Remember the big “It Gets Better” campaign that was making waves online earlier this year? Its purpose was “to show young LGBT people the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach – if they can just get through their teen years.” It was done hoping that it would reduce the number of suicides among the LGBT youth.
Thanks to many “It Gets Better” videos made by celebrities ranging from Lady Gaga to Barack Obama, the project gained a lot of traction and quickly gathered over 25,000 video submissions from people all over the world. Among those submissions there was one from Jamey Rodemeyer, a 14-year-old gay teen from the Buffalo, NY, who recorded a heartbreaking message in an attempt to convince other kids, and himself, that it gets better. (video after the break)
Unfortunately, Jamey decided it doesn’t get better and took his own life last Sunday. WIVB reports:
Soon after coming home from a family camping trip, Jamey was found dead Sunday. His parents say he was always under pressure because of struggles with his sexuality. Jamey’s mother Tracy Rodemeyer said, “So he hung around with the girls a lot, so then the teasing started happening like ‘Oh you’re such a girl or you’re gay or whatever and that bothered him for many years.”
Jamey’s father Tim Rodemeyer said, “To the kids who are bullying they have to realize that words are very powerful and what you think is just fun and games isn’t to some people, and you are destroying a lot of lives.”
You know how we look back on history and think “Holy cow, people really believed in witches and burned women alive?!” In a couple of centuries we’ll (hopefully) look back at the current times say the same thing about our intolerance of different sexualities.
Rest in peace, little guy.
