In preparing for Spirit Day on October 16, 2014, GLAAD has been collecting stories from youth and adults who have experienced bullying. Some of the youth from one-n-ten, a Phoenix area LGBTQ youth center talked about the subject at the beginning of this week. The teacher got back to us with the following letter:
We had a deep conversation on Monday about people’s experiences with bullying. A lot of folks were not comfortable with writing down and sharing their stories so we used that opportunity to talk about forgiveness and working through tough emotions. I do have one person who wrote down their thoughts and feelings and they wanted me to share it with you. Feel free to use it if you can.
“It wasn’t easy for me. I was in living hell. No one could hear me or see me. They just looked and walked away. I still have injuries from those horrible days. As I look back I’m glad it’s over. I will forgive the ones who hurt me but I won’t forget your name.” – Alexander.
On Spirit Day, October 16th it will be important to remember how impactful our support will be to so many youth who have been or are being bullied.