A 12-year-old bisexual student has taken his own life after being bullied
Image: Image: Cheryl Hudson / GoFundMe.
A 12-year-old bisexual student in America has taken his own life after after being bullied at his school.
Andrew Leach from South Haven, Mississippi was found dead last week by his parents Matt Leach and Cheryl Hudson.
In an interview with WREG Memphis, Leach said his son had been struggling with his sexuality.
“He finally came out with the information at school that he thought he may be bisexual,” he said.
“I think that really amped up the bullying.”
After discovering that their son had taken his own life, Leach and Hudson found letters that described the pain he was living with.
His classmates had been threatening him and expressing that he wouldn’t be able to escape the bathroom.
Now, his parents want the kids that bullied him to know the effects of their actions, and and to encourage other parents to notice their child’s actions and to watch for suicidal tendencies.
“If you think there’s any chance you child is suffering from depression, their grades are drastically changing, or their eating or sleeping habits have changed, then get in their business,” Leach said.
“Talk to them.
“The loss of any life is never easy, especially when it deals with youth who felt like they never stood a chance in this world.”
A GoFundMe account towards Leach’s memorial has already been established, and raised more than $15,000.
If you or someone close to you needs someone to speak to, you can contact one of these services:
Headspace: 1800 650 890
Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
Switchboard: 1800 184 527
Lifeline: 13 11 14
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One thing that I learned years ago when I was in school is that kids can be very cruel. A lot of them have learned to hate people who are different from their parents. I wasn’t really in touch with my true sexuality until I was eighteen. It took me years to come out. Even in college people who are gay, bisexual or transgender are looked down upon. In elementary and high school although I didn’t quite realize I was gay there was nothing different about my behavior. I was very insecure. The bullies spot kids like me from miles away. I was bullied and felt horrible about myself afterwards. By the grace of god I didn’t try and kill myself. There are countless kids all over who are literally being bullied to death. All because of their sexuality. That’s not right. Schools systems need to implement a plan to deal with bullying more effective. Students need to be educated on it. The main is that schools need to let the bullies know that they’re not going to stand for it!
Michael, certainly due to religious dogma learnt at home from parents and if not religious, just garden variety homophobia. Reminds me of the fourteen year old boy from Apsley State High School QLD who suicided due to homophobic bullying in and around the actual school. Dogma and prejudice before children’s lives. Evil!
Emotional support is important at a young age for gays bisexuals etc, bullies can be closeted gays or bisexuals etc unable to deal with their sexuality…possibly due to religious dogma