Is There a Gay Teen Suicide Epidemic?

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In light of the recent threads regarding this issue, please read this article: livescience.com/8734-gay-teen-suicide-epidemic.html

Relevant portions below.
what is the gay teen suicide rate? No one knows. “How could anyone hope to measure gay teen suicides accurately?” Best said. “Coroners, after all, do not record sexual orientation on death certificates.”
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Without accurate numbers on how many gay teens there are, any estimate about their suicide rate is little more than a guess.
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One researcher, Cornell University’s Ritch Savin-Williams, examined the two studies that had asserted the high gay teen suicide rate and found many methodological flaws.
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There’s no doubt that many gay teens are harassed and bullied (a study published in the January 2010 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health suggested gay and lesbian teens get bullied two to three times more than their heterosexual peers), and some of them may take their lives because of it. But there’s little evidence that gay teens have a dramatically higher rate of suicide than heterosexual teens.
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Disgusting!!! :dts: Regardless of my position on homosexual acts. Bullying, hating, harassing, demonizing, tormenting, or isolating anyone is wrong. :mad:

God bless :byzsoc:

David
 
Teens have a higher rate of suicide than most age brackets, and the fact that some realize that they may have deep-seated attractions to their own gender only compounds this. Teenagers are all too often just plain cruel to anyone they perceive as “different” and thus, for all the tolerance or charity that they’re taught, they end up stigmatizing their GLBT brethren. There’s times when I have to grit my teeth and mentally say some Hail Marys when I hear teenagers call something “gay” if they don’t like it. And if it isn’t their peers being cruel, it can be their own parents or some other adult in name only either being inflexible with them or just plain being abusive. It’s a crime that has to be rooted out. I’ve wrestled with suicidal thoughts all my adult life, and so I totally relate to the kids who are in so much pain as they try to sort out their feelings about their own identity, that they contemplate or even attempt to end their pain by ending their lives.
 
I find it very interesting that conservative individuals and groups that try to portray ssa individuals (of which I am one) as victims, inwardly-torn, maladjusted, and overall unhappy tout the suicide rate of gay people (especially gay young people) as proof that homosexuality is some pathalogical malady, yet this article is trying to diminish the plight of young gay individuals. What gives? It’s either one or the other.
 
It’s definitely an epidemic, one would have to be living under a rock not to realise that. Every time you turn around, there’s another gay kid that’s committed suicide… It’s incredibly sad, and something needs to be done to take bullying (or let’s be blunt – assault!) in schools seriously. The “It Gets Better” project, while it’s a very good idea, is simply not enough.

But, as someone else said, even one suicide is one too many!
 
Do gay teens get bullied because of views of the Church? or the Bible? Or is it a general reaction of heterosexual, sadistic males to take out their anger on the weak and effeminate? I do know “nerds” get bullied too.

My views are that all bullying should be outlawed. A child goes to school to learn and mix in a civilised atmosphere. A child does not go to school to face a “Battle Royale” survival of the fittest scenario. It’s the same at work. You don’t go to work to get threatened, beaten up, abused etc. If you do, you call the cops.
 
Tenofovir said:
Do gay teens get bullied because of views of the Church? or the Bible? Or is it a general reaction of heterosexual, sadistic males to take out their anger on the weak and effeminate? I do know “nerds” get bullied too.

My views are that all bullying should be outlawed. A child goes to school to learn and mix in a civilised atmosphere. A child does not go to school to face a “Battle Royale” survival of the fittest scenario. It’s the same at work. You don’t go to work to get threatened, beaten up, abused etc. If you do, you call the cops.
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Don’t presume its just males that are sadistic and the bullies. There have been four suicides at my niece’s high school since last January due to homosexual slurs and remarks, two of them were teenage girls that were harrassed by other girls for being “lesbians” but neither of them were actually homosexual.

I don’t know if there is an actual epidemic in just gay teen suicides, but I do think there is an epidemic in teens being harrassed and bullied and the latest trend is to label someone “gay”, whether they are actually homosexual or not. Its the quickest way to cut someone down in a nanosecond.
 
genesius28 said:
It’s definitely an epidemic, one would have to be living under a rock not to realise that. Every time you turn around, there’s another gay kid that’s committed suicide
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I think it would be more accurate to say “every time you turn around, there’s a news source reporting on another gay kid that’s committed suicide.” The media loves to give these situations lots of attention, because those are the stories that sell. There are many other suicides in this country- for all sorts of reasons. They are all very unfortunate. I’m very sad for *anyone *who thinks that life is so bad, that happiness is so extreme to hope for, that the best option is to end their own life.
 
