Conservatism Blamed for Gay Teen Suicides

[1holycatholic]

Conservatism Blamed for Gay Teen SuicidesChicago (AP) - Suicide attempts by gay teens – and even straight kids – are more common in politically conservative areas where schools don’t have programs supporting gay rights, a study involving nearly 32,000 high school students found.

Those factors raised the odds and were a substantial influence on suicide attempts even when known risk contributors like depression and being bullied were considered, said study author Mark Hatzenbuehler, a Columbia University psychologist and researcher.

His study found a higher rate of suicide attempts even among kids who weren’t bullied or depressed when they lived in counties less supportive of gays and with relatively few Democrats. A high proportion of Democrats was a measure used as a proxy for a more liberal environment.
…

 

[markomalley]

Conservatism Blamed for Gay Teen SuicidesChicago (AP) - Suicide attempts by gay teens – and even straight kids – are more common in politically conservative areas where schools don’t have programs supporting gay rights, a study involving nearly 32,000 high school students found.

Those factors raised the odds and were a substantial influence on suicide attempts even when known risk contributors like depression and being bullied were considered, said study author Mark Hatzenbuehler, a Columbia University psychologist and researcher.

His study found a higher rate of suicide attempts even among kids who weren’t bullied or depressed when they lived in counties less supportive of gays and with relatively few Democrats. A high proportion of Democrats was a measure used as a proxy for a more liberal environment.
…

Is there anything bad that isn’t caused by Conservatism? :banghead:

 

[wabrams]

Is there anything bad that isn’t caused by Conservatism? :banghead:

I hope this is a joke.

 

[markomalley]

I hope this is a joke.

It’s not.

It’s an observation of media coverage over the past several decades.

 

[Publisher]

I presided at a memorial service for a gay teen who ended his life years ago. His parents were conservative evangelicals. One factor which led to his ending his life…IMO…WAS the treatment he received from his religious family and friends. He came home one afternoon covered in food stuff…some of his classmates decided to teach the “fag a lessson”…his dad told him when he got home…“This is what you deserve…garbage covered in garbage”. His words to my niece who was a close friend of his and a member of the “Gay/Straight Alliance” at their high school.

He was called “abomination”…'evil"…“sick”…'twisted"…“a mistake” and of course “lost” and “hell bound”…he felt his parents didn’t love him…and neither did God.

His parents church refused to have his memorial conducted in the church meetinghouse…he was buried without ceremony by his parents…I was asked by my niece and some of his classmates to “say words” over his gravesite…it was a very sad and difficult service…

The suicide or attempted suicide of teens concerning their sexuality is quite high…some teens cannot handle the ostricision, insults, violence over perceived or real sexual orientation by family and peers.

 

[wabrams]

It’s not.

It’s an observation of media coverage over the past several decades.

Gotcha!

 

[Farsight001]

Is there anything bad that isn’t caused by Conservatism? :banghead:

I understand your frustration, but in this instance, I am quite certain that they are right, having been relentlessly mocked and attacked daily when I was young. I’'m not gay, but I was certainly called a “fag” several times a day. It makes a person not want to live, frankly.

And what sort of society would these insults come from? Certainly not a liberal one that believes homosexuality is completely and utterly ok. Of course it would come from conservative areas.

Sucks, though. Parents don’t seem to teach their children that disagreement with someone’s lifestyle does not preclude them from receiving respect.

 

[cyberwolf001]

Is there anything bad that isn’t caused by Conservatism? :banghead:

Hetrophobia, anglophobia, fear of guns to name a few.

I would add in all the laws passed to turn the world into a giant nursery but the Right is just as bad as the Left on that. Just each wants to protect us from something different “for our own good” of course.

 

[Teen4Christ]

The most important thing here is that a kid is dead due in major part to bullying. Bullying is done by both conservatives and liberals and christians and non-christians. This is becoming far too common and we as a society shouldn’t be poking fingers at this point. We need to come together and promote a safe environment for all students to prevent this from happening to any other teen or child.

 

[Soldier_Of_God]

It would appear this report utilizes self-reporting and unreliable methods of statistically correlating data. I would relegate this report into the area of “junk science” for now. It’s obvious it’s agenda driven and provides little actual data, just intrepretations of “significant” and “meaningful” suicide rates. Regardless, those individuals that end their lives have my utmost sympathy and compassion.

 

[Dale_M]

Despite the inflammatory headline, neither the study nor the article about the study claim that conservatism causes gay teen suicides. Rather, the study says the lack of formal social support in schools is linked to gay teen suicides and that the lack of such formal social support correlates with conservative predominance in an area.

Its a two step argument, however both steps are merely based on correlation of facts. And the study only looks at the state of Oregon, which may or may not be representative of the US. So, as others have pointed out, the study is weak and the results merely suggestive.

I would also point out that although this is an AP article, every mainstream source which uses it has one of two headlines:

What leads gay teens to attempt suicide?

or

Suicide attempts by gay teens — and straight kids — more common in politically conservative areas

I believe those are the two headlines which the AP suggested for the article. Of course, CNSNews.com is free to devise their own headline, which they apparently did. But perhaps it is telling that they worded it so as to appear that conservatives were being persecuted.

 

[JoanREDirector]

I just read the article this morning in my liberal Seattle Times newspaper. Glad to see a dicussion on this forum.

The article makes the head bonking, breathtaking implication that “conservatives” (whatever those are) approve of the hideous
bullying described by Publisher. So … does their angry, vengeful God order them to do it and they gleefully comply?

