Michigan Gay College Student,19, Kills Himself

[Bluebear]

A 19-year-old Oakland University sophomore took his own life Tuesday, a few months after telling his family and friends he was gay.

Family members of Corey Jackson say they believe the Rochester Hills, Mich., college student had been bullied over his sexual orientation, and it ultimately led him to commit suicide.

"I believe because he recently realized he was a homosexual and he was getting pressured at school by his peers because he told his family and nothing changed here," his grandmother Carolyn Evans told Click On Detroit. "Corey was the most loving, giving, funny person. He had the most wonderful personality. He had cousins from ages 14 down to 2 and he never said a bad word about anybody. When he went to school and he realized his sexual preference had changed, he changed completely. He withdrew."

Oakland University president Gary Russi said in an e-mail to students that Jackson’s death "diminishes us all. In our mourning, I am hopeful that we will not focus on the manner of Corey's death, but rather celebrate the life he lived and the people he touched."

http://advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/10/20/Michigan_Gay_College_Student_Commits_Suicide/

[JI7]

1. When he went to school and he realized his sexual preference had changed, he changed completely. He

withdrew"

i might be misunderstanding but that quote along with what was said just before it seems to say that he was such a good person before "his sexual preference changed".

seems like the family probably refused to accept him and that led to him feeling depressed .

[Bluebear]

2. Indeed, his family sounds like they were in denial & didn't help matters.

[ET Awful]

7. I can pretty much guarantee he didn't "recently realize he was a homosexual"

I think he probably realized it a LONG time ago and only recently informed them because of their blatant ignorance.

[JI7]

10. yeah,a nd they refused to accept it and probably kept thinking

he "turned" that way and he can still "get better" and be "normal" again.

i think sometimes it might be worse when they do it in that fake nice way. like "we love you and we know you will get better, you just need help" .

i think the above might have been the case with him. and of course anytime they did that they would just feel more upset and withdraw as a result of that. and they would convince themsleves it was because he "chose" to be gay.

[ScreamingMeemie]

14. This boy went to school with my cousin's daughter... his sexual preference

did not recently "change" as stated in that article. According to her, he knew who he was for a long time. This is heartbreaking.

[Hosnon]

15. That's how I read it too. She probably doesn't realize how damaging her stance is. nt.

[bullwinkle428]

23. Alarm bells went off immediately, as I read the family comments. Seems

pretty clear that they weren't doing a whole lot to make him feel more comfortable. :(

[fizzgig]

34. that jumped out at me, as well

[antigone382]

41. I think she's just inarticulate or uninformed...

She said she thought he was getting pressured at school, but nothing had changed at home...which I interpreted to mean his family had accepted who he was, but he couldn't deal with society's response. I don't think she was thinking about personal choice vs. innate orientation, she was just expressing her reaction to a loss. She probably isn't that familiar with the issue, but was just trying to be understanding.

I could be totally wrong, because it's late and I haven't read the full article. It's incredibly saddening. Yesterday there was so much purple around here and I was so full of hope.

[Jamastiene]

3. K&R

[Heidi]

4. Rest in peace, Corey.

Recommended.

:kick:

[xchrom]

5. Sad. So very sad. Nt

[Sweet Charming Dem]

6. What a loss

I wish these kids would realize they do have a bright future ahead of them.

[BlueIris]

8. Dear God.

Please help the vulnerable ones. Please.

[Smarmie Doofus]

12. *We* have to do that, I'm afraid. WE do. nt

[BlueIris]

43. For the official record, I'm the last person who needs a lecture about what WE

need to do. But I do it every day and it feels like it's not enough. I protest. I take direct action to support LGBTIQ citizenry and their rights, and to confront bigoted assholes who would try to oppress them. I give money to the right groups and organizations and I am open about my participation in the supportive community. This post about divine intervention was a spur of the moment one, based on my horror at these recent setbacks for young people. I am the last person who needs to be reminded that it takes more than prayer to stop this kind of thing.

[Rhythm]

17. No time to wait for others to step in... WE have to be the ones to step up and help...

:hug:

[Prism]

9. Sigh.

It's too much. Too much.

[TexasObserver]

11. recommend

[Shining Jack]

13. Oh shit, not again.

:cry:

[ProfessorGAC]

16. Exactly What I Said To Myself

When i read the OP, my first reaction was exactly what you posted.
GAC

[Rhythm]

19. Unfortunately, this has gone on for a long, long time...

It's only in very recent history that the families of the victim have become willing to talk about it, or that it makes the news.

Because of the extra societal/familial pressures they face, GLBTIQ kids have always had a higher rate of suicide and attempted suicide.
It just gets media coverage now.

[ProfessorGAC]

26. That Figures

Makes perfect sense. And it makes perfect sense as to why it happens and why it gets more coverage today. Such a waste.
GAC

[MineralMan]

18. Another tragedy. We need to stop categorizing people by whom

they happen to fall in love with. It simply makes no sense.

[Bluenorthwest]

25. Send that in a letter to the President who keeps insisting that

God himself sees us as 'not Sanctified' and that he personally thinks we should not have equal rights. He labels as part of the discrimination that his faith demands, according to him that is.
Every single straight person who has advanced their own agenda using hate speakers and words of intolerance is part of the problem. They need to be called out by their fellow straights, for they do not respect us enough to listen.
What are you doing to see that such prejudice in your community comes to an end? Please, share. Words are cheap, and political words are marked down below cost. Actions are the all. So what is it you are doing in your community to stop this crap? Anything? Nothing? Typing?
Does the President know you do not agree with him, that you support him in spite of his anti equality stances? Are you physically able to write a letter? Have you?

