Here is an email we received from a LGBT 16 yr old concerned about the recent gay suicides:

My names Kendall, I’m 16 and I am a lesbian and I have been ever since I can remember. I grew up in private school my entire life and I started to realize that I did like girls when I was 11.When I turned 12 I started going to a private Lutheran school and I made some good friends throughout my time there, that were actually in the closet and I didn’t even know it. Then 8th grade hit. I texted a girl saying, ‘I wanted her in my bed’ when I was completely joking and she told everyone that I was gay. I was literally mortified because 1. I could have gotten kicked out of school. 2. It was my secret, and I didn’t even fully admit it to myself by then. 3. Kids would ridicule me. Throughout that year I was pushed into walls and lockers, called lesbian, gross, weird, ect. ALL the time, spit on once, whispered about when I walked by, and laughed at. I literally didn’t want to go to school anymore. I went through a depression but put on a happy face every single day. I contemplated suicide because I thought if they can’t accept me, who can? Maybe if I die then I’ll come back as someone else. But I pulled through when allot of my friends started coming out to me. That rumor, well true rumor, helped them realize that they weren’t alone and that they can trust that at least one person wouldn’t judge them for who they are. It completely changed my outlook on things. Me being gay is a good thing, others being gay is a good thing, and you being gay is definitely a good thing. My close friend is actually going through issues with her mom right now because she found out she was gay, and she won’t accept her. I kind of blame myself for it sometimes because I made her realize she was gay, and made her comfortable enough to share it with people. Now her life is hell. It’s those moments where you start to think yourself that maybe being gay is wrong and it does hurt people. But no, it’s her mom’s fault; she’s doing the wrong not my friend who accepts herself for it. It hurts me when people can’t accept themselves or has someone that’s supposed to love them unconditionally that just won’t even try to. Even if you think you don’t “hate” gays it’s just as wrong to say ew when you see two guys kissing. It’s judging either way. If you can accept someone who has sex before marriage, who judges, and who disrespects their parents, then you can accept people who are gay. Just because some book says it’s wrong doesn’t mean that you can go out and drive people kill themselves for it. It’s just as wrong and even worse morally. If a person doesn’t love you, or doesn’t accept you for something you can’t help, they’re the ones who are wrong. I still don’t really understand why it’s so weird and wrong to be gay or why it’s not acceptable.. But I guess our society isn’t developed enough yet. Kids, teens, parents, people of the world, if we just work together to make this world a loving, place, we can save a lot of lives. I’m not judging people who judge me, so they shouldn’t judge me for liking the same gender. These suicides, the bullying, and the judgment NEEDS to stop. If you’re thinking about suicide, remember that you are not alone. There is always someone there to help.

Keep the stories coming in we want to hear from you!