National Mental Illness Awareness Week and An Important Message from Ellen About Bullying

This week is National Mental Illness Awareness Week. The teen suicides across the country remind us that queer folk have an extremely high rate for mental illness, especially for depression. There is no doubt in my mind that the rate would not be as high if being lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or otherwise queer were more accepted in our society. I once heard a trans womyn say at a conference that at least when it comes to being trans, the consequence to not accepting one's self is surely suicide. It is, of course, much easier to accept one's self when society already accepts you. Unfortunately, many mainstream religions, regions, and families teach us that being who we are is a sin and a failure. But I believe that Godde wants us to be all that we are fully, including the part of ourselves that is queer. If you are being bullied at school, hang in there, for life does get better. Remember who you ultimately are-a beloved child of Godde.