Guards Slept While Epstein Committed Suicide, Then Doctored Log Books

Jeffrey Epstein (mug shot)

Accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was able to commit suicide this past weekend without interference because the two guards that should have been watching him (fresh off of suicide watch) apparently fell asleep on the job for "some or all of" a three hour period of time, reports the New York Times.

The two staff members who were guarding the jail unit where Jeffrey Epstein apparently killed himself fell asleep, failed to check on him for about three hours and falsified records to cover up their mistake, according to several law enforcement and prison officials with knowledge of the matter.

Those disclosures came on Tuesday as the two employees were placed on administrative leave and the warden of the jail, the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, was temporarily reassigned, pending the outcome of the investigation into Mr. Epstein’s death, the Justice Department announced.

The two staff members in the special housing unit where Mr. Epstein was held — 9 South — falsely recorded in a log that they had checked on the financier, who was facing sex trafficking charges, every 30 minutes, as was required, two of the officials said. Such false entries in an official log could constitute a federal crime.

In fact, the two people guarding Mr. Epstein had been asleep for some or all of the three hours, three of the officials said.

Epstein, 66, was found dead hanging from a bedsheet at approximately 6:30am on Saturday in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.

He had been awaiting trial on charges he had sexually abused scores of teenage girls at his homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Fla.

In related news, one of Epstein's accusers, Jennifer Araoz, has filed a lawsuit against his estate, his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell and three unnamed female household staff, according to NBC News.

Araoz alleges she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Epstein at his New York City townhouse when she was 14 and 15 years old, including a forcible rape in 2002.

She first disclosed her alleged abuse publicly in an exclusive TODAY Show interview with Savannah Guthrie of NBC News on July 10, the same day she filed papers in New York state court saying she intended to sue Epstein.

According to the complaint filed today, Araoz says Maxwell and the other staff members “conspired with each other to make possible and otherwise facilitate the sexual abuse and rape of Plaintiff.”

More Than One Third Of LGBTQ Youth Have Seriously Considered Suicide

The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth, has released the results of its first-ever National LGBTQ Youth Mental Health Survey, and the results are deeply concerning.

Conducted between February 2018 through September 2018, the massive survey includes responses from 34,808 LGBTQ young people.

The results show a staggering 39 percent of respondents had seriously considered attempting suicide in the previous 12 months.

When looking at just transgender/non-binary respondents, 54 percent said they’d seriously considered suicide.

Eighteen percent of the respondents admitted to attempting suicide in the past 12 months; 29 percent of trans/non-binary youth reported a suicide attempt.

Sixty-seven percent reported someone had attempted to change their sexual orientation or gender identity through so-called 'conversion therapy.' 

Of those who underwent conversion therapy, 42 percent admitted to attempting suicide.

When you break down the numbers, 32 percent of LGB youth who underwent conversion therapy reported a suicide attempt in the last 12 months, while the number jumped to 57 percent for trans/non-binary youth.

Conversion therapy has been discredited as ‘pseudoscience’ and widely denounced by leading professional medical associations including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association.

Currently, 18 states have outlawed conversion therapy involving minors.

The research also showed that 71 percent of LGBTQ youth reported being discriminated against, and 21 percent reported experiencing physical threats or abuse.

Discrimination definitely had an impact on suicidal thoughts as 23 percent of those who experienced discrimination reported a suicide attempt in the last 12 months as opposed to 11 percent of respondents who did not.

The survey is part of The Trevor Project’s commitment to compile data and research to aid in improving the organization’s life-saving services for LGBTQ youth.

In sharing the results, The Trevor Project aims to elevate the voices and experiences of LGBTQ youth and shed more light on the dangerous practice of conversion therapy.

You can find the full results of the new survey here.

If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or suicidal, reach out to The Trevor Project 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at 1-866-488-7386 or www.TheTrevorProject.org/Help

News Round-Up: June 7, 2019

(via Instagram/JoeBlizzard)

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk Joe Blizzard (above) has one lucky dog.

• Less than half of the 20+ presidential candidates mention LGBTQ rights on their campaign websites.

• Brad Pitt has demanded the organizers of the so-called 'Straight Pride Parade' in Boston to cease and desist using his name and likeness for their event.

