Told not to say ‘gay’ graduatn speech, he ma his pot anyway - The Washgton Post

Contents:

• THE SOLUTN TO "GAY" INSULTS: FREEDOM OF SPEECH
• “I’M HERE TODAY BEE I’M GAY.”ELLT PAGEIN FEBARY 2014, JUNO AND INCEPTN ACTOR ELLT PAGE ME OUT AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN’S THRIVE NFERENCE LAS VEGAS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SPEECH TOOK PLACE… READ MORE FEB. 2, 20141 VIEWER8 CONTRIBUTORS“I’M HERE TODAY BEE I’M GAY.” LYRICSHELLO! WOW. THANK YOU.THANK YOU CHAD, FOR THOSE KD WORDS AND FOR THE EVEN KR WORK THAT YOU AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATN DO EVERY DAY ON BEHALF OF THE LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENR YOUNG PEOPLE HERE AND ACROSS AMERI.IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO BE HERE AT THE GURAL TIME TO THRIVE NFERENCE. BUT 'S A LTLE WEIRD, TOO. HERE I AM, THIS ROOM BEE OF AN ANIZATN WHOSE WORK THAT I EPLY, EPLY ADMIRE. AND I’M SURROUND BY PEOPLE WHO MAKE THEIR LIFE’S WORK TO MAKE OTHER PEOPLE'S LIV BETTER— PROFOUNDLY BETTER. SOME OF YOU TEACH YOUNG PEOPLE. SOME OF YOU HELP YOUNG PEOPLE HEAL AND TO FD THEIR VOICE. SOME OF YOU LISTEN. SOME OF YOU TAKE ACTN. SOME OF YOU ARE YOUNG PEOPLE YOURSELV… WHICH SE, ’S EVEN WEIRR FOR A PERSON LIKE ME TO BE SPEAKG TO YOU.IT'S WEIRD BEE HERE I AM, AN ACTRS, REPRENTG—AT LEAST SOME SENSE—AN DTRY THAT PLAC CSHG STANDARDS ON ALL OF . AND NOT JT YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT EVERYONE. STANDARDS OF BETY. OF A GOOD LIFE. OF SUCCS. STANDARDS THAT, I HATE TO ADM, HAVE AFFECTED ME. YOU HAVE IAS PLANTED YOUR HEAD, THOUGHTS YOU NEVER HAD BEFORE, THAT TELL YOU HOW YOU HAVE TO ACT, HOW YOU HAVE TO DRS AND WHO YOU HAVE TO BE. AND I HAVE BEEN TRYG TO PH BACK, TO BE THENTIC, TO FOLLOW MY HEART, BUT N BE HARD.BUT THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. IN THIS ROOM, ALL OF YOU, ALL OF , N DO SO MUCH MORE TOGETHER THAN ANY ONE PERSON N DO ALONE. AND I HOPE THAT THOUGHT BOLSTERS YOU AS MUCH AS DO ME. I HOPE THAT THE WORKSHOPS YOU’LL GO TO OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS GIVE YOU STRENGTH. BEE I N ONLY IMAGE THAT THERE ARE DAYS—WHEN YOU'VE WORKED LONGER HOURS THAN YOUR BOSS REALIZ OR R ABOUT, JT TO HELP A KID YOU KNOW N MAKE . DAYS WHERE YOU FEEL PLETELY ALONE, UNRMED, OR HOPELS.I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE THIS ROOM WHO GO TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY AND GET TREATED LIKE SH FOR NO REASON. OR YOU GO HOME AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU N'T TELL YOUR PARENTS THE WHOLE TTH ABOUT YOURSELF. BEYOND PUTTG YOURSELF ONE BOX OR ANOTHER, YOU WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE. ABOUT LLEGE OR WORK OR EVEN YOUR PHYSIL SAFETY. TRYG TO CREATE THAT MENTAL PICTURE OF YOUR LIFE—OF WHAT ON EARTH IS GOG TO HAPPEN TO YOU—N CSH YOU A LTLE B EVERY DAY. IT IS TOXIC AND PAFUL AND EPLY UNFAIR.SOMETIM 'S THE LTLE, SIGNIFINT STUFF THAT N TEAR YOU DOWN. I TRY NOT TO READ GOSSIP AS A LE, BUT THE OTHER DAY A WEBSE RAN AN ARTICLE WH A PICTURE OF ME WEARG SWEATPANTS ON THE WAY TO THE GYM. THE WRER ASKED, “WHY DO [THIS] PETE BETY SIST UPON DRSG LIKE A MASSIVE MAN?”*PSE*BEE I LIKE TO BE FORTABLE. THERE ARE PERVASIVE STEREOTYP ABOUT MASCULY AND FEMY THAT FE HOW WE ARE ALL SUPPOSED TO ACT, DRS AND SPEAK. THEY SERVE NO ONE. ANYONE WHO FI THE SO-LLED ‘NORMS’ BE WORTHY OF MENT AND SCTY. THE LGBT MUNY KNOWS THIS ALL TOO WELL.YET THERE IS URAGE ALL AROUND . THE FOOTBALL HERO, MICHAEL SAM. THE ACTRS, LAVERNE COX. THE MICIANS TEGAN AND SARA QUN. THE FAY THAT SUPPORTS THEIR DGHTER OR SON WHO HAS E OUT. AND THERE IS URAGE THIS ROOM. ALL OF YOU.I’M SPIRED TO BE THIS ROOM BEE EVERY SGLE ONE OF YOU IS HERE FOR THE SAME REASON.YOU’RE HERE BEE YOU’VE ADOPTED AS A RE MOTIVATN THE SIMPLE FACT THAT THIS WORLD WOULD BE A WHOLE LOT BETTER IF WE