Why We Will Continue To Fight And Be Very Vocal For Equality
This is absolutely heartbreaking.
Another young life lost!
11 year old Jaheem Herrera of Stone Mountain, Georgia, took his own life last week because his fellow classmates at Dunaire Elementary School harassed and bullied Herrera for thinking he was gay.
He was just 11 years old!!!
Jaheem's 10-year-old sister discovered her brother hanging from a fabric belt in his bedroom, no longer alive.
Herrera's stepfather said homophobic bullies at school would taunt and name-call his stepson, a 5th grader, repeatedly calling him "gay and a snitch." The boy was even brave enough to tell teachers and faculty at his school about the harassment, but the bullying continued.
Jaheem's tragic loss comes just weeks after the suicide of a Massachusetts boy, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, who also suffered bullying because classmates thought he was gay, attracted national attention.
He was 11 as well. His mother found him hanging from an extension cord in the family’s home.
For more information on what you can do if you or someone you know is being bullied at school, CLICK HERE!
More Troubling News From Slumdog Kids
I first saw the story about Carl a week ago and was brought to tears! but to learn now of a second boy the same age!! wow! I hope school officials really take this seriously! Kids should love school not fear it! Truely two sad stories.
This is so upsetting. Children so young shouldn't be dying like this! My heart goes out to the family.
I had to explain to my nieces and nephews ages 10-13 why saying ,"That's so gay" is hurtful and disrespectful. they don't even really know what it means, they just repeat what they hear. I hope they never turn into the bullies that lead another young child to take his own life. What is the world coming too when 11 year olds are killing themselves?
I have no words for this I'm so mad right now. This shit could have been prevented.
hate is so contagious & it could kill….
I wish stupid fucking principals would do their fucking jobs!
this is very sad!the sadest part is that PEREZ is a bully just like these boys at school were!YOU TRY TO SHOVE YOUR SHIT DOWN EVERYONES THROAT,AND IF THEY DONT AGREE YOU RETALIATE AGAINST THEM!HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT??
I'm going to make a new video on YT, this makes me so upset.
-c
youtube.com/curtis
very sad
Re: Disturbed – Although slightly rude with your comment towards "Queen of all media" I have to agree with you Disturbed! Perez Hilton hope you dont think this rude or anything but what exactly have you done, with your new celebrity status? Anything to help out the gays in your community?? Besides bitching and moaning about marriage there are FAR other important things we as the young gay community face…Just saying. XOXO
This school has a 92 percent black population, what a shocker
What's with all these adds?(Like being a stereo type much) I think maybe a helpline number somewhere for young gays to seek help with the harsh realties they face might be appropriate..I mean you did post that entry about those poor 11 y/olds. There are many MANY more like them I'm sure..
This is so tragic. I hope that his family may find comfort, and know that Jesus gathers all the children to his breast. I will pray for Jaheen, Carl, and all the other children who are bullied for being different.
Jesus,what is wrong with people!Is everyone that insecure that they just cant leave other people alone, It is OK to be raised a certain way and have things you believe in but,so do everyone else, What makes there way right, Instead we should learn to love people for whomever they are and teach more tolerance. As in schools,this kind of bullying shit needs to stop,Start sueing the school system,hold them 100% responsible and they will take notice,NO EXCUSES!!!!!!!!!!!!
depressing…
Re: Oh Please – #33 OH PLEASE— YOU are part of the problem. Being bullied does not HAVE TO BE a "a part of growing up." It has ALWAYS BEEN WRONG. It is a huge problem and your mentality is the very cause of it. You disgust me.
One less paki is always good news
Re: Disturbed – You might have failed to notice, but Perez did not even mention gay marriage in this article. All he was saying is that if those who belong to the gay community continue to be viewed as inferior, second rate citizens, then needless and tragic deaths such as this one will continue to occur. Therefore we must fight until all people are treated equally and with respect, regardless of their sexual preference. By treating people in such a way other innocent lives could be saved and not have to experience the trauma that Jaheem did.
so terribly sad.
may this little angel find peace in heaven.
my thoughts are with his family.
Wow this is so disturbing and heart breaking. How does a 11 year old know what suicide is or the means by committing it? I'm very disturbed by that thought and I hope that the investigation looks at all possibilites.