• Christians surprise LGBTQ Pride parade marchers with signs apologizing for anti-LGBTQ views.

i cried so hard #RiseUpTogether pic.twitter.com/By0YonuARE

— frida kahloka (@merillravago) June 30, 2018

• Sad news from Philadelphia - Deputy Sheriff Dante Austin, the department’s LGBT liaison, was found dead in his office on Friday morning of what is thought to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

• Pride Flag flies over Wisconsin capitol for the first time; Republicans whine, "This is divisive."

• Carolyn Vaughn, a county commissioner in Texas, refused to sign a Pride Week proclamation honoring the lives lost in the Pulse nightclub shooting. "Just because you’re the LGBT—whatever it’s called, community, does not mean that I have to suck it up and support it.”

• And how about one more from InstaHunk Joe Blizzard as I send you all into the weekend :)

View this post on Instagram

Beach vibes ✌️🌴 🏖 . . . . . #beach #travel #sea #nature #summer #sun #photography #gaybear #beardedmen #instagood #tattoo #beautiful #vacation #florida #getoutdoors #landscape #beachlife #exploreandwonder #travelphotography #beard #photo #sexymen

A post shared by JOE BLIZZARD (@joeblizzard) on Jun 7, 2019 at 4:58am PDT

News Round-Up: March 30, 2019

InstaHunk Fran Dullon

Some news items you might have missed:

• Sometimes, you need to stick with what you know works - like this pose (above) by InstaHunk Fran Dullon. Stay tuned - we'll check back later to confirm.

• In a guest column for Deadline, George Clooney calls for boycotting Los Angeles hotels owned by Brunei-based companies over the imminent implementation of the death penalty in the country for homosexual acts between consenting adults.

• A new report shows bisexual youth are more likely than gay or lesbian youth to be bullied and/or consider suicide.

• Zuzana Caputova, a lawyer and LGBTQ ally, could be about to become the first ever female president of Slovakia. You know my last name is Slovacek, right?

• Yep, looks like this is still working for Mr. Dullon.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fran (@frandullon86) on Mar 26, 2019 at 2:42am PDT

• Former NBA star Tim Hardaway is complaining the only reason he's not in the Basketball Hall of Fame is because he went on a homophobic rant in 2007 where he said:

"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."

Hardaway later changed his mind and became an LGBTQ ally. He's on his fifth year as a Hall of Famer finalist. What do you think? Should he be forgiven and voted into the Hall of Fame?

• A 61-year-old woman in Nebraska just gave birth to her gay son’s child.

• A survey of gay & lesbian Realtors shows LGBTQ folks are less likely to purchase a home than heterosexuals, in part because they worry whether their neighbors will be welcoming.

• Yep, I think we've confirmed this is a winning pose for the Spanish InstaHunk.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fran (@frandullon86) on Mar 10, 2019 at 1:20pm PDT

News Round-Up: January 2, 2019

InstaHunk Austin Wolf

Some news items you might have missed:

• Ah, January. When everyone gets back to the gym. Now, I guess if I wanted to actually see Austin Wolf at the gym, I'd have to actually GO to the gym. There's the snag...

• Out recording artist Hayley Kiyoko shares in a new interview that she was asked to “tone down” her sexuality early on in her career.

• A 19 year-old Indian man, who donated blood unaware he was HIV+, committed suicide after learning that his blood had transmitted the HIV virus to a pregnant woman.

• Queer Eye's Jonathan Van Ness broke with his boyfriend, Wilco Froners, in an Instagram post that attempted to be classy but he added a #cheatersneverprosper hashtag (he later deleted). In an Instagram Story, Jonathan later retreated a bit writing, "I should’ve sat with myself a bit longer before I posted my most recent post."

• Vietnam has passed a law making it illegal to criticize the government online.

• A Massachusetts judge on Monday denied actor Kevin Spacey’s request to skip his upcoming arraignment on a felony charge he faces for allegedly sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man in 2016.

• High profile make-up artist and drag queen Alexis Stone revealed a months-long 'social experiment' wherein he pretended to have botched plastic surgery wearing an extensive prosthetic mask. Hundreds trolled him online saying he'd ruined his face.

Then, on New Year's Eve, he posted the video below where he stands looking at the camera for a few moments before tearing the mask off to reveal the experiment. The second video explains his reasons for the deception.