Interesting that they bring up political parties.
Republican = social conservative = cruel, stupid, ignorant hater
Democrat = liberal = diversity-affirming, intelligent defender of justice

Hmmm…

 

[EmperorNapoleon]

Its a two step argument, however both steps are merely based on correlation of facts. And the study only looks at the state of Oregon, which may or may not be representative of the US. So, as others have pointed out, the study is weak and the results merely suggestive.

A micro-study, yes, but one with results I’d wager would be reflected by similar studies in all 50 States. Coming out is more difficult for homosexuals with religious families and conservatives tend to be more religious than democrats. I’ve known kids, now young adults in their mid-20s, who were driven out of their homes by their parents because of their sexual orientation, ostracized by people they thought were their friends, and bullied in school. All from very religious, mostly evangelical, families. All of their families got over it eventually, or at least learned to stop treating their children with contempt, with the exception of one and their child, my friend, comitted suicide. Its hard to grow up hearing the sort of heinous things, especially religious, people say and if you hear it long enough and no one is there to counter it…you may start to believe it. For a religious person who realizes their sexuality its even more psychologically trying to know that your own parents have abandoned you and to think that your God has too.

 

[LCMS_No_More]

I’m not a teen, but I would like to make an important point.

I’ve been cursed with same-sex attractions. As far as I’m concerned, it’s one of the worst things that could happen to a person, being cursed with same-sex attractions.

The hateful attitudes shown by conservatives towards homosexual persons doesn’t help, believe me. As far as I’m concerned, I bear the trifecta of being persona non grata in the Catholic Church:

1. Cursed with SSA
2. Public employee/union member
3. Not a Republican.

Why, I should be cursed with book, bell and candle right now and declared anathema maranatha! After all, I’m completely worthless and of no use to God, His Church or this country. Maybe I should be dead. I know it would make a lot of conservatives happy.

Oh, and the only reason I haven’t jumped in front of a train or something…I believe hell awaits on the other side.

 

[catsrus]

“Gay teens”
Bull.
Teens don’t know who or what they are until they mature. It’s the culture that tells them that to be _________ (fill in the blank) is ok and only close minded (read: conservative) people are against it (them).
What a hogwash is fed to our kids! - and everyone (read: majority) under 50 buys into it.
What a world.

 

[Gift_from_God]

The ideology of conservatism is not what is being blamed, but areas where people identify as being conservative is what the study has found is causing this

 

[Gift_from_God]

“Gay teens”
Bull.
Teens don’t know who or what they are until they mature.

I think you underestimate the youth. I’m 19 and acknowledge that I will find out more about myself for the rest of my life. As humans, we learn more about ourselves as we get older. It doesn’t end at a certain age.

It’s the culture that tells them that to be _________ (fill in the blank) is ok and only close minded (read: conservative) people are against it (them).
What a hogwash is fed to our kids! - and everyone (read: majority) under 50 buys into it.
What a world.

There is no conspiracy against conservatism. We are all independent thinkers.

By the way, I know very liberal people who are closed-minded people

 

[meltzerboy]

I presided at a memorial service for a gay teen who ended his life years ago. His parents were conservative evangelicals. One factor which led to his ending his life…IMO…WAS the treatment he received from his religious family and friends. He came home one afternoon covered in food stuff…some of his classmates decided to teach the “fag a lessson”…his dad told him when he got home…“This is what you deserve…garbage covered in garbage”. His words to my niece who was a close friend of his and a member of the “Gay/Straight Alliance” at their high school.

He was called “abomination”…'evil"…“sick”…'twisted"…“a mistake” and of course “lost” and “hell bound”…he felt his parents didn’t love him…and neither did God.

His parents church refused to have his memorial conducted in the church meetinghouse…he was buried without ceremony by his parents…I was asked by my niece and some of his classmates to “say words” over his gravesite…it was a very sad and difficult service…

The suicide or attempted suicide of teens concerning their sexuality is quite high…some teens cannot handle the ostricision, insults, violence over perceived or real sexual orientation by family and peers.

I can’t comment on the validity of this particular study since I haven’t read it. However, I have heard many reports about the suffering of gay teens who come from conservative families such as the one you describe. If a teen is rejected or thrown out by their own family, their peers, and their Church, where can they turn? One third of all teenage suicides in the US are committed by gay teens. The problem is found not only in Conservative Evangelical families, but also among Conservative Catholics, strict Mormons, Orthodox Jews, and religious Muslims. Liberal families are not immune either to gay teen suicide, but there is often better communication about sexual issues.

 

[meltzerboy]

I’m not a teen, but I would like to make an important point.

I’ve been cursed with same-sex attractions. As far as I’m concerned, it’s one of the worst things that could happen to a person, being cursed with same-sex attractions.

The hateful attitudes shown by conservatives towards homosexual persons doesn’t help, believe me. As far as I’m concerned, I bear the trifecta of being persona non grata in the Catholic Church:

1. Cursed with SSA
2. Public employee/union member
3. Not a Republican.

Why, I should be cursed with book, bell and candle right now and declared anathema maranatha! After all, I’m completely worthless and of no use to God, His Church or this country. Maybe I should be dead. I know it would make a lot of conservatives happy.

Oh, and the only reason I haven’t jumped in front of a train or something…I believe hell awaits on the other side.

I’m not one of your Catholic oppressors since I’m not Catholic and also am liberally-minded on most social issues. I can only encourage you not to let others define your own worth. You are not cursed. Many people are fearful of anything they don’t understand, and certain countries (such as the United States) are puritanical in their thinking about sex. But as the Amish say, G-d alone can read a person’s heart; so put your trust in G-d, not what others may say. On a side note, I can remember when the majority of Catholics were Democrats and union people; those were happier days for most of them.

 

[Havard]

Exactly 0% of these oppressors are faithful, practicing Catholics, as they’re acting in opposition to the teachings of the Church.