This is horrible and sad situation…RIP
His parents should have been more involved in his life to know how he was feeling, what was going on at school, etc. so this could have been avoided.
An 11 year old doesn't fully understand actions and situations that are happening to him/her. Its a parents responsibility to TEACH, and help their children understand life, people's actions, etc.- regardless of the situation.
And to get proper help for negative situations what was going on, as well as provide an outlet for this boy to express his feelings to.
Because obviously this little boy was emotionally distraught and didn't know how to handle it…
So sad…
how could parents and teachers let this kind of ignorance go on? Teachers should be trained to stop this behavior.
effing parents who teach their kids antisms. it is obvious the bullies learned their language and behaviour from someone, and most likely it started at thome. effing schools for not being assertive about bullying. how many kids will kill themselves over bullying before schools wake up and make their schools a no-bullying zone? effing society for letting things like this continue to happen, especially those that say that's what you get for going against the bible. poor kids, to kill themselves like this because someone called them gay? horrible, simply unacceptable. i hope prez obama says something about this.
Sad- but you are such a total hypocrite, given that 50% of your website is devoted to bullying heterosexual males into gossip about them being gay ,and you care not if you drive one or more to suicide over your own filth.
Sort your own house out because your site is pure malicious bile.
As a mum of an 11 year old boy I find this story unbearably sad. Kids can be so cruel.
aww thats absolutely horrible how disgusting to treat ppl different b cause of there sexsuality and at that age. parents should really educate their kids on morality.
This story is so tragic, my dear friend Paul Harfleet fights this kind of ignorance with The Pansy Project, he plants pansies at the site of homophobia, entitles the photograph after the abuse then posts it on his website!!..the images are beautiful and it's point is to raise awareness of homophobia and it's continuing effect on all gay people!!…..www.thepansyproject.com
Much Love Ms Coco LaVerne
heartbreaking
I hope his parents sue the HELL out of the school for failing to stop the bullies! This bullshit needs to STOP!!!!!!!
It's just a problem that's been going on for way to long. Little bumps here and there of good like the states starting to turn the corner, but there is so far to go before tolerance is widely accepted, makes me sad just thinking about it. But i has faith
my heart goes out to these two families. Hasn't the time come for adults, administrators, professionals people with power to stop bullying to get involved. How many people (kids, young adults teenagers so on) have to take their lives, take the lives of others destroy their self esteem and their right to be who they are. Till people stand up I mean bullying has always ben a problem its just that the extent has reached new levels because know one educated children on the harmful and lasting effects of bullying. I don't think it matters whether some one is being bullying about their sexual preference, weight, looks, families economic level, it doesn't matter. There is a strong need for some type of education as a child enters school even kindergarden all the way through high-school on what is not excepted behavior towards peers. We have became a nation of jealousy and vanity and I really think its time for people stop hurting others to fit in or make them selves feel better.
Does Miss California support this? I mean as she doesn't support equal rights for all…
When people like you, Mario, is out there polluting the media, it's no wonder people are ashamed sharing the same sexuality with you.
My heart goes out to these poor little kids who must have suffered so much. Condolences to the families of these children who die as a result of rude and cruel name calling by insignificant ferals.
Thank You for reminding me why i teach my children better then this!!!! As a Bi Mommy I try to teach my kids to treat everyone as they want to be treated.. Its not who a person loves its who the person is on the inside and No one especially a child deserves to be bullied for ANY reason.. Thank You for reminding me of this
Re: Spindoc – Well said!! I love how all of the str8's are all up-in-arms about the whole Perez/Miss California thing. If we are gonna be considered seperate from str8 society then let's do it. I shouldn't have to pay taxes on all of the bastard kids out there, the messy divorces, food stamps, welfare, etc..
Let's be totally seperate! Works for me!
Re: rascal – And this is the thinking that causes the Rate of suicide to be so damn high.. I would Rather my children be Loved and Happy then Hide who they are because of closed minded bigoted people like you.. I have 3 girls and a boy I will them and any partner they choose Male or female I dont even care if they have a poly relationship as long as they are LOVED and cared for.. We are supposed to LOVE our children WITHOUT condition.. Loving them only if they are straight is a CONDITION!!!
