Did You Wear Purple On October 20th?

Because I didn't. This is going to be a short blog today because I've been holding something in that I've been wanting to let out for some time now. Everyone knows I am one opinionated person. I have opinions on everything and I'm far from afraid to express them.

Recently I wrote a short blog on the topic of bullying. The blog merely stated how bullying is tragic and needs to be stopped (Read the past blog). So when I found out there was going to be a day, October 20th, where people would all wear the color purple to honor those who took their own lives due to bullying. I don't own anything purple but I had planned to take part in the event, but as I started doing more research about the event I decided not to take part. Here is why.

Wearing purple was to honor the LGBT kids that took their own lives. Okay, so what about everyone else? What about Phoebe Prince, a girl who wasn't gay, who took her life due to bullying. What about Sladjana Vidovic, not gay, who took her life due to bullying. There are plenty more people who wasn't gay, who also took their lives. So my point is, I refused to take part in wearing purple because if we're not honoring all of those who died because of bullying then we shouldn't honor anyone at all.

Now, before anyone starts sending me hate emails and calling me a bad person, hear me out. If you wore purple because you are remembering someone who you were actually close to, who you physically witnessed them getting bullied due to them being gay, than that's fantastic. Because there has been plenty of times when I would be bullied right in front of some of my best friends, and they did nothing. They just stood there and let it happen, and I bet some of them wore purple the other day, Why? To make them feel like a good person. We need more people who are not afraid to stand up for what's wrong. But if you're wearing purple because you want people to think highly of you because you are a gay supporter (Which let's face it, that's how our society works. We like to feel important, and we like it when people think we're important) than you're doing it all for the wrong reasons. I'm starting to rant now, so I need to just step away from the keyboard. But I just felt like this whole thing was a gimmick, and it was unfair to not give recognition to all of those who have died.

All is Full of Love

Today inspiration for a post struck me, not through a beautiful garment, or a well made piece of vintage jewelery. No, today my inspiration comes from tragedy and loss. A lot of you may have heard about the recent, tragic death of Tyler Clementi, the Rutgers University freshman. Tyler committed suicide by jumping off of the George Washington Bridge after his college roommate secretly video taped Tyler and another male having sex.

I won't take up a lot of your time, but bullying has to stop. It just has to. Enough is enough. To many extraordinary people are taking their own lives because of hurtful words. Words may not be able to break your bones, but they are powerful enough to break your spirit, to lower one's self-esteem, and they are powerful enough to make someone loathe themselves.

I myself have endured server bullying throughout high school because I was openly gay. I can't tell you how many times I cried myself to sleep, I can't tell you how many times I thought about taking my own life. I'm just so glad I had friends and family to help me through this very bleak and dark period of my life. I'm tearing up as I write this post because thinking about what I had to endure during high school still haunts me to this very day, I actually have nightmares that I'm still in High School being bullied, it has emotionally scarred me. But what truly bothers me is the fact I never told the school what was going on for fear of what would happen. I was to scared to speak up and I wish I wouldn't have been.

Enough is enough, this needs to stop in all forms. Everyone is extraordinary no matter if gay, straight, fat, skinny, black, or white. Everyone is extraordinary, and love is such a powerful thing, we need more love in the world and less hate.

To the family of Tyler Clementi, my prayers and thoughts are with you.