rip, michael bryan

"Marie Osmond: My Mormon Faith Got Me Through Son's Death"

Sort of an ironic statement, don't you think...seeing that your intolerant, harsh, racist, sexist, homophobic, judgemental religion is most likely what caused him to take his young life in the first place.

As a mother, my heart breaks into a million pieces for you, Marie, and I openly wept when I heard the first news reports about what had happened. But with one gay son dead by his own hand and an openly lesbian daughter still here, you need to pull your Mormon head outta your Mormon ass and open your eyes to the goddamned truth: I have no doubt that your son was loved...but was he ACCEPTED -- fully and completely -- for exactly who and what he was? You know what -- strike "accepted." FUCK "ACCEPTED." Was he CELEBRATED?

You wanna honor your dead son, Marie? You want to ensure that both his life and his death had meaning? Then break ranks with your church and its horseshit dogma and archaic stance on homosexuality and become a bold, passionate voice for all those young, gay Mormons still here, still struggling with the rage and condemnation of their families and their church communities. Statistics show that gay teens are FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY to attempt suicide than their heterosexual counterparts -- and one can only imagine how much higher those rates must skew amongst teens raised in religiously fundamentalist families. You have the power to change lives and to SAVE lives, Marie. Open your mind and open your heart -- and by your loving example, teach others in your church to do so, as well.

Do it for your beloved son, Michael, whom you called "your angel."

Do it for your openly lesbian daughter, Jessica, as she makes her way in a world that is still largely hostile towards anyone or anything considered "different" -- and, in its ignorance and hatred, frequently seeks to destroy or extinguish it.

Do it for ALL gay teens, suffering and struggling not just for the acceptance of themselves, but the acceptance of those they love.

Do it so that not one more "angel" has to tragically fall to earth not knowing just exactly how beautifully, exquisitely, divinely perfect they already were.

Requiescat in pace, Michael Bryan.