were homeless, the Salvation Army refused to help us unless we broke up and left the “sinful homosexual lifestyle” behind. We slept on the street and they didn’t help when we declined to break up at their insistence. I’ve seen the discrimination the Salvation Army preaches first hand.

He’s not alone however. Check out this video for a laundry list of anti-gay policies and positions the Salvation Army has taken.

Michigan High School Students Show Pride in Standing Up to Anti-Gay Bullying

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 21:00:12 -0500

Here’s some bad news about the state of Michigan. It’s one of only a handful of states in the entire country that has absolutely no statewide law to address bullying.

But the failure of Michigan lawmakers isn’t stopping a group a high school students at Northville High School from tackling the subject of bullying, and anti-gay bullying in particular. Moved by a fall semester where stories of bullying that led to suicide were unfortunately all too common, Northville students decided to step up and form a new after school group to serve as a place where gay and straight students alike could come together and talk about creating a safe school.

The effort was led by 17-year-old Allison Smith, who not only researched how to start a school club, but worked with teachers and an assistant principal at the school to create the group, which is essentially a gay straight alliance. The group’s goal? To end the hatred and homophobia that all too often contributes to an epidemic of bullying.

Smith has first-hand experience with the trauma that bullying can cause, by witnessing what happened to an openly gay friend at the school.

“I have a quite a few friends who identify as gay,” said Smith. “One of them graduated in 2010, and actually experienced hate crimes. It all started with harassment from some female students, whom we thought were our friends. But they harassed the person, and he had to get a restraining order to protect himself from their overt actions, even coming to his house and causing trouble. It showed me how difficult it was to come out to family and friends.”

Totally cool to see this kind of activism happening on a school-by-school basis. What would be even cooler? To see Michigan lawmakers get their heads screwed on properly and figure out a way to get an anti-bullying law through the state legislature. It wasn’t for lack of effort this past year, given that a bill was put forward in the Michigan House (and passed), but got held up in the senate.

“I regret that we couldn’t protect all of our children from those that would pick on them,” Sen. Ron Jelinek, R-Three Oaks, said on the Senate floor as the legislative session closed. “No person should be subjected to criticism or physical abuse from another person in a free, under God, democratic society — not for any reason.”

Nice sentiments, for sure. Too bad they’re just words without a piece of legislation.

Meanwhile, the club at Northville High seems to be gaining steam. Through word of mouth alone, the group now has weekly meetings with higher than expected attendance. They’re now trying to figure out ways to advocate in their school, particularly in dismantling hate speech like using the word “gay” to describe things that are stupid or dumb.

“We’re not promoting a lifestyle, just helping students who want to talk and need support. No one wants to turn on the TV news and see that someone else has committed suicide,” Smith concluded.

Now how can we get Allison Smith to grow up to be a Michigan legislator?

“Bullying won’t straighten our rainbow”...

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 22:28:06 -0500

“Bullying won’t straighten our rainbow” poster. On a t-shirt soon.

Mother of Gay Suicide Victim: Anti-Gay Bullying Is Killing Our Kids

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 21:04:09 -0500

Seth Walsh was a 13-year-old student in California. He was bright, intelligent, and did really well in school. He was also gay, and because of that, he was relentlessly teased and taunted by his peers. In fifth grade kids started calling him “gay.” By seventh grade, Seth was regularly called “queer” and “fag” in the halls, and felt so scared for his safety that he was hesitant to use the restroom or be in the locker room. It’s also alleged that one teacher called Seth “fruity” in front of the entire classroom.

On September 19, 2010, Seth hanged himself in the backyard of his house. His mother, Wendy Walsh, found his body. He was taken to a hospital, where he was on life support for nine days. He died on September 28.

Seth’s story is a heartbreaking reminder that our schools are just not safe, particularly for LGBT youth. And now, Wendy Walsh is speaking out about the dangerous climate her son faced, and the environment that led to her son to feel like he had nowhere to turn but suicide.

In a video with the ACLU, Wendy Walsh faces the camera, and reads from the suicide note that Seth left. Wendy also makes it clear that we all have the responsibility to end anti-gay bullying.

“Mom, Amanda, Shane, Shawn: I love you. Thank you for having me. It’s been a pleasure,” Seth said. “I know this will bring you much pain, but I will hopefully be in a better place than this shithole.”

Simply chilling. Wendy is coming forward with her story to show how urgent it is for schools across the country to deal with the very real epidemic of LGBT suicide and anti-gay bullying. It’s why she’s lent her voice in support of nationwide legislation known as the Student Non-Discrimination Act, which would put LGBT students on equal footing with their peers.

“Seth was a beautiful person. He was funny, he was artistic, he loved to read,” Wendy recounts in her video. “Seth’s death was an accumulation of events over years.”

Wendy says that the reaction she got from local school officials was nothing more than, Oh, we’ll deal with the problem next school year. But now next school year is too late, just like it’s too late for students in Minnesota, Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and scores of other locations around the country, where LGBT students have felt so targeted, that they took their own lives.

Check out Wendy Walsh’s heartfelt and heartbreaking video below. And please, send Congress a message that the Student Non-Discrimination Act is not only critical, it’s urgent.