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we don’t need no education …
this is the year of our lord, 2008, and this is good as it gets? how much more do we have to do to gain acceptance?
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/students-death-sparks-outcry/2008/04/01/1206850869486.html
Larry King was a gay junior high school student who came to school in make-up, high heels and earrings. And when the other boys made fun of him, he would tease them right back by flirting with them.
That may have been what got him killed.
On February 12, another student, Brandon McInerney, 14, shot him twice in the head at the back of the computer lab at their school, police say.
The slaying of the 15-year-old boy has alarmed gay rights activists and led to demands that middle schools do more to educate youngsters about discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Police would not discuss McInerney’s motive. But the day before the shooting, King told McInerney he liked him, school mate Eduardo Segure told the Ventura County Star.
If King had flirted with the other boy, “that can be very threatening to someone’s ego and their sense of identity,” said Jaana Juvonen, a psychology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.
McInerney was jailed on $US770,000 ($840,886) bail on an adult murder charge that could put him behind bars for life. Prosecutors also filed a hate-crime enhancement, which could bring three more years if McInerney is found to have acted on the basis of the victim’s race, religion, nationality or sexual orientation.
The shooting has galvanised Oxnard, a city of nearly 200,000 people about 96 kilometres northwest of Los Angeles. Several vigils for King have been held, including a march that drew about 1000 people.
Like the killings of some other gay and transgender students – such as Matthew Shepard in Wyoming, and Brandon Teena, who was killed when friends discovered she was not a biological male and whose story was the subject of the movie Boys Don’t Cry – King’s death has drawn national attention and outraged many gays.
Comic Ellen DeGeneres, who is a lesbian, said on her talk show on February 28: “Larry was not a second-class citizen. I’m not a second-class citizen. It is OK if you are gay.”
Students at EO Green Junior High said the other kids taunted King, called him names and throw wet paper towels at him in the boys’ toilets, and he would fire back by flirting and chasing them.
“He didn’t like people insulting him,” said his friend Miriam Lopez, 13. “Larry was brave enough to bring high heels and makeup to school and he wasn’t afraid of anything.”
Jerry Dannenberg, superintendent of the Hueneme School District, would not discuss details of what went on between King and McInerney but said students are encouraged to come forward if they have been threatened.
The school system said that it has tolerance programs in its middle schools, but that sexual orientation is often not dealt with until high school. Since the killing, school officials have been meeting with gay leaders about changing the program.
“The tragic death of Larry King is a wake-up call for our schools to better protect students from harassment at school,” said Carolyn Laub, executive director of the Gay-Straight Alliance Network.
A 2005 survey by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network found that more than 64 per cent of gay and lesbian students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school, and 29 per cent said they missed at least a day of school in the previous month out of fear for their safety. The group is holding its annual Day of Silence in memory of King on April 25.
The families of both boys have refused to comment. An email message left for McInerney’s lawyer was not immediately returned. 2002.
AP
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7 Replies
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What a timely subject. I just watched Boys Don’t Cry for the first time yesterday and I’m still reeling from the impact of the movie when I read this.
Seems to me you’ll never remove the “I hate you because you’re different” tag from us or any minority group. Human beings seem to be tribal by nature, to hate (fear) what is not not like you is in our DNA, society can make us tolerant, but the schoolyard will always potentially be a Lord of the Flies situation in my books.
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Both of you ladies make a great point, prejudice is everywhere, even among our own ranks! Because we trans folk are part of a marginalized subculture and open to criticism for no better reason than our existence, we share that position with lots of other folk.
Indigenous people, the disabled and the mentally ill, obese, migrants, the list goes on. I believe that because we share with these folk, we must try to be more aware of our own prejudices and try to be more accepting and inclusive of those who we share marginalization. When you hear criticism of others for no more reason than their BEING, INSERT IGNORE TV, TS, CD, TG and see how it feels. -
Its appalling how we, as a race spruik the advantages od democracy, yet when a group comes out and actually demonstrates its difference then suddenly that group is either completely ostracised or is made into a high profile group and the tall poppy syndrome takes place.
