Wear Purple in Honor of 7 Gay Teens Who Commited Suicide Due To Homophobia

[This Year's Girl]

READ: ****This event was not created by me. It was created by someone who cares deeply on Tumblr, and I am only spreading the word.****

It’s been decided. On October 20th, 2010, we will wear purple in honor of the 7 gay teens who committed suicide in recent weeks/months due to homophobic abuse in their homes and at their schools. Purple represents Spirit on the LGBTQ flag and that’s exactly what we’d like all of you to have with you: spirit. Please know that times will get better and that you will meet people who will love you and respect you for who you are, no matter your sexuality.

Please wear purple on October 20th. Tell your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and schools. RIP Tyler Clementi, Asher Brown, Seth Walsh, Justin Aaberg, Raymond Chase and Billy Lucas. You are loved.

I think this is a an important statement and could help start a discussion and that something is done. It's absurd that people are still being hated just because of who they fall in love with. It's time homophobia stopped. If you like and have the time you can also change your signature like me and other people in VH have. NY state of mind also made a great button I'm sure you could use if you ask him.

 

[NY State of Mind]

fine by me...just wear some purple people to show your support even tho I know its kind of sudden notice

 

[NL197]

I wanted to go to a vigil this evening coming up, but it's bad timing because of my mother's appointment at the same time...Can't go from there because the vigil is in another town.

I do have a purple beret, though.

 

[msfantastico87]

I won't be leaving the house because I'm sick..but i'll be wearing purple flip flops and a purple t shirt 😀😀

 

[BuffyElevated]

I am wearing the one purple shirt I have today.... Stop the hate, end the violence.

 

[GrrArghx]

It saddens me so much to hear that people are taking their own lives because of so many other hateful people. I wonder what the people against homosexuality feel about this? I've tried to get the answer out of some that I personally know but I usually get nothing but some lackluster "It's against the Bible!" response.

I will definitely be wearing purple tomorrow! I'm actually heading out to the store tomorrow, too, so it all works out! I'll be able to showcase my support 😀

Just want to add: there is absolutely nothing wrong with you if you love someone of the same gender! No one should be looked down on or bullied or harassed or made fun of for having such an ability to love, especially in a world filled with hate 🙂

 

[zobothehobo]

I'll be wearing purple!

 

[NY State of Mind]

Wear Purple...

For any people that don't have time...You could take my button or use any of these variations I made...I'm not an artist but if you don't have the time, etc..here you go...I'll most likely keep mine on longer than a day and don't forget your purple wear today!

 

[Washburne]

The only purple I got is a hockey jersey and in this place it'll draw a lot of attention to it. I'll still be wearing it but sadly I don't think that many will get why and just see it as I'm trying to provoce since the local team is doing really badly. But what can you do, purple needs to be worn.

 

[xfivebyfive]

I only have one purple shirt but I'm going to be wearing it tomorrow even If I dont go anywhere.

 

[Washburne]

I usually don't post pics of myself but today I'm spreading one with me weaing purple on both Facebook and Twitter. Not much but spreading a little is better than nothing.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I'll wear purple today, so will some of my classmates.

I've prepared my purple Nike shoes, since it's raining, and purple shirt.. I don't have purple pants, so I'll just go with Jeans.. close enough.😀

 

[zobothehobo]

My sister got here... she's getting ready for school. She's decking herself out in purple. I kind of love her. I might go all out and look insane too. What do you guys think? 8 different shades of purple in layers?

 

[ElmoHasAGun]

My sister has some purple joggies she lent me They're pretty cool. I'll be changing my signature too. It's so sad to hear that people can be so hateful. I hope the people who caused this at least feel guilty enough to change their ways.

Wear purple, have spirit.

 

[Ms.Trick]

I'm sick so purple scarf it is!

