The sermon that the Rev. Fred Hammond preached to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Tuscaloosa, Ala., on October 10 and the six red roses that the Rev. Myke Johnson set in front of her congregation in Portland, Maine, on the same day are just two of the ways that UU congregations have responded to a recent rash of suicides of young men, victims of school-based anti-gay harassment.*
The recent deaths of at least six high school and college-age men captured the public’s attention primarily because of the death of Tyler Clementi, who jumped from a bridge September 22 after his Rutgers University roommate surreptitiously recorded his sexual encounter with another man and streamed it on the internet.
UU ministers may be more aware than most of the dangers of gay bullying. Some endured it themselves. In his sermon at Tuscaloosa, Hammond shared his own experience as a seventh grader who was tormented daily because he carried his books “like a girl.” Only after he finally broke down in tears and a teacher and a counselor became aware of the bullying and intervened did his life improve.
Hammond said he shared his story not only to let people know that bullying is not new, but that a critical part of surviving it is having supportive people in one’s life. “A big part of my story is that I did have people who intervened. That’s a part of what needs to happen for youth today.” He said the youth group at his congregation includes many youth from the community at large, including several who are gay. MORE
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