Jamey Rodemyer, 14, Committed Suicide in Response to Incessant Tormentors
Jamey had been bullied for years in school and online for not only his sexual orientation but also his weight and hateful speech of all kinds was sent his way. In May he came out to his friends as bisexual, and even made his own “It Gets Better” video to spread the message of hope he desperately wanted to believe in himself. But it seems that the hateful words only increased to an unbearable point, and feeling he had no one to turn to, on Sunday September 18th, only days before the anniversary of Tyler Clementi’s death last year, Jamey killed himself outside his home in Williamsville, NY.
You might have heard the news that Jamey was a huge Lady Gaga fan, even claiming that she was “the reason why I am alive.” The news of his death has left Gaga and people across the world both saddened and angry. Gaga is now pushing for President Obama to “make bullying illegal”, and the Paws Up Forever Project is circulating on YouTube to honor Jamey by discussing the harsh reality of suicide and the horrible bullying that has lead to so many lately.
So what can you do? Keep reaching out to the quiet kid in your class or dorm. Keep telling the ones you love that you are there for them and that they are amazing and beautiful. It might seem simple or even silly, but you never know how your words can heal over the ones that hurt.