Re: stop crying – As I said in another comment, the HATERS spend more time on this site than the LOVERS!!!!
First, I didn't say I"read" about it in pysch class, I simply stated as a pysch student and a mother of 3, its so easy to point fingers at other people and blame others, I don't need to expalin how my 8 year old was bullied, do I think its wrong? Absolutley I do! I think its disguisting how some children are, but as a parent its up to ME to see signs and recognize what's going on in my childs life! Its all about parents staying involved in their child's life, on both ends, the terrible kids that were doing the bullying and the victims! Ill tell u right now, if any of my kids were bullying I'd smack them silly!! We also take our kids to church every week and as a parent no matter what I teach them that everyone is created in god's eyes, EVERYONE! Yes, even the bullyies! And teach them tolerance but, you can't teach every parent to be that way or every child to stop name calling, there's times in everyones lives where there's rejection and name calling although I don't condone it EVER, kids also need to be taught how to handle these kinds of situations and that taking your own life is not an option!
My God. It's tragedies like this (and the others) that make me want to home school my children. Can you imagine what that poor boy's sweet sister - the one who found his body - has to go through? My heart breaks for them.
I think it's terribly heartbreaking that a child decides that death is the only way out of a situation. He spoke to the faculty, but obviously it wasn't taken seriously, or not enough was done to seperate these bullies from him. I believe when you're older and you're terminally ill, you should have the right to decide to end the suffering on your own terms, but someone so young…it's criminal. That school board/Any school board should get their asses rammed for allowing this to happen, especially when the children asked for help.
What kind of sick person gets off on tormenting others? I was bullied in Jr High and nothing was ever done about it until I had to take matters in my own hands and kick the living shit out of the bully…but what if I had access to a gun? Hasn't school shootings taught anyone anything? Bullies are not invincible. Someone sooner or later is going to put their ass in check, and it can all end badly. Schools need to start showing the grittier side of life and their actions reap consequences. It doesn't matter if they're kids. Kids get charged as adults all the time now. They are immune from nothing.
Re: lovelove – Interesting point. And quite valid, IMO.
Re: Disturbed – its about DISCRIMINATION FUCKTARD
Re: AuberonV – I'm a Christian (Christian Reformed), and I don't have a problem with same-sex marriage. The God I believe in loves everyone. Period.
What about the PUBLIC ambush and beating you gave Miss Cali?!?
Gays aren't the victim anymore, they are the problem.
that proves it all
poor boy afraid of being homosexual…nobody wants to be one!
god bless him for being a BOY :S
I HOPE THIS OPENS PEOPLES EYES AND SEE THAT THIS IS FOREAL…STOP THE IGNORNACE
If you aren't strong enough to face something as trivial as name-calling, you aren't strong enough to face the world ahead of you. Might sound harsh, but maybe it's just the latest evolution of Darwinism at work. Or maybe his parents just never took the time to teach the boy to ignore insignificant matters or even stand up for himself.
Ironically, the bullying this little boy went through that you are so 'outraged' about is no different than the bullying you, Perez, throw around on a daily basis.
And speaking of bullying; for someone who cries for equality and freedom of choice, it's comical that you can't respect someone's personal opinion with respect to gay marriage (aka, the overly hyped, Miss California 'scandal'). If you need another person's blessing to define your love and live your life in happiness, then you 'sir', are truly a sad person.
This is happening all over the country! There was a very cimilar story about an 11 year old boy's suicide for the same reason on ELLEN yesterday… his mother was speaking out?
Why can't we just take care of each other???
Re: Nansi Noodle – That's great Nansi. But isn't it a little too bad that perez decided to go on a show like Miss America, as a judge? Miss America is the epitome of misogyny. Period. perez went on a show that hates women unless they are Barbie dolls. Fuck Perez. He's a hypocritical asshole. And in regards to bullying? this fat piece of shit does that every day on this site. How many women have anorexia because of this bastard? How many lives has he made worse because of his inflammatory and lame "gossip"?. You give this man some credit for advancing gay rights? Fuck that. He is no activist. He's in solidarity with one thing - money.
Heartbreaking!! So terrible — what a tragic loss of life!
