I don't particularly want to go on a bit of a laugh tonight. I want to say my piece, let you all sleep on it and get your general response tomorrow.
Today goes to THE TREVOR PROJECT.
Now The Trevor Project was set up in 1994, but set up their main charity in 1998. The Trevor Project is all about stop young people committing suicide due to bullying or other worrying circumstances. But it's not for everyone - it is specifically for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning teenagers.
Now The Trevor Project is a place for advice, and for help, but is currently only available in the US and Canada, and not over here in the UK.
As a heterosexual male, this really shouldn't bother me. But I feel very strongly for LGBT rights, and I believe that everyone is equal, no matter what they are. Black or white, fat or thin, rich or poor, male or female, gay or straight. Everyone is unique, and has their own place in society - and we should learn to accept that.
In the 1920's, women finally gained the vote, thus gaining women's rights. In the 1960's, and then again in the early 1990's, apartheid was abolished across the globe, and black people, and those of ethnic origin gained rights. Now it's our turn to make a difference, and in the 2010's, we're gonna get gay people the rights they deserve, and make everyone equal in our world.
Suicide is four times more likely in a homosexual person than a heterosexual person. That's a horrific figure that needs to stop. The word 'gay' is now synonymous with this current generation, but that's not a good thing. 'Gay this', 'gay that'. So what? Why is being gay such an issue? Why can't people just accept others for who they are, and not constantly bombard them with abuse? So much so, that some are driven to find that the only way they see this all finishing is just that - to finish it, and take their own life.
It's soul destroying knowing that the young people of the world today aren't receptive to the fact that the smallest comments you make can be the most hurtful. The Trevor Project have the same beliefs I do, and hopefully, they can support over here in the UK too in the near future.
The charity has become public knowledge over the last few weeks due to the tragic death of a young man from America called Tyler Clementi. Tyler was at Rutgers University, in New Jersey, and his roommates streamed footage of him and another male in his bedroom, live, across the internet. One roommate even goaded his Twitter followers into watching the video, and this just adds insult to injury. Tyler, who was just 18, then threw himself off the George Washington Bridge, and his body was found a week later. All because he was gay.
And it isn't just Tyler who found it unbearable. 4 suicides have been publicised across US media outlets over previous weeks, but that's just 4 high-profile. What about the ones who weren't shown on TV, or the one's who just slipped away from it all? Millions upon millions of people on this planet are gay - why does it have to be such a big issue?
People like Ellen DeGeneres make others take notice. Ellen featured The Trevor Project on her show this week, and has already raised $50,000 for the charity. It's an outstanding effort, and she's an outstanding human being - always wanting what's best for humanity. But why aren't we all like her?
Yes, I haven't been perfect - I've used the word 'gay' as a derogatory term many a time. But since my best friend told me he was gay? Not once. It puts things into perspective when things like that happen - you notice a lot more, and it makes me sick to the core that we don't just accept it and create LGBT rights across the world.
We need to allow same-sex marriages, and not scowl at every all-male or all-female couple walking down the road. If two people are in love, so what?! So what that they are slightly different to everyone else, they are still human. And that should be all that matters. They are human beings.
So, no matter what you are, or who you are, please just give some money to The Trevor Project via this link. It's that simple. The more people donating to help those in need, the more those behind the charity will realise that this is a global effort, and not just one within the US.
Thankyou. From the bottom of my heart, thankyou. We can help turn this into a beautiful thing, where everyone is loved on this planet.
THE TREVOR PROJECT, you are the Day Dedicatees for Wednesday 6th October 2010.
No comments:
Post a Comment