It puts the creeps to know news like the one we have known today. Jamel Myles, a nine-year-old boy from Denver, Colorado (United States) he took his life four days after announcing at the school that he was gay.
Four days after starting the course
Upon returning from summer vacations, the boy decided to tell his classmates. He had already done it with his mother this summer, telling him that this was his choice and that he was proud to be gay. He even told him that he would make it public at school on the first day of school because I had nothing to hide.
The boy started fourth grade on Monday, August 20, told the rest of the class and on Thursday 23 He committed suicide because of the rejection he suffered from his colleagues.
"My son told my oldest daughter that the school children told him to kill himself. I'm sad he didn't come to me.", the mother told a local media and regrets that her son thought that taking his own life was his only option.
Also, Jamel had told his mother that he wanted "start dressing like a girl" and believes that this would have been the main reason for teasing by the other children.
Meet 9 y.o. #JamelMyles. This summer he came out to his mom as gay. Then, he went back to school, 4th grd. The bullying came quickly. His mom said, “My son told my oldest daughter the kids at school told him to kill himself.” On the 4th day he did just that. I'm so sick of this! pic.twitter.com/ivhYf9qK3j
- Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) August 28, 2018
At nine years old?
One of the first things that draws attention to the news is how a nine-year-old can be clear that he is gay. When we talk about child transsexuality we comment that they can appear behaviors and manifestations at five years of age or even before. Some experts indicate that at two or three years there may be signs, as it is the age at which they begin to develop their sexual identity. *
According to Félix López, a psychologist and researcher, although sexual identity awareness appears at this age, it is not until (around) 6 or 7 years old when it becomes stable, that is, the child understands that it will last over time.
#MeQueer movement
Following the tragic news, social networks have been filled with samples of family support and experiences of discrimination against homosexuals who have been through the same when they were in school.
The #MeQueer campaign, a movement that emerged a few days ago to report cases of harassment or discrimination based on sexual orientation, has become the perfect framework to make it visible:
I remember that in 4th of ESO, a boy discriminated against me and made some people not want to do group work with me. Last year I told him in the face, he said it was a lie and he didn't remember anything. In the end, they screw your teens and for them it means nothing #MeQueer
- Alberto Archibald (@Albertoarchibal) August 25, 2018
Jamel Myles, 9, has committed suicide because of bullying suffered after saying he was gay. Rest in small peace, we will continue fighting so that this does not happen anymore. #MeQueer #JamelMyles
- Mazzinguerzetta 🏳️🌈 (@ Mazzinguerzett1) August 28, 2018
The news of the suicide of #JamelMyles, 9, has made me cry. The news that the boy's companions, also 9 years old, told him to commit suicide 'by fag' has caused me fear.
- Antonio Albert (@_antonioalbert) August 28, 2018
A #MeQueer in your memory.
There is still much left to do
It is terrible what has happened to Jamel. A child should never think of taking his own life for the rejection of others, but it is just as terrible that children as young as nine are capable of hurting a partner so much with their rejection.
They may not be aware of the damage they can cause in another person with their comments and attitudes, but the parents of those children do know and are in some way indirectly responsible for the tragedy. Like the school, he did not know how to drive the situation.
Regarding responsibility for the death of her son, the child's mother commented:
"They have to be accountable for bullying, I think children should do it because they know it's wrong. Obviously parents are teaching them to be like that, or they are treating them like that."
As parents we are responsible for educating our children in values so that be tolerant, teach them to have empathy for others, to put themselves in the place of the other and to respect the choices of others.
Bullying is not a matter of children. It is a very serious matter that must be addressed from the family and school environment with the forcefulness it deserves. Because unfortunately it still has very serious consequences such as suicide.
