Poor Leelah!

a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

Putting a child molester in there is a horrible disservice to those that suffer from mental illness. The child molester will not fall into a depression from not having a victim. He will simply plot and plan to get one. Child molestation is NOT an illness in the normal way of thinking. It is a sexual deviation. It is a CHOICE in your sex partners. The fact that you are ruining a child's life doesn't come into play while you are getting gratification. You are being selfish to the umpteenth degree and don't care who you hurt in the process of doing it. This is the same thinking that goes into ' serial killers must be mentally ill'. Well they do things that others wouldn't have the stomach for for sure,but that does not make them ill. They do it for gratification again. Hurting and terrorizing their victims is just icing on the cake for them. Are they normal? Nope,but not being normal doesn't necessarily make you sick. It just makes you different in a bad way.

a reply to: Dimithae


Sorry, gotta disagree with you.
You will see the word pedophilia in the definition.


sexual deviation
Word Origin
noun
1.
paraphilia.
paraphilia
[par-uh-fil-ee-uh] Spell Syllables
noun, Psychiatry.
1.
a type of mental disorder characterized by a preference for or obsession with unusual sexual practices, as pedophilia, sadomasochism, or exhibitionism.
Expand
Also called sexual deviation.



Here's a link to the page.

dictionary.reference.com...

a reply to: Hoosierdaddy71

Okay,now look what you posted. Mental disorder,sexual deviation.Like I said. They are not calling it an illness. We ALL have some type of mental disorder.No one is immune. When you ask a professional what is 'normal',they can't give much of a straight up answer. Just mumble about society's norms.

originally posted by: Unity_99
The kid in question was too depressed and far gone to be able to think about the truck driver's feelings at that time. When you're in that kind of an anguished pit, you are in an altered state and not capable of thinking the way you did, understanding consequences. I really hope you never reach that state. We had suicides in the extended family, ie my two oldest half brother, and aquaintance who hung herself as well. And I attempted suicide years ago, and you're not in normal mode of thinking, you can't see any alternative either, its an extreme place to be in.

This. I find it rather appalling that anyone would start a rant thread titled "Poor Leelah" and go on to basically bash this poor kid.

Maybe if more people had love and understanding for those who are different, rather than icy stares and hateful words, this world would be a better place and things like this wouldn't happen. To anyone.

As far as the trucker goes, I feel terrible for him, his family, and anyone else who has been affected. I think everyone feels the same way. Starting a rant thread and venting your feelings is your right, but it's harsh.

What if this was your KID? What if your son or daughter came to you and said I think I'm really a man/woman? How would you react? Would you do what Leelah's parents did and try to pray the problem away?

If this were my kid? I'd have him/her at a top notch doc for a head to toe physical, blood work, hormone work up, CT scan of the pelvis, psych consult, etc. After gathering all that info, I'd sit down with said docs and come up with a plan that would make my KID whole again. Regardless if that's intensive psychotherapy, hormone treatments, whatever. But I'd also make sure my kid was in agreement, since it's his or her body and mind, after all.

I'd do whatever it took to avoid this outcome.

So, instead of blaming a 17 year old kid for causing anguish to this trucker, how about you put some of that hate and blame towards her ridiculous parents, the school, and all the bullies who no doubt played a major role in this kid's death.

Btw, this hits real close to home. Geographically wise. Maybe that's why I feel the way I do about it. It's a shame this kid walked from his home to I-71 and jumped in front of a truck. Guess the bridge was just too far or he was too far gone and wanted it done even faster. But I'd bet that's where he was originally headed and changed his mind on the way.

Jeremiah Morrow Bridge

a reply to: lovebeck

I have sympathy for Joshua and all transgender people - they're people!
I don't differentiate if possible so there's no animosity towards them.
But what is this really about here?
Transgender have high suicide rates and face social rejection.
In a perfect world everyone would say "fine, be whoever you want".
Yet we are a species created and maintained by traditional male - female roles.
They say "we have to fix society".
Fix what exactly?
Asking everyone to accept transgender is impossible because it's not the natural order of things.
People are not going to abandon male -female distinctions and roles.
It's not the world's fault they can't swallow people wanting to change their gender.
Like anything in life if you feel strongly enough you will do what it takes.
That includes putting up and with understanding why they are being taunted or harassed for being transgender.

