primroseburrows | (no subject)

I'm trying, I'm really trying. I want to take a rant holiday. I can be a normal fangirl. I will, too.

Right after I post this. This letter isn't hearts and flowers and eloquent speeches. It's stuff like this:

"However, life at school was becoming unbearable. Just to walk from classroom was an ordeal. My books would be repeatedly knocked out of my hands, making me late for class. Trying to explain to the teacher my tardiness was useless. One day a student came up from behind and hit me in the back of the head with a large Bible and told me I was an abomination.

Another day a student had stabbed me with his pencil in my buttocks in full view of a teacher. when I protested, she said, "I thought that you would enjoy that." One day I was spat upon by a group of boys. When I told the teacher, she said, "Go wash the spit out of your hair and off your shirt. I am sure it was an accident." When I reported the vulgar sexual comments made to me, which would have been considered sexual harassment if I were a girl, the counselor would only say he would talk to them and not enforce the mandatory expulsion rule for sexual harassment. Then I would be physically attacked. One on one, I could handle the situation; but it was very rarely one on one."

If you've never experienced this kind of violent humiliation for whatever reason (and there aren't any reasons, only excuses), thank whatever god/lucky stars you believe in. And don't say you can imagine what it must be like, because you can't.

Now I'm really going on a rant hiatus. At least three days of ~~peace and music~~ fun!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Thank you for your rants, and I know what you mean. I'd love to go on a rant hiatus, but there is so much to be angry about, so much hatred, so much violence. If GLBT people and our wonderful, wonderful allies stop, who will be left?

I hate violence, I really do. I'm actually a very composed person. But reading something like this makes me so mad that I wouldn't hesitate to hit any of these ignorant little homophobes if I could.

Hitting the bullies doesn't help. It just gets the victim in trouble, unfortunately.

When I was a kid, we didn't have sexual harassment laws for boys or girls. Bullying was an equal-opportunity sport.

That just makes me sick beyond words. I have a difficult time with injustice. Okay, "difficult" is an understatement - it makes me flip out. No one for any reason whatsoever should be treated in such a way! Then, to not be protected because of the disgusting, biased attitudes of those in authority is repugnant beyond belief. Heh, and many of those Bible-toting jerks would defend the "dignity" of the unborn child, yet they can denegrate another human being because they disagree with that individual's personal choices.

I come from a conservative Christian background and still espouse many of those beliefs, but I don't have to agree with someone else's beliefs and lifestyle to treat them with dignity, respect, and courtesy. It's all about honoring others - that's what is pleasing to the God of the Bible (if you believe in him). If people call themselves Christians, yet can treat others in such a way, then they don't have the most rudimentary comprehension of what the Bible teaches. (I won't even get started on similar individuals who advocate harassment of - and, worse, violence against - those who support/provide abortions. Ugh!!!!!)

Gah, I'm so angry that such things happen to anyone because others don't accept them for whatever reason!! Those small-minded, ignorant people are so blinded by their legalism (religious and otherwise) and irrational sense of superiority. How can anyone think they are somehow better than another, just because they don't like who that person is or what that person does?

Thanks for posting these things, K. I wish more people cared, and that such behaviors could be abolished completely. Bigotry and injustice! My blood is boiling.

P.S. See my icon? That's what I'd love to do to some of these a******s!

The first principle of my religion is to confirm and promote the worth and dignity of every person.
Gotta love Unitarians. *g*

Christianity, true Christianity, has the same idea. God loves everyone, from the unborn baby to the convict on Death Row. And if He loves the convict, how much more would He love an innocent boy who's never done anything but be who he is? I just don't get how Christians can justify violence, ever. I mean, Jesus certainly wouldn't have, and Christians are supposed to be following His principles. It doesn't make any sense to me.

I just read your statement and it nearly made me cry. I'm so sorry you had to live through all that, and I hope that story worked as an eye-opener for someone(s).

My heart caught in my throat when I realized that somehow my attackers could see that I was different and hated me for that difference.

I think this line hits the nail on a feeling I guess anyone who's being bullied, no matter for what reason (and as you say "reasons" are only "excuses"), has.

What made me most upset about your story, wasn't the bullying itself, even though I know what it feels like to be bullied, but the indifference, and sometimes downright support, from the adults! No wonder the kids thought it was okay to treat you that way; almost no one tolod them it wasn't! It makes me so angry when adults don't take their responsibility and protect the kids, all kids, under their care!

The story wasn't mine; it was that of a young gay man who was bullied because he was gay.

I feel empathy for him, though. The excuse for my being bullied was different (I never figured out quite what it was), but the fear and degradation was exactly the same.

Oops, sorry! I was wondering why you were talking about being a normal fangirl, but I figured that maybe it was just an expression. :D

Anyway, no one ought to have such a story to tell.

The excuse for my being bullied was different (I never figured out quite what it was)
I suppose many of us don't. But who cares about the excuse anyway?