I wear female clothes, am comfortable in doing it, enjoy the company of like minded people and am trying to make my feminine persona more so. I do not assault others, I do not villify people who are not of my race. In fact I do bugger all to annoy others. Why, therefore, are we one of the worst sets of people in the world? Has anybody ever really tried to understand the CD culture? Are we that bad that murderers, thieves, liars, etc get more respect than we do?
I am somewhat militant about this after my recent marriage breakup where I was cast as some kind of circus freak by certain parties, yet others accepted my leanings as a minor eccentricity.
I am more comfortble as a CD now than ever before, yet petty prejudices threaten me as they are unfounded and in this day and age could lead to violence.
Where do we go?
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What a COCK story – no really, let me annotate the flaws in this story and the shockingly poor reporting and bigotted view of the wroter, the editro and the publisher – and SHAME on SMH for even publishing the story without correcting it.
Quote:this is the year of our lord, 2008, and this is good as it gets? how much more do we have to do to gain acceptance?http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/students-death-sparks-outcry/2008/04/01/1206850869486.html
Larry King was a gay junior high school student who came to school in make-up, high heels and earrings. And when the other boys made fun of him, he would tease them right back by flirting with them.
The kid was GAY? He liked Boys? And wore a gress because he wanted to become a girl? That would make him STRAIGHT, not GAY!
A Guy wearing a dress does not make him GAY!
Quote:The slaying of the 15-year-old boy has alarmed gay rights activists and led to demands that middle schools do more to educate youngsters about discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.Since when does a Transgender person ALARM GAY Rights Activists! IN fact MOST Gay Rights places shun Trans cause GAY people can’t usually accept or understand Trans issues. They aren’t a different gender washed brain trapped in a different biologically developed body.
Go on – test the theory – Gay Magazines in the USA rarely if EVER wrte anything about Transgender – and when they do i8t’s usually to insult the Trans person as being some kind of freak.
You don’t believe me?
There was a HUGE and highly embarrassing story withdrawal after a Gay Magazine in the USA bitterly outed a Trans Child and Abused the parents in it’s article.
They Apologised AFTER the publication of course – saying the story was a joke. Most people failed to find the funny part in the well thought out words written by the journalist – a gay guy – reviewed by the Editor – a gay guy – an published by the publisher – a gay guy.
Did I miss something?
Quote:Police would not discuss McInerney’s motive. But the day before the shooting, King told McInerney he liked him, school mate Eduardo Segure told the Ventura County Star.Wow heres a girl telling a guy she likes him! We can see who the GAY guy is can’t we! The shooter was so teken aback to have his gay manhood threatened. Evidently the T-Girl had no issues.
Quote:If King had flirted with the other boy, “that can be very threatening to someone’s ego and their sense of identity,” said Jaana Juvonen, a psychology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.[/qutoe]What an Appaling Professor. This guy needs to be removed from the faculty urgently!
The Professor is saying that the Tgirl flirting is threatening the shooters gender identity – WHAT! You mean the Shooter really was gay and the Tgirl was a threat to his conversion to being straight?
Quote:McInerney was jailed on $US770,000 ($840,886) bail on an adult murder charge that could put him behind bars for life. Prosecutors also filed a hate-crime enhancement, which could bring three more years if McInerney is found to have acted on the basis of the victim’s race, religion, nationality or sexual orientation.Quote:Life plus three years – that will be one gross cell!But seriously for a moment – Putting the shooter in jail would be his dream come true it seems. He doesn’t like girls, he only likes guys.
Right?
Quote:Students at EO Green Junior High said the other kids taunted King, called him names and throw wet paper towels at him in the boys’ toilets, and he would fire back by flirting and chasing them.Yeah I know how that feels. I went to an all boys school in Sydney and got taunted and teased every day – including being called GAY by the Christian Brothers who were suppose to protect me.
I got called GIRL and GAY – yet I wore the same boys uniform as everyone else.
Well they sure knew me better than I did, cause I repressed coming out for 20 years – and yes I AM a GIRL and yes I AM GAY – I’m Lesbian (well 90% anyway)
If only I had back then the education and information I had today, I could have saved myself a lot of stress, understood why my parents treated me the way they did, and probably understood why they didn’t want me getting married and having children.
