Tell Your Story

Carl Paladino, Tea Party favorite and GOP candidate for governor of New York, recently said children should not be "brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is acceptable." The "apology" he came up with, a long 24 hours later, was insincere and completely forced.

These comments are especially dangerous in the wake of the shocking number of LGBT youth taunted and harassed into suicide in the past few months alone:

• Asher Brown, a 13-year-old middle school student in Houston, fatally shot himself after years of constant bullying over his sexual identity.
• Billy Lucas was just 15 years old when he, reportedly after prolonged bullying at school because of his perceived sexual orientation, took his own life.
• Tyler Clementi, an 18-year-old Rutgers freshman, committed suicide after his roommate broadcast live on the Internet — without Tyler’s knowledge — hidden camera video of Tyler having a sexual encounter with another man in his dorm room.

Many of us know this feeling and this isolation…. if you or someone you love has been bullied, threatened or harassed due to real or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation, tell us your story by clicking here. When we share our experiences, we can learn from each other, support each other and strengthen our community.

Watch the Task Force's own Daniel Pino share his story:

The likes of Carl Paladino, Rush Limbaugh, Tony Perkins and Glenn Beck might think children — and adults — don't need to hear a message of tolerance and compassion, but the recent wave of LGBT youth suicides says otherwise.

According to our report on homeless LGBT youth, up to 40 percent of this country's estimated 1.6 million homeless youth identify as LGBT. Many of them are on the streets because their homes, families and schools are not safe places for them to be who they are. Our youth are harassed and bullied not only by their peers but by their families — the very people who should be sticking up for them with school officials who refuse to act. As horrible, LGBT and questioning youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers, according to the Massachusetts 2006 Youth Risk Survey.

All students deserve to feel safe in school, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, real or perceived.

No one should suffer bullying and harassment alone and in the shadows.

Please tell us your story today.

Sincerely, Rea Carey, Executive Director National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

P.S. If you can, please make a contribution to the Task Force to help fuel our fight today, tomorrow, and every day, until all of us feel safe — at home, at school and in our families.