FTR - we don't have any proof of bullying with Joshua, only the non-acceptance of his parents.
As a parent myself I don't know how I would handle it BUT I can understand their resistance.
Christian counseling is not only their right as parents but responsibility.
Like all parents they were trying to act in the best interests of the child they loved.
Laying blame on his parents is also pretty vicious (if you can imagine your child blaming YOU for their suicide - you MADE me do mom and dad - try living with that)

As for the spin on this:
Why do all the articles I can find all refer to him as a "her"?
WHy do they call him Leelah except to say he was called Joshua by his parents or in another article "his given name"?
Saying you want to have a different name doesn't make it happen.
If wanting made things true I might be a rich man.

Joshua's cries for compassion ring hollow when it's at the expense of someone else who the story conveniently overlooks as well as placing the blame on his parents.

As far as I'm Concerned,,, Just So Damn Tragic. Really,,, Religion just claimed another Life in the Name of Our Father The Son and The Holy Ghost!
No Compassion or Caring for the Feeling of your own Child,,,, you need to step back from your beliefs.
Lets face it,,
Actually, I Blame Religion for his death and the truck drivers turama and shatter life.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

I know someone who's daughter was BF w/LEELAH. Have you noticed the only people who are coming forward to talk about this are the parents? The mom is pushing her religion agenda, and her "story" is complete BS. She's only worried about her image, how she looks in the church and in the media.

More will come out later, once they have LEELAH's service since that's what the mom appears to be holding over her friends' heads. And, btw, yes this poor kid was bullied. By school mates, peers, parents, and society.

My friend and her family are devastated by this suicide. I'd tell her to come here and share, but with all the NASTY and terrible things that have been posted, there's no way I'd do that to her.

originally posted by: guohua
As far as I'm Concerned,,, Just So Damn Tragic. Really,,, Religion just claimed another Life in the Name of Our Father The Son and The Holy Ghost!
No Compassion or Caring for the Feeling of your own Child,,,, you need to step back from your beliefs.
Lets face it,,
Actually, I Blame Religion for his death and the truck drivers turama and shatter life.

That's the just of it, if you want to be honest. The mo had her in CONVERSION therapy. Can't brainwash who people are.

originally posted by: lovebeck

originally posted by: guohua
As far as I'm Concerned,,, Just So Damn Tragic. Really,,, Religion just claimed another Life in the Name of Our Father The Son and The Holy Ghost!
No Compassion or Caring for the Feeling of your own Child,,,, you need to step back from your beliefs.
Lets face it,,
Actually, I Blame Religion for his death and the truck drivers turama and shatter life.

That's the just of it, if you want to be honest. The mo had her in CONVERSION therapy. Can't brainwash who people are.

I understand the parent's motivations but often they are clueless as to the nature of some religious practices ("Conversion therapy"). They cross a line in to cultic behavior like the Jesus camps for troubled teens. That can be very close to torture, not physically but mentally and emotionally.

Is this what happens when transgender kids collide with a closed religious group? It may have been a psychologically shattering experience for Joshua I will admit. What happens inside there needs to be looked at closely as some can be pretty benign and lecture on the sin aspect while others try to cast out demons. I've seen it firsthand and it's very bizarre.

originally posted by: Asktheanimals

originally posted by: lovebeck

originally posted by: guohua
As far as I'm Concerned,,, Just So Damn Tragic. Really,,, Religion just claimed another Life in the Name of Our Father The Son and The Holy Ghost!
No Compassion or Caring for the Feeling of your own Child,,,, you need to step back from your beliefs.
Lets face it,,
Actually, I Blame Religion for his death and the truck drivers turama and shatter life.

That's the just of it, if you want to be honest. The mo had her in CONVERSION therapy. Can't brainwash who people are.

I understand the parent's motivations but often they are clueless as to the nature of some religious practices ("Conversion therapy"). They cross a line in to cultic behavior like the Jesus camps for troubled teens. That can be very close to torture, not physically but mentally and emotionally.

Is this what happens when transgender kids collide with a closed religious group? It may have been a psychologically shattering experience for Joshua I will admit. What happens inside there needs to be looked at closely as some can be pretty benign and lecture on the sin aspect while others try to cast out demons. I've seen it firsthand and it's very bizarre.

So, you understand the parents' motivation is their image in their church?

Not that their kid just committed suicide in a very violent and traumatic manner...They just want to make sure their side of the story is heard. And, the mom saying Leelah only came to her once about feeling like a girl trapped in a boy's body is complete BS.

She seems to only be worried about herself. It appears she wasn't truly worried about Leelah's needs and well being when she was here and she isn't now. Parents who actually give a crap and care about their kids, who love their kids, will go to the ends of the Earth to help them, no matter what. This set of parents don't seem to have done that and aren't doing it now.