Quote:“He didn’t like people insulting him,” said his friend Miriam Lopez, 13. “Larry was brave enough to bring high heels and makeup to school and he wasn’t afraid of anything.”What a crock of a line. Firstly that quote is not how a 13 year old would speak, it’s writing construct.
Nest – he hardly ‘didn’t like being insulted – he played it up! Smart Kid if you ask me! What She didn’t count on was a biggotted gay wanker bringing a gun to school – which – hey where were the metal detectors and pat down searches ??
Quote:The school system said that it has tolerance programs in its middle schools, but that sexual orientation is often not dealt with until high school. Since the killing, school officials have been meeting with gay leaders about changing the program.Great Gay Leaders – but no Transgender leaders – how bigotted is that! Gay People rarely know or understand Gender Dysphoria. The few that do are awesome people – the rest – ergh.
There is LESS tolerance between extemee Gay peope and Transgender than there is between EXTREMELY Straight people and Trans!
Quote:“The tragic death of Larry King is a wake-up call for our schools to better protect students from harassment at school,” said Carolyn Laub, executive director of the Gay-Straight Alliance Network.Great more Gay is Good, Trans is Gay. Funny how a Pot Op Tgirl will marry a MAN! Must be missing something there – pussy marries cock – women brain marries male brain (why I have no idea! Ohh ok, some admirers are cool!)
How can a girl with a pussy bonking with a guy wth a cock be gay?
Quote:A 2005 survey by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network found that more than 64 per cent of gay and lesbian students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school, and 29 per cent said they missed at least a day of school in the previous month out of fear for their safety. The group is holding its annual Day of Silence in memory of King on April 25.Great – what about the Trans people? Find the interview them?
What about the Transgender Day of Remembrance – here’s another Girl added to the growing list.
Strangely how very very few Gay’s attend the TDOR!
Crock of a story creating even further confusion for people around Transgedered persons.
I get called GAY around some of the places I go now. They mean GAY as in I’m a BOY that likes COCK.
Funny how I look like a GIRL and spend all my time with GIRLS.
People are so confused!
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Ella, Go girl.
Any trans activist will tell you how hard it is to get trans issues aired in mainstream gay forums.
I don’t think any of the gay organisations get what it means to be trans at all.
I went last night finally to see Priscilla the musical and it was just so gay.
For a musical about trans people, even with one of the main characters being truly transexual rather than a drag queen, it missed the point that transexuals are truly the opposite gender. Yes she went off with the guy in the end but it was still presented in a gay way. Not as a natural response of a female to a male. And this is why I don’t think gay orgainations can’t cope. When a trans girl relates to a guy it is in a heterosexual way. I have had gay guys come onto me but they wanted to treat me as a guy. I have had bi guys come onto me and treat me entirely as a girl Don’t ask me what the difference is….all I can tell you is that you can feel the difference. Personally I doubt ant gay organisation could understnd or represent the feelings of trans people. We need to look to ourselves to organise and represent our own views. I dpn’t think we will ever be truly part of mainstream gay culture. My exremely tolerant life partner is female which makes me suddenly bi sexed femme lesbian. I can’t truly work all that out….gays won’t help…do it ourselves girls.
I know who I am today lol
Gwen -
Well said Ella and Gwen, I have also wondered about the pro’s and con’s of being lumped in with the GBL lot, as in truth apart from a few issues we really do not have alot in common with them and from experience only a few have any real understanding of who we are. This was demonstrated recently when one the leading members of a Perth G&L group was asked on popular breakfast radio show what a cross dresser was? He stated he could not answer the question as he really did not know but he knew most of them were straight and not gay, well at least he has some factual knowledge of us. The truth of the matter is that we really do not have much choice, it would be great to break away and form our own destiny but we are a small voice and few in numbers to get anything herd we have to sit on the end of the acronym and hope we get a turn but more often than not we are just there to make up the numbers. We could try to educate the GBL mob but as anyone who has tried will tell you it would be easier to educate a straight person.
Cheers
Rhi -
Hi
Not saying anyone here is wrong but just wanted to say that not ALL gay people lack empathy for those who identify as trans. I have gay and lesbian friends and recently came out to most of them and was immediately accepted and welcomed.Maybe the boy in the story identified as both? It does happen
S
