Our Commitment to Diversity
Fag.
Dyke.
Get back in the closet dyke.
“Jimmy es un maricón”. Maricón. Spanish word, in English it’s a faggot, basically.
LGBT Students hear anti-gay slurs an average of 26 times a day.
It was right over a summer, immediately starting in a new school, and those names started flying, peeople calling me fag, and femee, and what have you.
Whatever joy you had, whatever smiles you had at the time, it just all comes down.
Sixty four percent of LGBT youth feel unsafe at school.
People making fun of me, and pushing me into lockers, and telling me to go back in the closet, and don’t be who I am at school. They don’t want to see it, they don’t want me to flaunt it in their faces.
I kind of just kept it inside, thinking that it’ll eventually stop and go away, or maybe they’ll find someone else to pick on.
There was a shame to it, a strong shame to it.
I did not want to be hated. And I was just too afraid to tell anyone who I was inside or that part of me.
You keep your head down, you try to avoid speaking to anyone.
I used to hurt myself when I was in high school. I cut myself, just something to feel pain, something to see that I was actually alive.
LGBT youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers.
There are so many casualties of suicide that just don’t have to happen. They really don’t. I think that they just need to know that somebody understands what they’re feeling and turn around and have someone tell them but you know what you can do this, you can make it through, just keep pushing on.
I just think those kids were unlucky that they didn’t have the support that I had.
Joe’s ally: his mom Milissa.
She just said, listen, I found this letter, and you know I want you to be open with us and let us know what’s going on. So I said yeah, you know I’m gay.
It was my responsibility as his ally to get him someone you look up to that was gay, and give him the guidance and be there to answer those questions that he might have.
Afterwards I felt relieved and thankful because I didn’t have to hide anything anymore. It wasn’t a big secret.
Allison’s ally: her dad Gord.
I was able to understand who she was and what she was all about, and to give her the love and support she needed to be who she is today.
I think it just takes that one person to start and help you feel more comfortable with who you are and it’s a domino effect.
Jimmy’s ally: his friend Sherea.
Jimmy is my best friend, he’s my brother from another mother. We instantly just clicked.
Being able to share those stories, and have those conversations, you know, it made it feel a little bit more normal.
Ryan’s allies: his parents Joan and Jay.
The minute that it was out in the open, it just created a whole space where we could just genuinely, authentically interact with each other.
We can talk about things as they come up. It’s not as if all questions have to be answered in this moment.
Where there was only darkness, now there was this haven of hope and light, um, which was my home, and where better to have that?.
Scott’s ally: his friend Kira.
We met probably eighth grade into freshman year and we just hit it off right away.
We can pretty well talk about anything, and you wouldn’t feel like you were going to be judged or made fun of.
She was always there as my friend to rely on that I knew I could trust.
Reigh Leigh’s ally: her mom Bonnie.
No matter what people said to me at school, I was going to be able to go home and not have to think about feeling bad about being gay.
We can’t fight their battles. We can stand behind them and support them.
To those people who can be potential allies, that can be potential support to a struggling, gay teen. Rise to the occasion.
Better is when someone sees the world as a world of opportunity, where they can be themselves. Without ever feeling that sense of hostility. It does get better.
Ed Clark, President and CEO of TD Bank Group. I want to address young people, who are members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Many of you may be struggling with issues of how to come out in a potentially hostile environment. Or some of you may have come out and feel trapped in a hostile environment. And you ask, will it get better? Yes it will. It is hard to be different in an environment which does not celebrate your difference. But this is not your fault. You must remember that the issue isn’t you. What you are is wonderful. The issue is a group of people who are trapped in historical and anger, which have no place in a modern society. In the long run it’ll be their loss, not yours. But in the meantime, it is a terrible burden for you to carry. The pain can be terrible. You can feel trapped. Do not carry the burden alone. Reach out for support. Feel the love and support of people who care for you, who do get it. And know that a great world awaits you, exciting jobs and careers in organizations where you will feel comfortable. Great communities where people want you to live as part of their community. There are people who dont even know you, who care about you, and are excited about what you will bring to the world, and I am one of them. I believe we all have a role to play. Friends, families, coleagues, and communities. Become an ally. We can make it better. It does get better. Stay focused on getter there.
Make it better.
Make it better.
Make it better.
Make it better.
Make it better.
You can make it better.
You can make it better.
You can make it better.
You can make it better.
I will make it better.
I will make it better.
I will make it better.
We will make it better.
Make it better.
If you need help, for youth in Canada KidsHelpPhone.ca 1-800-668-6868. Kids Help Phone.
For youth in the US, the Trevor project, saving young lives. The Trevor Lifeline 866-488-7386.
For Parents, Fiends and Allies – Canada PFLAG Canada www.pflagcanada.ca. US PLFAG www.pflag.org.
TD and its employees are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive work palce and supporting members of the LGBT community and their allies.
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