Although the United Kingdom, and England in particular, is a very queer-friendly territory legally speaking, horrible news shocked the world a few weeks ago when details about the suicide of Riley Hadley, only 12 years old, after years of bullying. The reason? He had been questioning his sexuality and it seemed he was gay.
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| Riley with his big brother Jack Holmes (Image: Jack Holmes/BPM MEDIA). Source. |
Only.
12.
Years.
Years.
Old.
This happened in Sidmouth, Devon, in October 15, 2019, but it wasn't until May of this year that people started telling all that happened, how he "was chased by peer groups in a park, pushed into a road and tripped in school corridors and he was afraid to go to school." Source.
People say bullying is not real, that kids should wait until they are adults to learn about sexual orientation, that educating them will turn them into something they are not. However, kids who knew nothing about sexual diversity made this boy give up on life.
On the morning of his death in October 2019 Riley sent a text message to a friend saying 'I have to come back to school'.His friend replied 'why', but Riley did not read it.(...)Assistant coroner Alison Longhorn heard how Riley had been a victim of repeated bullying which included hurtful comments like 'do us all a favour and slit your wrists'.Riley's mother returned to their home in Sidmouth, Devon, after work and found him hanging in his room.A post mortem said he died from asphyxia by hanging.Detective Inspector Charlotte Heath said police had spoken to around 30 children and found Riley had been the victim of bullying over a number of years.Riley's friends said he felt concerned over his sexuality and that he was gay.
Kids know, kids are not naïve, kids are more intelligent than they are given credit for. We like to think we know better because we adults have more experience, we have lived longer, we know that it gets better, that it will all pass, but we were also kids once, and many seem like they want to forget it. I can only wonder why.
The last time I heard about something this devastating was after the suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, in 2011 when he was 14 years old, and I honestly thought we were in a better place after 10 years. Not really, seems like. We need to stop this. We need to do something about this. I'm not saying someone because it is not only one person who's gonna change the world. It's us who need to change it, people, humans, who need to educate as much as possible, as often as possible.
One person can only do so much, but every grain of sand counts, so please share the news, share this story, share Riley's case, so people remember kids know, kids realize before we even get an idea. They know who they are, but they lack the experience, the strength, the hope, they are their own worst enemies. But. Kids. Know.
Words and knowledge are associated with air, the same air Riley decided to deny for himself. The same air I felt I lacked when I was bullied, when I was name called, when everything seemed to be pointless, when I almost lost all hope. But words are gone with the wind, the same wind that can break the chains, cleanse the space, clear the mind, and give hope when there's nothing left to hold on to. My only hope is for his angel to shine a light so story does not repeat itself again.
Riley's Air Prayer
Words like daggers on our backs,
Many wounds, no drops of blood,
Muffled cries by being stabbed,
Both lungs becoming storms.
By the power of air, guilt be gone.
By the power of wind, pain be gone.
By the power of sky, hurt be gone.
By the power of air, shame be gone.
By the power of air, wind and sky,
By the clouds above and breeze below,
An angel will shine with us tonight,
To heal the hurt and guide the lost.
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