15 year old Lawrence King was an effeminate teenager who wore heels and make-up to high school and told people he was gay. He refused to hide who he was. He was shot and killed by a 14 year old fellow classmate. Reading something like this hits home for me. While I didn’t wear make-up and heels to high school, I might as well have because everybody seemed to take great pleasure in pointing out my ‘feminine’ qualities. It’s not something I tried to flaunt- it was just me. From the time I was 10 I had had a steady flow of tormentors ranging from hearing my name called in a sissified mocking tones to physical abuse. While this is no longer an everyday part of my life it stays with you forever. I can’t help but feel that kid could have been me or any number of my friends. What a horrible waste of two lives. There is a memorial page for Lawrence set up here with a fund as well.

Filed under: My Way Of Life