News Round-Up: August 3, 2018

Dan Welden

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk Dan Welden (above) is giving you some #FlexFriday

• Launched in response to the recent ruling on the Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission case, Yelp has added a new 'Open to All' category/filter which aims to help protect consumers from discrimination.

• Apple, led by openly-gay CEO Tim Cook, has become the first private-sector company to be valued at over $1 trillion. Don't tell me the gays can't compete...

• After rescuing the adorable Beemo in South Korea, hottie Gus Kenworthy adopted another rescue from SK:

The day Matt and I visited the horrifying dog meat farm in South Korea we witnessed a mother dog giving birth to a litter of pups. The people at @hsiglobal told us that had they not been there filming my visit nobody would've seen the pups immediately and they likely would've died in the brutal cold. Luckily though I saw them and they were rushed inside and saved. A few weeks later when all 90 of the dogs on that farm (including Beemo) were flown to North America that mother and her newborn litter were the only ones that stayed behind because the pups were too young to travel. After Beemo passed away I was feeling completely empty and I reached back out to the Humane Society International to find out what happened to that litter. I found out that they were still in Korea and I began getting photo and video updates on them as I waited for another farm closure and an opportunity for them to be brought to the States. That finally happened and four days ago I picked this little girl up in DC. She's a 5-month-old Jindo/ Lab mix and we named her Birdie (because birds were one of Beemo's favorite things in the world). Nothing in the world could ever replace Beemo or the love that we felt and still feel for her but Birdie has already stolen a new place in our hearts and we're excited to be dog dads again. A HUGE thank you goes out to @hsiglobal for bringing our new baby home and for all they do for animals in need around the world (follow them and support their cause). Also an immense amount of gratitude goes to @awlaarlington for taking care of Birdie in DC until I could fly there to pick her up! I am going to continue Beemo's Instagram with pupdates on Birdie. I was nervous that would seem disrespectful to Beemo's memory but I actually LOVE the idea that both of my beautiful little girls will share the page. Also, a huge part of the reason I started Beemo's page in the first place was to continue promoting animal rescue and raise awareness for the dog meat trade and since the page already has a following I thought it'd be more impactful to keep it going rather than start all over again. Follow along! @b_pups #DogsAreFriendsNotFood #AdoptDontShop 👨‍👨‍👧🐥🐶🐾❤️ 🇺🇸

A post shared by gus kenworthy (@guskenworthy) on Aug 2, 2018 at 7:33pm PDT

• Despite assurances from the intelligence community that Russia is continuing to meddle in our elections, U.S. Senators on Wednesday rejected a Democratic proposal by a vote of 50-47 to provide funds to states with more election security funding ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. Sixty votes were needed to include the proposal in the appropriations legislation under Senate rules.

• Former Marine and Army National Guardsmen Brandon Ketchum, 33, committed suicide after being denied admittance to a VA facility in Iowa City, despite telling doctors that he was having “serious mental issues.” Ketchum had been struggling with PTSD and substance abuse after returning home from his three tours overseas.

• And let's close out this round-up with shining a light on this hideous woman who attempted to call ICE and have a mother deported for breast feeding. I love the woman recording telling the bigot to "Go back to Europe. That's where you're from." #TrumpNation

White woman threatens to call ICE on a breastfeeding woman she assumes is an immigrant. Local hero starts recording and confronts the harasser: "This isn’t YOUR country. Go back to Europe. That’s where YOU'RE from.”
pic.twitter.com/tnyeCJ1rVq

— Q. Allan Brocka (@allanbrocka) August 3, 2018

Former Lover Alleges George Michael Took His Own Life

Fadi Fawaz and George Michael (image via Twitter)

George Michael's former boyfriend, Fadi Fawaz, alleges the pop star committed suicide rather than died of natural causes in new statements to the UK publication, The Sun.

According to the newspaper, emails written by Fawaz claim Michael, 53, took his life on Christmas Eve 2016: "I'm sick and tired of people asking me what happened on Christmas Day. Well let me tell you, George died on his mother'sbirthday, so that might answer a few questions. Not to mention it took five attempts to manage to end his life. I think it's important for the story."

Similar claims were made on Fawaz's Twitter account in 2017 although the Fawaz said his account had been hacked at the time.

At the time of Michael's passing, the coroner ruled his death was due to "natural causes and had dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and fatty liver."