To all the adolescents out there — hang in there, kids! It WILL get better - I can promise you that! It may seem like there will be no end to the bullying, no hope for the future but that's just not true. LIFE goes on — you will find the friends you need and want — there is HOPE. There is so much more out there — so many wonderful people — don't let the bullies of world keep you down - they're not worth it but YOU ARE.
wow this actually made me cry…my condolences to his family and yes please, let's continue to fight for equal rights
So sad; that poor boy's family
This so wrong, That poor kid, R.I.P
Re: Bugface – So what are you???
This is sad
This just goes to show that gay people don't get treated the same as straight people do.,and the sad part is that this little boy was probably not even gay it was just a bunch of little fuckers who decided he was different so that meant messing with him to the point of his taking his own life….
I cant even imagine what horrible things they could have said or done to him to make him want to die…
I'm glad Perez is non stop bitching about the whole Miss California incident..yes I know she has a right to her opinion , but that doesn't mean anyone has to respect it…
I'm not gay myself , but I'm all for gay rights because gay people are no different from me so they should have the same rights I do…
I know that in the Bible it says that its a sin to marry the same sex but I also know that the Bible was written by men not by God himself so no one can speak for him and divide what the ignorant call the loved and unloved in other words straights and gays…We are all Gods children and he loves everyone just the same
And I dont mean that in a bad way…but are you a lover or a hater?
wow. kids can be awful.
It isn't just gay or supposidly gay kids (which seems a little..interesting on its own) but anyways…Bullying all around isn't good, people have killed themselves over other forms of bullying, don't be too specific. If this boy was straight (we don't even know if he was actually gay) or said gay marriage wasn't good…would you broadcast it then?
Even if gays were allowed to marry do you think that would have changed the minds of the boys who did this. Clearly they don't believe in gay marriage..or anything gay so I don't think you're whole equal marriage rights business would..change anything for an 11 year old boy.
Most of your career is just based on bullying. You may say you are just joking but maybe so were those boys, or maybe to them it wasn't something so serious, serious enough to make someone want to kill themselves. This website you have is all about bullying, or at least most of the time it is. Don't you realise that you are just as much a bully. You say terrible things about people you know nothing about everybody. You are an incredibly hypocrite.
oh my god, that's so sad.
Why can't we just accept people and love them regardless of sexual orientation, skin color, religion or socio-economic status? So wrong, it makes me want to scream!
Children are more cruel becuase thry are held back by socities mores. Ten years after Columbine and the cruelty has taken a new sinister turn.
Re: Solaera – I brought to Perez' attention that it was wrong to make rude remarks about people's children. Since then he stopped making rude remarks about children just parents and adults. even young adults. Whether it was due to my email to him or not isn't important. He stopped doing it.
absolutely disgusting
these poor kids
why wasnt something done by the school?
Gee–I wonder what Miss Cali would say about this?? That this was "biblically correct"???? That the boy deserved to off his abominable ways? I hope she is ashamed and really thinks about her portrayal of herself to the state. Maybe he heard her comments and took them to heart and decided, You know, she's right? AWFUL and sickening to continue to spread intolerance of this issue.
My very good friend Joey Hummer committed suicide this past September because his extremely religious family didn't accept him for being gay. He was found hanging from a tree in a graveyard. Joey was the salutatorian of our graduating class, and honestly the most perfect person I have ever met. Everyone loved him. Perez, thank you for showing that you care about situations like this. Dustin Lance Black said it best in his Oscar acceptance speech when he said "you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you." Keep speaking out about atrocities such as this and what happened to Joey. If only these ignorant people could understand the extent of the damage their hate can cause. The world is missing one of its brightest jewels because of ignorance. So thank you again for showing your compassion for situations like this.
OMG this is really really really sad! What a cute guy and how awfull what kids can make other kids do! I can't get over this..
The brats that enjoy taunting others on the playground and in school are ignorant and should spend all summer learing tolerence by working with people who have HIV/AIDS. Perhaps their parents that taught them to be so cruel should be required to join them.
This is heartbreaking.
i think "Disturbed" is insecure. He is bulling Perez on a post about bullying, quite pathetic.
This is a serious topic, I was bullied as a kid for being different. Then I went to highschool and college around people who were similar to me in race. I was surprised to find out that people thought I was beautiful rather than "ugly" and "different". I hated school and life, I was only 8 years old.
this is so sad. my town in canada is also grieving the loss of 3 well known members of the community. two suicides and a car crash, my heart goes out to the families of these boys. suicide is never the answer, theres always someone who will understand.
