A PLEA to PARENTS REGARDING LOCAL TEEN SUICIDES:

I would like to plead with parents, friends, and our local community.  This week my heart aches again as another gay youth took his own life in our community.  Utah is rated the highest in the nation for teen suicides, 8 times the national average.  Our local community and churches do not always make it easy to openly accept our LGBT (lesbian, gay, transgender, and bi-sexual) friends, family members, and loved ones.  The bullying and suicides need to stop. Parents please do not let outside influences tell you that your gay child is evil or broken.  Follow your heart.  If your child can not feel loved in their own home, how can they ever feel loved by anyone else? I am the proud mother of an amazing gay son.  I can't image not accepting him because of his sexual identity.  God sent me wonderful children to love unconditionally. I am hoping that one parent out there will read this letter and rethink their position with their gay child. Have you thought to yourself that your child could be the next statistic in our community? The journey for acceptance is baby steps.  Please take the first step and let your LGBT loved one know that you may not fully understand this yet, but you are willing to take the baby steps to try. There are organizations in our community which are great resources for parents and youth:  www.ogdenoutreach.org and www.ogdenpflag.org.

Sincerely,

Allison Black