The newspaper reports a spokeswoman for George's estate last night said she had "no trust" in Fadi's claims.

The Sun also notes that the 45-year-old hairdresser is still fighting for a portion of the star's £105million estate. He apparently still lives in Michael's Regent's Park home even though the family has asked him to leave.

Michael's music catalogue surged back up the charts a staggering 2,678% selling almost 500,000 tracks in the week that followed his death.

Music Video: Eli Lieb "When You Need A Friend"

Eli Lieb

Out singer/songwriter Eli Lieb shares this uplifting music video for his song, "When You Need a Friend," which Eli wrote in the aftermath of a young, male transgender student as his old high school committing suicide.

Backed by The Trevor Project, Eli returned to his old school to reach out to kids there and spread some love.

Premiering the new video on NewNowNext, Eli shares:

“I wrote, ’When You Need A Friend’ inspired by his memory, but also for anyone in need,” he says. “I wanted people to know that times can be really tough but if you keep fighting through them, there’s a bright future ahead. I also wanted people to feel like they have a friend in me, even if they don’t know me personally. I want people to feel like when they play this song, that I am there with them offering support.”

If you read The Randy Report with any regularity, you know I'm a big fan of Eli and his music. Click here for more of my coverage of Eli.

Hit play on the video below, and you can also check out my recent interview with Eli for The Randy Report podcast.

Gay Teen Leaves Behind Heartbreaking Suicide Note

(stock photo via Pexels)

An article no one ever wants to write.

This past Saturday, in a lengthy Twitter thread, Peter Delacroix shared the story of a gay 17-year-old who had committed suicide as a result of bullying and ridicule.

Delacroix woke up to an email from a teen he referred to as “Max” that was clearly a suicide note. Max was one of a group of queer teenagers that Delacroix counsels as a Youth Pastor at his church.

He immediately rushed to Max’s house, but it was too late. Max had hanged himself, and although CPR was administered, paramedics were unable to save him.

This morning, I found myself up much earlier than usual, so I decided to check my email and just generally screw around on my laptop. During this time, I received an email from one of the queer teens I peer counsel as a Youth Pastor at my church.
1/

— Peter "Little Doc" Delacroix (@DocPeteyJ) May 5, 2018

It was a suicide note. I got there as quick as I could, but I was too late. Max was already dead. He had hanged himself sometime in the ten minutes it took me to get there. CPR was attempted, but he had been anoxic for far too long.
2/

— Peter "Little Doc" Delacroix (@DocPeteyJ) May 5, 2018

Delacroix described young Max as having “the heart of a lion, the soul of a poet and the smile of an angel.” Apparently a budding musician, Delacroix says the 17-year-old’s music could “bring you to tears.”

We have lost an amazing, talented young man, lost his voice amid the howling storm of hatred that finally proved too much even for him.

Max’s grandmother asked Delacroix to share Max’s heartbreaking suicide note with the world. The pastor says he struggled at the request, but eventually shared via Twitter because “I cannot in good conscience silence his last words.”

Repeat - this is being shared by request from Max’s family.

Dear World

You are ugly and dirty and you make me feel ugly and dirty. I have heard all my life that I am a sinner even though I love God and I like to think God loves me too.

I’m sorry Jack that I didn’t kiss you that day. I’m sorry Pastor Pete but please don’t be sad. Mostly I’m sorry Gramma because I know you tried really hard to love me when no one else would. I’m sorry I let you all down. I’m sorry but I’m just tired of all the hate.

I’m tired and want to sleep forever but maybe I will wake up in Heaven and there will be no hate there and only love. No one will call me bad names or hit me or remind me of my accidental place here.

Everyday I watch the news and see the hate against people like me and I realize I have no future. This country I don’t recognize anymore hates me and makes laws to punish me just because I’m gay.

They hate me because I love too much and love too wrong. I learned that my kind of love is bad. I heard it enough to believe it a long time ago.

Everyday someone comes along that tells me that I am worthless and my love, how I love, who I love is an affront to God as if anyone truly knows God’s mind.

I love beautiful things and I cry when they are gone. There is no more beauty left in the world. It has been replaced with this alien thing called hate. Bad people killed all the beautiful things. This is not a world I want to live in.

This is my choice the only choice I was ever given and it is mine alone.