Homophobia is a shame!
Well, it all depends on how it is expressed. I know a guy who is known to be homophobic. One day, he explained "In my opinion, relationships are made to last and have a future, you know, a guy finds a girl, eventually they build a strong relationship, marry, and have their own biological kids. So homosexuality isn't a 'normal thing' according to my standards." He said tough that it was normal for other people but not for him. And he knew gay people and he was never like "You're an aberration". More like "it's your life, I don't get it but it's yours". That's something I appreciated, that his way of thinking was coherent and he didn't just say things like "Gay suck."

My point is, I have nothing against people having problem with homosexuality, as long as they don't assault gays with their opinion. We had a lot of discussion in class in which a few people were saying it was not "normal" for them but they still are great people and they don't insult every gay they meet. So, that's kind of okay, you know? We can't forbid people to think what they think.
Those I have a problem with are those who make gay people'lives a hell. Those who scream at gay couples in the street, those who insult them. I knew a girl who wasn't as openly 'against' homosexuality as the guy I talked about earlier. And that girl, she was shocking because she was like "That's disgusting, I mean she's a girl and she likes another girl, she's such a dyke, ew." And she was sometimes saying that to the girl. And that is wrong.

It's one thing to have a point of view kind of against homosexuality but to let gay live their own life without assaulting them, it's another thing to be so-called open-minded and to make fun of someone, to moke someone because he's gay.

 

[Justme]

Homophobia is a shame!
Well, it all depends on how it is expressed. I know a guy who is known to be homophobic. One day, he explained "In my opinion, relationships are made to last and have a future, you know, a guy finds a girl, eventually they build a strong relationship, marry, and have their own biological kids. So homosexuality isn't a 'normal thing' according to my standards." He said tough that it was normal for other people but not for him. And he knew gay people and he was never like "You're an aberration". More like "it's your life, I don't get it but it's yours". That's something I appreciated, that his way of thinking was coherent and he didn't just say things like "Gay suck."

I don't think it matters how it's expressed, "common sense" homo-phobia is, in a lot of ways, worse than the more straight forward "Gays suck lol" kind.

 

[Ms.Trick]

What I mean is that it is his opinion and he only expressed it because it was in class and we were asked what we think about homosexuality. He is against, but that's it, he doesn't go to gay and say "You are disgusting" or the like.
And he accepts it, just doesn't understand it and I think it's better than actually moking and bullying gay, you know?

 

[Justme]

What I mean is that it is his opinion and he only expressed it because it was in class and we were asked what we think about homosexuality. He is against, but that's it, he doesn't go to gay and say "You are disgusting" or the like.
And he accepts it, just doesn't understand it and I think it's better than actually moking and bullying gay, you know?

I just seriously doubt if the guy would have said "Well I just think women should stay in the kitchen" or "I just think white people are genetically superior to black" it would have been so readily accepted. Don't you?

 

[Ms.Trick]

Ow, got your point!

It's just that he shocked me much much less than people who insult gays. I don't know how I would have reacted if he had say something like "Women are just there to be in the kitchen" or "Black are inferior to white". But I've been in this situation where I had his-speech-and-then-that's-it and on the other hand people who scream their homosexuality and insult every body. He didn't shocked me half as much as the bastards who really are agressive to the gay community.

---------- Post added at 01:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:28 PM ----------

Damned, I'm sorry. I'm talking about different levels of homophobia on a thread dedicated to people who comitted suicide because of it. It's a little bit...out of place.

It's like going to a funeral of someone who was murdered and starting to talk about the different level of intention. Was it premeditated, accidental, in a case of self-defense? It shouldn't matter at the funeral. What should matter is that someone is dead.

It's the same here. I shouldn't have talked about levels of homophobia. What matters here is that seven people comitted suicide because of homophobia.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry to have gone out of subject. I'm sorry that they killed themselves. I'm sorry that they had to go trough what they have been trough.
I'm sorry that our 21th century society can be so close-minded with people who don't follow some stupid standards.
I'm sorry that this world sucks more for some people than for others.

 

[MinwaraYana]

Yeah, homophobia is a shame. What's with the hate?? Gender is nothing when you love someone.

I wore purple today when I went to class. There's another girl in my room wore a purple coat. But it's more like she wears it everyday, lol.