This is becoming a disturbing trend and the fifth such suicide of a gay identified student in the past week.
Raymond Chase, a nineteen year old openly gay college student studying culinary arts at Jonhson & Wales in Providence, Rhode Island committed suicide by hanging himself in his dorm room on Wednesday.
Campus Pride Reports:
“The loss of Raymond this week is the second college LGBT-related suicide in a week and the fifth teenage LGBT suicide in three weeks. The suicide of this openly gay young man is for reasons currently unknown; however, the recent pattern of LGBT youth suicides is cause for grave concern,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director and founder of Campus Pride. “Campus Pride demands national action be taken to address youth bullying, harassment and the need for safety and inclusion for LGBT youth at colleges and universities across the country. We must not let these tragic deaths go unnoticed. Together we must act decisively to curb anti-LGBT bias incidents, harassment and acts of violence.”
This painful news comes on the heels of the highly publicized death of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi who ended his own life by jumping off the George Washington Bridge after being videotaped engaging in gay sex by his roommate and having it streamed online. This must stop!
A page dedicated to Raymond Chase's memory has been created on Facebook and is being flooded with messages.
If you're a LGBT teen who is considering suicide please know you're not alone and there's help available to you. I've been there. E-mail me, visit "It Gets Better" on YouTube or call The Trevor Project for support 24 hours a day.
Our condolences to the Chase family.
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