My God…………
Re: Oh Please –
real nice a kid took his life and you basically blame it on him being "gay." Kids are just mean sometime, they think "it's gay" when their parents tell them to turn off the video games. You shouldn't judge when you know the story. "Bullying" doesnt just mean teasing, there could have beem tormenting te poor guy. I doubt he was even gay, and if he was it's not worth him taking hiw own life…the poor kid was only 11!
Oh please shut the fck up bigoted trailer trash. OH PLEASE
SANDBEAR-YOU ARE TRYTING TO PACKAGE YOUR MOST BASIC ANIMALISTIC BIGOTED VIEWS AS SOME MORAL STAND, NOBODY IS BUYING IT ASSHOLE AND ASK MISS CA WITH HER HOOK NOSE IF SHE SMOKED POT OR HAD PRE-MARITAL SEX WITH HER CONSTANT COMPANION MICHEAL PHELPS.
Start holding the adults responsible for their animals(kids). period. Fine them,arrest them hold them aacountable.
Briguy- you are wrong on all levels,stop trying to justify your lowlife behavior of bullying. Perez had every right to adress this trash(miss Ca) on his website-why the fck are you here,isnt there some nra chatline for scumbags like you and your trailerpark family? You are equating the systematic ruthless assault on gay kids with Perez responding to some bigoted whore on a miss usa pagent, You are one sick fck. Ask this hook-nosed bigoted beauty pagent fake christian if she smoked pot or had pre-marital sex with Micheal Phelps that would tell you how "christian" this horse-faced lowlife bigot is.
sassy-When did it become such a badge of honor to state your bigoted beliefs,get a grip trailer park bigot.
SASSY- You ignorant backwoods bigot,if you find Perez so offensive ,why are you here,you are way too old for starters. Secondly to equate Perez's rude comments about celebrities with ruthless entrenched homophobic bullying in grade school is really nuts. I didnt know you reichwing militants were so protective of the movie stars Perez compliments and trashes,how touching. You really need to get in touch with your morals and values,because you really are a screwed up person ,like most conservatives and republicans.
Bob you have probably taken part in savage homophobic bullying ,I would say that about 40 to 65 percent of straight boys take part in savaging gay kids one way or another. Thats pretty sad,and needs to be dealt with. I don't see that happening soon but once the conservative gay hating trash starts dying off the new generation will address these tragedies.
That's just fucked up.
Bullying is like a disease on this planet.
DISTURBED YOU ARE SUCH AN IDIOT…..THIS HAS NOTHING TO WITH THE MISS CALIFORNIA THING, BUT ABOUT IGNORANT PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO PREVENT CHANGE, TOLERANCE, AND ACCEPTABILITY. PEREZ POINT HERE IS THAT HOMOPHOBIA AND HATE GO BEYOND GAY PEOPLE, AND THAT IT EFFECTS YOUNG CHILDREN AS WELL.
ITS IGNORANT PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO PREVENT FROM CHANGE HAPPENING. GROW UP GET A LIFE, AND FUCK OFF!
Two points to make. One: Even if he was gay, no one should be taunted for any reason. Two: I've always been an "activist" i guess you say for antibullying. No one thinks to stop and think how they're making someone feel. You wonder why young people start shooting up their schools or commit suicide. You know to those who do bully or have bullied, doesn't it hurt when someone makes fun of you? It just angers me, really. Especially if a boy isn't "manly" or doesn't act a certain way, all of a sudden he's gay and gets taunted for it. Theres no certain way a boy "should" act if he's straight or gay. Not all gay males are flamboyant or say things like "hey girl!" or act like girls. So this is a very sad story to hear about and I pray for Jaheem's family and pray that his soul goes into heaven like all believers souls should.
And to chels23, i truly believe if you are gay, you are born gay. Can you help who you're attacted to? We all have different types. Gay's don't just one day wake up and say "Hmmm I think I'm going to like guys/girls today. No particular reason". Most gays KNOW theyre gay from early on. And they have to usually hide it and are confused by it for a long time because. What turns you on, turns you on I say.