Another teen, Phillip Parker, has committed suicide due to anti-gay bullying. This time it’s Tennessee, a state with some of the most aggressive anti-gay bills and laws in the country. They virtually don’t even want the word gay mentioned there.
Sadly, Parker’s case follows a spate of LGBT-related controversy in the state of Tennessee. In addition to Rogers, the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would effectively prevent public elementary and middle schools from teaching or distributing material on human sexuality that deals with homosexuality in any way, gained traction once again, while the state’s senate Republicans have also proposed a change to the state’s anti-bullying law to exempt condemnations of homosexuality based on religion.
As WSMV is reporting, parents and grandparents found 14-year-old Phillip Parker’s body last Friday, along with a handwritten note in his trash can reading, “Please help me mom.” Family members say they had previously reported concerns about their son’s treatment to Gordonsville High School but to no avail.
To any teens reading this who may be in a situation that seems hopeless please remember there are people that can help. The Fresno LGBT Community Center located at 1055 N Van Ness Avenue Suite A in Fresno, CA 93728 can help you find any help you may need. Our phone number is 559-325-4429. Below you’ll find numbers for suicide prevention where you can talk to someone 24 hours a day.
Need help? Visit The Trevor Project’s website or call them at 1-866-488-7386. In the U.S. you can also call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or visit stopbullying.gov.
You can also visit Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) website for more resources.
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