I love you but I won’t miss any of this and I don’t think in the end I will be missed much at all in a world that looks at me like I’m something dirty they found on the bottom of their shoe.

I’m sorry I was weak and that I loved too much.

Max

The pastor did have a final message for Max: “You are wrong about one thing: you *will* be missed, by the entire world, who has been robbed of your beauty.”

And Delacroix had this to say to parents of LGBTQ kids: "Parents, if you have a queer child, hug them and tell them you love them. Do this every day. Tell them they are beautiful and have worth, no matter what anyone else might tell them. Be their armor against hate."

Max’s grandmother has asked those moved by Max’s loss consider donating to The Trevor Project or to a local homeless shelter dedicated to LGBTQ kids.

IMPORTANT: If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress or having suicidal thoughts, please call The Trevor Project 1-866-488-7386 (thetrevorproject.org) or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 (suicidepreventionlifeline.org).

(h/t LGBTQ Nation)

Podcast: Marriage Equality In Chile & Australia; National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month; "Where The Bears Are" Premieres 6th Season

In this week's episode of The Randy Report podcast:

• Progress for marriage equality in Australia and Chile

• Gay and bisexual men are escaping persecution in Chechnya

• Acclaimed web series, "Where The Bears Are," debuts its 6th season

• Facts, figures and more about National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800-273-8255
The Trevor Project’s 24-hour crisis hotline for youth - 1-866-488-7386
The Trans Lifeline - 1-877-565-8860

All that and more on this episode of The Randy Report

News Round-Up: September 1, 2017

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Roberto Caccamo gets a jump start on the weekend. #ThisBeMeIn321

• Four-time Grammy Award winner/out singer-songwriter Sam Smith announces new music due out next week.

• L’Oréal fires transgender model Munroe Bergdorf for speaking out against racism.

• Hollywood is singing the blues as summer comes to an end and the LA Times reports the lowest number of movie tickets sold in the U.S. since 1992.

• Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers says society is getting better about accepting gays in the locker room, but players still have "a fear of job security" if they might come out.

• September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to connect with those affected by suicide and to share resources to better support individuals to prevent suicide. According to a 2016 study by the Center for Disease Control, 43% of lesbian, gay and bisexual high school students seriously considered suicide in the previous 12 months, compared to 15 percent of their heterosexual peers. Find more info at the Human Rights Campaign.

• Dance into the weekend with these new remixes of "Carefully Taught" by Tony/Grammy Award winner Billy Porter and India.Arie. The first is by Quentin Harris, the second by John J-C Carr.

LGBT Teen Suicide Front & Center In Logic's Evocative Music Video "1-800-273-8255"

Dark societal pressures come down heavy on a gay teenager in the new video from Logic titled, "1-800-273-8255."

The title is the actual phone number of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, where those in crisis can find confidential support.

The haunting short film tells the story of a gay teen (played by Coy Stewart) who is slowly coming to terms with his sexuality and his burgeoning relationship with another boy (Modern Family's Nolan Gould).

But the two boy's fathers (played by Don Cheadle and Matthew Modine) are not down with the gay thing, and life begins to spiral out of control.

Throughout the song, Alessia Cara and Khalid are featured offering positive counterpoint to the teen's turmoil.

The track appears on Logic's new album, Everybody, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200.

Watch the evocative video below.

Former NFL Player Ryan O’Callaghan Comes Out

Ryan O’Callaghan

In an deeply personal interview with Outsports, five-season NFL veteran Ryan O’Callaghan (New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs) came out of the closet having conquered years of suicidal thoughts.

O’Callaghan learned very quickly that football was the best place in the world for a gay teenager to hide. The brute, physical nature of the sport went against every stereotype of gay men he knew. At his size, few people would suspect he was gay, and if he was a football player on top of that, he felt his secret would be buried.

"No one is going to assume the big football player is gay," he said. "It’s why a football team is such a good place to hide.

So he dove into football and made a pact with himself: As long as he put on those pads, he was good to go. Once football was over, he’d take a gun to his head and end it all. That was the deal, and he would hold himself to it.

Watch the video interview below, but make sure you head over to the full article here.

Newsweek: Aaron Hernandez Committed Suicide Over Secret Bisexual Life

I'd seen reports earlier today about this theory, but ignored them thinking they were just salacious, tabloid tales.