[MineralMan]

27. Yes, I have written many letters over the years. To Obama, to

legislators, to everyone I thought could make change. The changes I support are permanent, irreversible, and wide-ranging. In my own state, I am constantly pushing to have Minnesota repeal its unequal marriage laws and make bullying in public schools punishable by permanent expulsion. I've advocating for those measure here since 2004, when I moved here. The candidates I support all have, as a goal, ending discrimination against GLBTQI people. It's a tough battle, given the wide-spread prejudice that exists. I do not support short-term measures. I support permanent, irreversible measures to do this. My ideal would be an amendment to the US Constitution forbidding any different treatment of citizens based on sexual orientation. In my state, I want the same thing as an amendment to our Constitution.

Where laws exist that allow such discrimination, I want, as a minimum, for the legislature of the jurisdiction to repeal those laws and remove, once and for all, the opportunity for a court to reverse the situation. But, that's not enough. Only through Constitutional Amendments, both national and statewide, can such legal discrimination be eliminated. Where human rights are concerned, half measures are useless.

So, yes, I'm writing letters. Where I can, I speak directly to people who can make changes. That's why I'm involved in DFL party organizations, so I get a chance to meet and talk to candidates and elected officials.

Thanks for your interest in my personal activism.

[Bluenorthwest]

29. Well thank you for your constant interest in our issues...

But verbiage and response are not always the same thing. I've read your posts, I know you are active in many ways. So I asked if you have made it clear to the President's office how you feel on this issue, and how you feel about his faith based arguments against equality. I think it is very important that voices from the straight community who support him tell him how they feel about that. I think it would be very helpful. So I asked if you had done so. I still do not know.

[MineralMan]

30. Indeed I have. And on more than one occasion. My correspondence

is always in support of full equality in all things for all people. That's what I'm about. That's what I've always been about. You and I may disagree on tactics, since I will accept nothing less than irreversible measures, but we do not disagree on the goal. As you may have perceived, I write a lot. I write letters, too, and they go to whomever can make things happen. I also support candidates in very material ways.

So, now you know. I have, and continue to do that. I will continue, as long as I have breath.

[MineralMan]

31. Dupe Deleted

[COLGATE4]

20. The worst part of this is that the great deal of attention and

publicity given to the recent spate of teenage (and young adult) suicides due to being Gay may help to give others the idea.

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. The best part of this is that a taboo, 'let's not talk about this', and yet

serious and preventable, subject is finally getting some light shed on it. If suicide, and the epidemic it has become, had been a more open topic to discuss, perhaps my husband, father in law, and grandfather in law would still be alive. I am in the battle of my life to keep my son from seeing suicide as a viable option, based on family history. I applaud any effort to bring this to light.

And, if i may, this is not a recent spate. It's only recent that attention is being paid.

Thank you.

[renate]

45. how horrible... I'm sorry for what you and your family have been through

I hope your son understands what you're trying to teach him; your support is surely making a huge difference. :hug:

[marmar]

21. I think agencies, governments and everyone else need to start treating this as a crisis......

..... and come up with an intervention plan quickly. These kids need more safe havens.

[Catherina]

24. No more! Rest in peace sweet Corey n/t

[Angry Dragon]

28. K&R

[TBF]

32. Another one? Are colleges doing anything on this -

any type of reaching out, advertisement of hotlines to help, etc...? This is just crazy.

[Heidi]

33. Kick for Corey.

And conscience.

:kick:

[donheld]

35. How many die and go unreported. This HAS to stop.

[lightningandsnow]

36. So sad.

:(

[Terra Alta]

37. it's so sad.

May he rest in peace.. :(

[leftstreet]

38. K&R

:cry:

[Odin2005]

39. every single homophobe has blood on their hands.

[Mimosa]

40. Odin, easy to say, but not helpful

Words which sound hysterical or try to make people feel guilty aren't helpful. I sort of know what you mean. But by blaming homophobes we can inadvertently increase the tensions which lead to strife which is then directed at our community. Please be gentle if you must fuss at me because i have had my own bouts with suicidal feelings and depression.

So you'll know where I'm coming from, I was a hardworking gay activist during all of the 1970s. I've known a few gay and straight people who took their own lives. The reasons are seldom simple.

Excerpt from OP link includes update on report:

http://advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/10/20/Michigan_Gay_College_Student_Commits_Suicide/

It doesn't sound like anybody knows anything for sure.

I've known a couple of straight college freshmen who went into near suicidal depression in the months after entering college. Sometimes some kids just can't cope.

We are living in a time when more young people -gay, straight, bi, confused- are killing themselves. The reasons may be many, including depression or feelings of persecution. And the publicity over other prominent suicides may influence the vulnerable to kill themselves to end temporary agony.

The most positive thing we can can all do is to participate in anti-suicide campaigns. Dan Savage's 'It Gets Better' Project may be constructive. If people have time and/or money we can contribute to anti-suicide phone banks and support groups which are very much needed.

[ThomCat]

42. Poor kid. It sounds like he didn't have any support system.

His grandmother says nothing changing at home, but it sounds to me that maybe he NEEDED something to change at home to give him support, and if nothing changed and he wasn't getting that support then that might have been a big part of the problem. :(

People need support when they come out. Coming out and being all alone is incredibly difficult.

Coming out and feeling as if your family is becoming distanced is an emotionally devastating thing for anyone to deal with.

We all know that. Some of our straight friends know that. Can they understand that?

[proud patriot]

44. Gosh Darn It

:-(