PatriceA said:
I don’t know if there is an actual epidemic in just gay teen suicides, but I do think there is an epidemic in teens being harrassed and bullied
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Agreed, bullying in general is a problem. There are so many people that dismiss it, and try to say that it builds character, it teaches kids how to stand up for themselves, or it’s just part of growing up… But really, if I beat up one of my co-workers – I would lose my job, and possibly face criminal charges! Part of school is preparing kids for the real world, allowing them to get away with something that would be considered a crime for an adult is just not good preparation. When kids are forced to go to school every day whether they like it or not, adults need to take this kind of behavior seriously, and ensure the safety of every single one of their students.

There was recently a kid who got beaten in a classroom to the point that he had a concussion and broken teeth, all because he was gay. It was caught on video, and you can see the bully waiting for him – the kid ended up getting only a 3 day suspesion. Not much of a punishment at all…
PatriceA said:
and the latest trend is to label someone “gay”, whether they are actually homosexual or not. Its the quickest way to cut someone down in a nanosecond.
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Sadly, calling people “gay” is one of those “insults” that’s still rather socially acceptable. No one dares use racist terms, but “gay” and “retarded” still seem to stick around. 😦
 
The issue is that while the media wants to hog-tie teen suicide and teen bullying together, there is no quantitative support for such a position. I believe it goes without saying that bullying is bad and even one suicide, of any age, is bad. That’s not the point. The point is how our emotions are being twisted by the media spin.

NIMH is very clear about the risk factors of suicide and bullying/harassment etc is not on the list.
Research shows that risk factors for suicide include:
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depression and other mental disorders, or a substance-abuse disorder (often in combination with other mental disorders). More than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have these risk factors.
prior suicide attempt
family history of mental disorder or substance abuse
family history of suicide
family violence, including physical or sexual abuse
firearms in the home, the method used in more than half of suicides
incarceration
exposure to the suicidal behavior of others, such as family members, peers, or media figures.
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The issue is the spin.
 
m134e5 said:
I think it would be more accurate to say “every time you turn around, there’s a news source reporting on another gay kid that’s committed suicide.” The media loves to give these situations lots of attention, because those are the stories that sell. There are many other suicides in this country- for all sorts of reasons. They are all very unfortunate. I’m very sad for *anyone *who thinks that life is so bad, that happiness is so extreme to hope for, that the best option is to end their own life.
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Well, news sources are reporting on it, because it’s happening… It’s a reality. But you’re right, there are many other suicides happening in this country, particularly with kids, that no one ever hears about. There’s a group on Facebook called “The Faces of Suicide” that’s trying to bring awareness of suicide victims… It’s an awfully depressing topic, in all honestly, but it’s good that these people are being remembered.

I think the reason that gay suicide is such a hot topic right now is that LGBT youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers; but yes, suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds, gay or straight… so it’s a very real problem for everybody.
 
Bewere of any study which tries to infer causation where there is only correlation. The logic goes like this…

Homosexuals are buillied. Homosexuals commit suicide. Therefore bullying of homosexuals is the cause of their suicide.

At best, this proves a correlation of the two events, not causation of one by the other.

-Tim-
 
genesius28 said:
I think the reason that gay suicide is such a hot topic right now is that LGBT youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers; but yes, suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds, gay or straight… so it’s a very real problem for everybody.
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If you will take the time to read the article I linked in the OP, you’ll see that the “four times more likely” is actually a bogus statistic, really meaningless actually.
 
Let me concur with the “one suicide is too many.”

My cousin committed suicide by shooting himself with a shotgun last year.
Many in my family have attempted suicide, some others have suceeded.
My preteen son attempted to commit suicide a year ago Friday.

I think it’s good when issues are brought to light. Let’s not argue over whether or not this is a “gay” thing or an “epidemic.” We are compelled to do whatever it takes to help others, regardless, especially teens and children. “Whatever you do to the least of these…”
 
SurlyMermaid said:
Let me concur with the “one suicide is too many.”

My cousin committed suicide by shooting himself with a shotgun last year.
Many in my family have attempted suicide, some others have suceeded.
My preteen son attempted to commit suicide a year ago Friday.

I think it’s good when issues are brought to light. Let’s not argue over whether or not this is a “gay” thing or an “epidemic.” We are compelled to do whatever it takes to help others, regardless, especially teens and children. “Whatever you do to the least of these…”
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Of course! and I am so sorry for your loss.

My intention in posting this was to bring to light the subtle twisting of our emotions in an attempt to silence the opposition to SSM.
 
michelleds said:
Of course! and I am so sorry for your loss.

My intention in posting this was to bring to light the subtle twisting of our emotions in an attempt to silence the opposition to SSM.
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What does gay teen suicide have to do with SSM at all? Just because straight people are coupling off and getting married by the boatload, doesn’t mean gay people all want the same thing. Culture isn’t monolithic, y’know.
 
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