But when Newsweek is reporting, you sit up and take notice.

He [Hernandez] was convicted in April 2015 for shooting and killing his friend, Odin Lloyd, seemingly without motive. But interviews with multiple law enforcement officials directly involved in the case say Lloyd—a semipro football player who was dating Hernandez’s fiance’s sister at the time—had information the football star did not want out: that he was bisexual.

One of the notes left by Hernandez was to his prison boyfriend, who is now on 24/7 suicide watch, multiple law enforcement sources confirm. Hernandez’s sexuality would, of course, not be relevant save for the fact that an intimate relationship he allegedly had with a male former high school classmate was at the center of the investigation into Lloyd’s murder.

Ernest Wallace, a co-defendant in the Lloyd murder case, told detectives the victim had called Hernandez a “schmoocher,” which was taken by Hernandez and his companions as a gay slur.

Wallace was also recorded saying during a jailhouse visit with Tanya Singleton, Hernandez’s cousin, that he would not have helped Hernandez get rid of the murder weapon—a crime for which he is now serving a 4½-to-7 year sentence on accessory to murder charges—if he had known Hernandez was a “limp wrist,” multiple sources say.

Study: Teen LGB Suicides Dropped Thanks To Marriage Equality

(image via Youth OUTright)

According to a new study published in JAMA Pediatrics today, marriage equality has been linked to decreases in teenage suicide.

In studying suicide among high school students over 17 years, researchers found suicide attempts fell 7% for all high school students.

But, in states that legalized same-sex marriage before the June 2015 Obergefell Supreme Court ruling, suicide among LGB students dropped 14%. States that did not adopt marriage equality saw no change in the statistics.

Suicide ranks 10th in causes of death in the United States, but much higher (number 2) for young people age 10-24. But the numbers are much higher for those students who identify as LGB.

About 1 in 7 heterosexual students (15%) had seriously considered suicide compared to more than 2 in 5 lesbian, gay and bisexual students (43%).

(source)

News Round-Up: November 30, 2016

Fitness model Nick Sandell

Some news stories you may have missed:

• Who can ever get enough of fitness model Nick Sandell?

• After closing all LGBT charities and legally banning sexual lubricants (because they "promote" homosexuality) earlier this year, the government of Tanzania has now banned all HIV/AIDS outreach programs.

• After years of physical and verbal bullying, 13 year old Tyrone Unsworth of Australia committed suicide last week. "Faggot," "fairy," and "gay boy" were daily taunts Tyrone heard at school until he took his own life.

• Donald Trump's pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Rep. Tom Price, opposes same-sex marriage, opposes protections for transgender folks, says LGBT rights cost too much and wants to completely cut off all federal funds for Planned Parenthood. Sounds like a great guy, huh?

• Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is prepping legislation to extend legal protections for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. This is in anticipation of Donald Trump revoking the executive orders by President Obama which has protected over 700K young people to avoid deportation.

• More from calendar season! Today, we've got out singer/songwriter Tom Goss offering up his "beefcake" calendar. Head over to his official website to order.

Utah: Transgender Woman Steps In Front Of Truck After Leaving Suicide Note On Facebook

According to Gay Star News, 26-year-old transgender woman Ashley Hallstrom of Logan, Utah, posted a suicide note on Facebook detailing her journey with depression and ‘lifelong struggle with being transgender,' left her home, and stepped into traffic where she was killed by a truck this past Wednesday.

It seems the police were alerted to Hallstrom's note, but were unable to reach her before she made her fatal decision.

This breaks my heart.

You can read Hallstrom’s suicide note below.

“These are going to be my final words. I can’t stand to live another day, so I’m committing suicide. The reason why I’ve decided to do this is because I’m transgender. For those of you that unsure of what that means, it means that even though I was born in a male body, I am and have always been female. I’ve known I was female for as far back as I can remember. This caused me to become severely depressed from a very young age. From a very young age I was told that people like me are freaks and abominations, that we are sick in the head and society hates us. This made me hate who I was. I tried so hard to be just like everyone else but this isn’t something you can change.

