What are the causes and how can we help?
In recent years we’ve seen a tragic number of #gay #teens, ending their own lives after enduring anti-gay #bullying. Eighteen-year-old Tyler Clementi, 15-year-old Billy Lucas, and 13-year-olds Asher Brown and Seth Walsh were living in different corners of America—New Jersey, Indiana, Texas, and California—but each of them was subjected to the same kind of intolerance and cruelty, including a callous violation of their online privacy.
#JamesDonaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
#Suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents, and #gay #teens are 4 times more likely than straight #teens to attempt #suicide. Moreover, the pain #gay #teenagers feel when they are taunted affects others around them: During adolescence, the mantra is, “I want to be the same.” #Teens feel a powerful need to fit in, and when they see a #gay student getting bullied for some perceived “difference,” they worry that their own differences—and we all have them—will be targeted by bullies next.
I know that many parents find it difficult to discuss sexuality with their #teenagers, but discussion is crucial if we want our #children to develop healthy self-esteem, embrace their own differences, and accept what is different in others.
Here’s some information for parents to consider:
1. #Teens who are “different” are at higher risk for #bullying.
All #teens want to be “normal” and fit in with their peers, hence differences in sexual orientation can attract harassment and rejection. According to a survey by the #Gay, #Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, approximately 90 percent of #gay, #lesbian, #transgender or #bisexual middle and high school students report being physically or verbally harassed in 2009. As parents, no matter what we believe (with respect to sexuality, religion, culture, politics), we are responsible for our kids’ behavior, and need to teach them to be intolerant of intolerance.
2. A #teen who believes his or her sexual feelings are unacceptable to peers may be at risk for #suicide.
Parents, teachers, and all caring adults need to be sensitive to #teenagers who exhibit feelings of sadness, worthlessness, hopelessness, #anxiety, irritability, rejection, and anger—all symptoms of #depression, which is experienced by the majority of #teens who attempt or complete #suicide. Some parents assume that if they are tolerant of different sexual orientations, their #children aren’t affected by the barrage of messages suggesting that it’s abnormal or immoral to be #gay. Unfortunately, anti-gay rhetoric has extraordinary, insidious muscle in the cultural landscape, and #gay #teens are particularly vulnerable. Parents of #gay #teens are sometimes “the last to know” a problem is brewing.
3. An overwhelming majority of suicidal #teens report feeling misunderstood by their parents.
It’s crucial for us as parents to start a conversation with our #children, before they go through puberty, to discuss sexual feelings and tolerance of different sexual orientations. If your #child is secretly feeling guilty or ashamed of the sexual thoughts he or she is having, you need to know this so that you can give reassurance that there’s nothing wrong with different sexual thoughts, or sexuality in general.
#Teens who feel uncomfortable with their sexuality often suffer from low self-esteem, so it’s essential that we counter their feelings of distress with a very positive message of acceptance and love. Our #teens need to understand that while we sometimes disagree with them—or simply have different feelings—we respect their beliefs and differences. We love them no matter what.
4. Parents need to monitor their #teens’ lives on the Internet.
I’m reminded of a scene in the Facebook movie, The Social Network, in which Napster co-founder Sean Parker (played by Justin Timberlake) says, “We lived on farms. We lived in cities. And now we live on the Internet.” That means that, as parents and educators, we can’t tackle intolerance and bullying effectively unless we engage in Facebook, Twitter, and any other #socialmedia platform on which our kids interact.
Online bullies, not face-to-face with their victims, often fail to appreciate how devastating their words and actions can be. Mark Zuckerberg’s would-be girlfriend Erica makes this point in The Social Network when she tells him that saying something cruel to a person’s face is like using a pencil, but saying something online is like using a pen. We have to talk to our #kids about the power and consequences of online behavior. And then, we need to teach them how to use #socialmedia as a tool for promoting tolerance, compassion, and social justice.
5. Parent-teen communication is our best defense against intolerance and #teen #suicide.
Believe it or not, #teens want to spend time with their parents. We sometimes forget this as we watch them try to assert their independence, but studies repeatedly show that #teens want to spend quality time with us—and when they do, they’re less likely to experiment with drugs, have sex at a young age, and engage in other risky behaviors. We have the opportunity to build our #kids’ confidence and self-esteem, nurture empathy, and model an acceptance and appreciation of others.
However (and this is key), teens only want to spend time with their #parents—and talk openly about what they’re really experiencing—when they believe their #parents aren’t judgmental. Again, tolerance, respect, appreciation, love.
I’m encouraged by the fact that so many celebrities—from Cyndi Lauper and Ellen DeGeneres to Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, and the entire cast of Glee—are raising public awareness of anti-gay bullying and its links to #teen #suicide.
I hope you will join me in promoting tolerance to protect young lives. Please start right now by having a conversation with your #child.
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
