19YO Former Howard Univ Student Aiyisha Hassan Commits Suicide

[knight_shadow]

Very unfortunate news to report as yet another LGBT teen has ended their life. Nineteen-year-old Aiyisha Hassan, a lesbian former Howard University student, took her own life last Tuesday in California.

Hassan becomes at least the seventh LGBT teen to commit suicide in the past five weeks. She also becomes the second Black LGBT teen to commit suicide in the past two weeks.

link

This is really troubling. What the hell is going on?

[RaggedyAnn]

I'd be curious to know if the statistics are up, or if the media is just making us more aware of the problem.

Either way it is sad.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by RaggedyAnn

I'd be curious to know if the statistics are up, or if the media is just making us more aware of the problem.

Either way it is sad.

I wager that there has been no substantial increase (and racial and ethnic minorities have the lowest counts of suicide) but we are being made more aware of these incidents.

Also, my other post referenced a contagion effect. Even before the Internet, an increase in such incidents tended to be linked to people hearing about others committing suicide and therefore considering suicide a viable and perceivably "easy" alternative.

[DrPhil]

I believe that (although unfortunate) this is now a contagion effect.

[knight_shadow]

^^^ Good point (@ RaggedyAnn).

I'm hoping that the increased coverage doesn't spur any "copycat" suicides or attempts.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I'm hoping that the increased coverage doesn't spur any "copycat" suicides or attempts.

That's what a contagion effect is.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

That's what a contagion effect is.

We posted at the same time.

[Psi U MC Vito]

What I wonder if she committed suicide because of pressures of being LGBT or if that was just a coincidence.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

What I wonder if she committed suicide because of pressures of being LGBT or if that was just a coincidence.

People who knew her say that it was the former.

[deepimpact2]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

People who knew her say that it was the former.

I don't understand why it is still enough of a struggle to commit suicide. Acceptance of individuals who are LGBT is increasing rapidly. It's certainly not as bad as it was even ten years ago.

I think there was more going on. Maybe she was struggling with it, but she probably already had issues with depression that weren't tied solely to her sexuality.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

I don't understand why it is still enough of a struggle to commit suicide. Acceptance of individuals who are LGBT is increasing rapidly. It's certainly not as bad as it was even ten years ago.

I think there was more going on. Maybe she was struggling with it, but she probably already had issues with depression that weren't tied solely to her sexuality.

I don't think he meant that the mere fact that she was a lesbian caused her to end her life. Depression, identity issues, and other factors likely worked together to push her to that point.

And although GLBT acceptance has increased in recent years, it's still vilified (very much so) by the "mainstream"

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

I don't understand why it is still enough of a struggle to commit suicide. Acceptance of individuals who are LGBT is increasing rapidly. It's certainly not as bad as it was even ten years ago.

I think there was more going on. Maybe she was struggling with it, but she probably already had issues with depression that weren't tied solely to her sexuality.

Rapidly doesn't mean it's done or that it's fast enough. We don't know what they experienced, but teenagers are already vulnerable to suicide. Add in parents who not only don't accept you but tell you you're a terrible person, add in classmates who write slurs on your locker or who physically harass you, and teachers who don't do anything about it.

It's enough. And just because it was worse 10 years ago doesn't mean it's great now, it means that 10 years ago you didn't know about it.

Obviously she was depressed, but there's a reason why LGBT teens kill themselves more often than straight teens...

[DrPhil]

I agree, k_s.

It can also be vilified in the GLBT communities when people are unwilling to accept the diversity within. That includes diversity based on gender identities, sexuality (not sexual orientation), race and ethnicity, culture, etc. As with other power minority groups, there are those who are GLBT who believe that there is a certain way to think, identify, and behave if you are GLBT.

[xp2k]

This is going to get me flamed but I have to say it.

The gay community as a whole is one of the most closed minded communities I've ever come across.

They persecute bisexual people and exclude ethnic minorities (specifically black -there's an article about blacks being the least desired group to date in the gay community) as well as overweight people.

I hate to paint the gay community with a broad brush stroke because not every gay person I know is this way, but from discussions, readings, and anecdotal stories I've heard from minorities within the gay community, it's really quite shocking. (I used to work at a health center, and this was our main demographic).

And the sad thing is that they arent even aware of the hypocrisy of it all.

I dont think gay people are the sinful, sex-crazed, pedophiles that some would want you to believe, but there are some things in their community that people need to open their eyes to.

....then again...I guess you could say that for every community....

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by xp2k

....then again...I guess you could say that for every community....

.