It wasn’t until I was 20 that I found out I wasn’t alone. I had hope that I would finally be able to live as and love who I am. I finally came out as transgender and began transitioning. For the first time in my life I could say I was genuinely happy. Despite this huge change in my life I never completely got over the depression being trans caused me. Everywhere I’d turn I’d see the hated that society had for us. I had already been poisoned by a society that didn’t understand us and, even worse, didn’t want to even try. I saw the pain it caused to people like me and going though this same hurt myself it has just become to much for me to take anymore. I wanted so much to help those going though what I had to because nobody should ever have to feel that they hate their life so much that they want to end it all just so they won’t have to experience another moment of this sadness. I’m not the first to feel this way and sadly I know I won’t be the last.

I’m writing all of this because I’ve need my story to be shared. I don’t want to be just another number of a tragic statistic. People need to know that I’m not just another face of someone they never met. I was alive. I have a family and friends that I love very much and I’m so sorry to them for the hurt this will cause them. I loved being around those that I love. I loved listening to music and singing. I loved going out to eat with friends and enjoying good food. I was a real person. I still want to help people and I believe I still can. Please share my final words. I believe my last words can help make the change that society needs to make so that one day there will be no others like me. Please help make this change because trans people are everywhere. You may never know who you’re hurting until it’s too late. Please help fix society.”

It's important to note that Trans Lifeline, a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to the well being of transgender people in the US, is available via hotline staffed by transgender people for transgender people. They can be contacted: US: (877) 565-8860, Canada: (877) 330-6366.

Dan Savage On The Death Of Transgender Teen Leelah Alcorn

In the aftermath of Ohio transgender teen Leelah Alcorn's suicide, the LGBT community has rallied in her memory.

And none more fervently than Dan Savage, who calls for criminal charges to be brought against the teen's parents:

If Tyler Clemente's roommate could be prosecuted—and he was—then the parents of #LeelahAlcorn can & should be: http://t.co/VC1W4wCQ7k
— Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) December 31, 2014

#LeelahAlcorn's parents threw her in front of that truck. They should be ashamed—but 1st they need to be shamed. Charges should be brought.
— Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) December 31, 2014

.@samueloakford What charges? Child abuse. Neglect. Reckless endangerment. Manslaughter. #LeelahAlcorn
— Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) December 31, 2014

We know that parental hostility & rejection doubles a queer kid's already quadrupled risk of suicide—rejecting your queer kid is abuse.
— Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) December 31, 2014

Speaking to CNN, Leelah's mother Carla Alcorn said, "We told him that we loved him unconditionally. We loved him no matter what. I loved my son. People need to know that I loved him. He was a good kid, a good boy."

Ohio: 17 Year Old Transgender Teenager Commits Suicide, Leaves Heartbreaking Suicide Note

Very sad to read the story of Leelah Alcorn, a 17 year old transgender teenager who committed suicide this past Sunday morning by walking in front of a tractor trailer on the highway.

Leelah struggled with her parents reaction to her coming to the realization that she was trans.

From her suicide note which appeared on her Tumblr account hours after she died:

If you are reading this, it means that I have committed suicide and obviously failed to delete this post from my queue.

Please don’t be sad, it’s for the better. The life I would’ve lived isn’t worth living in… because I’m transgender. I could go into detail explaining why I feel that way, but this note is probably going to be lengthy enough as it is. To put it simply, I feel like a girl trapped in a boy’s body, and I’ve felt that way ever since I was 4. I never knew there was a word for that feeling, nor was it possible for a boy to become a girl, so I never told anyone and I just continued to do traditionally “boyish” things to try to fit in.

When I was 14, I learned what transgender meant and cried of happiness. After 10 years of confusion I finally understood who I was. I immediately told my mom, and she reacted extremely negatively, telling me that it was a phase, that I would never truly be a girl, that God doesn’t make mistakes, that I am wrong. If you are reading this, parents, please don’t tell this to your kids. Even if you are Christian or are against transgender people don’t ever say that to someone, especially your kid. That won’t do anything but make them hate them self. That’s exactly what it did to me.

[snip]

My death needs to mean something. My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide this year. I want someone to look at that number and say “that’s fucked up” and fix it. Fix society. Please.

Goodbye,

(Leelah) Josh Alcorn

In a follow-up post, Leelah apologized to friends and family but had this to say her parents:

Mom and Dad: Fuck you. You can’t just control other people like that. That’s messed up.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or depression there are resources for help:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

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