JT MA AN EFFORT TO BE LS HORRIBLE TO ONE ANOTHER. IF WE TOOK JT 5 MUT TO REGNIZE EACH OTHER’S BETY, STEAD OF ATTACKG EACH OTHER FOR OUR DIFFERENC. THAT’S NOT HARD. IT’S REALLY AN EASIER AND BETTER WAY TO LIVE. AND ULTIMATELY, SAV LIV.THEN AGA, ’S NOT EASY AT ALL. IT N BE THE HARST THG, BEE LOVG OTHER PEOPLE STARTS WH LOVG OURSELV AND ACCEPTG OURSELV. I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE STGGLED WH THIS. I DRAW UPON YOUR STRENGTH AND YOUR SUPPORT, AND HAVE, WAYS YOU WILL NEVER KNOW.I’M HERE TODAY BEE I AM GAY. AND BEE… MAYBE I N MAKE A DIFFERENCE. TO HELP OTHERS HAVE AN EASIER AND MORE HOPEFUL TIME. REGARDLS, FOR ME, I FEEL A PERSONAL OBLIGATN AND A SOCIAL RPONSIBILY.I ALSO DO SELFISHLY, BEE I AM TIRED OF HIDG AND I AM TIRED OF LYG BY OMISSN. I SUFFERED FOR YEARS BEE I WAS SRED TO BE OUT. MY SPIR SUFFERED, MY MENTAL HEALTH SUFFERED AND MY RELATNSHIPS SUFFERED. AND I’M STANDG HERE TODAY, WH ALL OF YOU, ON THE OTHER SI OF ALL THAT PA. I AM YOUNG, Y, BUT WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT LOVE, THE BETY OF , THE JOY OF AND Y, EVEN THE PA OF , IS THE MOST CREDIBLE GIFT TO GIVE AND TO RECEIVE AS A HUMAN BEG. AND WE SERVE TO EXPERIENCE LOVE FULLY, EQUALLY, WHOUT SHAME AND WHOUT PROMISE.THERE ARE TOO MANY KIDS OUT THERE SUFFERG OM BULLYG, REJECTN, OR SIMPLY BEG MISTREATED BEE OF WHO THEY ARE. TOO MANY DROPOUTS. TOO MUCH ABE. TOO MANY HOMELS. TOO MANY SUICIS. YOU N CHANGE THAT AND YOU ARE CHANGG .BUT YOU NEVER NEED ME TO TELL YOU THAT. THAT’S WHY THIS WAS A LTLE B WEIRD. THE ONLY THG I N REALLY SAY IS WHAT I’VE BEEN BUILDG UP TO FOR THE PAST FIVE MUT. THANK YOU. THANK FOR SPIRG ME. THANK YOU FOR GIVG ME HOPE, AND PLEASE KEEP CHANGG THE WORLD FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME.HAPPY VALENTE’S DAY. I LOVE YOU.22EMBEDCANCELHOW TO FORMAT LYRICS:TYPE OUT ALL LYRICS, EVEN REPEATG SONG PARTS LIKE THE CHOSLYRICS SHOULD BE BROKEN DOWN TO DIVIDUAL LUSE SECTN HEARS ABOVE DIFFERENT SONG PARTS LIKE [VERSE], [CHOS], ETC.USE ALICS (<I>LYRIC</I>) AND BOLD (<B>LYRIC</B>) TO DISTGUISH BETWEEN DIFFERENT VOLISTS THE SAME SONG PARTIF YOU DON’T UNRSTAND A LYRIC, E [?]TO LEARN MORE, CHECK OUT OUR TRANSCRIPTN GUI OR VIS OUR TRANSCRIBERS FOMABOUTGENI ANNOTATN3 NTRIBUTORSIN FEBARY 2014, JUNO AND INCEPTN ACTOR ELLT PAGE ME OUT AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN’S THRIVE NFERENCE LAS VEGAS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SPEECH TOOK PLACE BEFORE PAGE ME OUT AS TRANSGENR DECEMBER 2020.EXPAND +2SHAREASK A QUTN ABOUT THIS SONGASK A QUTN *‌WHEN DID ELLT PAGE RELEASE “"I'M HERE TODAY BEE I'M GAY."”?CREDSRELEASE DATEFEBARY 2, 2014TAGSNON-MICNEWS EXPAND COMMENTSADD A MENTSIGN UP AND DROP KNOWLEDGE ?GENI IS THE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF MIC KNOWLEDGE, CREATED BY SCHOLARS LIKE YOU WHO SHARE FACTS AND SIGHT ABOUT THE SONGS AND ARTISTS THEY LOVE.SIGN UPGENI IS THE WORLD’S BIGGT LLECTN OF SONG LYRICS AND MIL KNOWLEDGE
• WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT A SEEMGLY FAKE DOCUMENT A GAY RIGHTS CASE
• LETTERS TO THE EDOR: I’M GAY AND DON’T WANT TO PATRONIZE BIGOTS. THANKS, SUPREME COURT
• THE GAY VOICE
• TOLD NOT TO SAY ‘GAY’ GRADUATN SPEECH, HE MA HIS POT ANYWAY
• WHAT MEANS TO ‘SOUND GAY’

THE SOLUTN TO "GAY" INSULTS: FREEDOM OF SPEECH

There was a recent high profile story the news about an 11-year-old boy who mted suici, apparently bee he uld no longer tolerate beg lled “gay. The most mon sult among kids today is “gay. " Kids get mad when they are lled gay and they sometim get to fights.

I have great passn for gays. What is one to do when lled gay?

“I’M HERE TODAY BEE I’M GAY.”ELLT PAGEIN FEBARY 2014, JUNO AND INCEPTN ACTOR ELLT PAGE ME OUT AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN’S THRIVE NFERENCE LAS VEGAS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SPEECH TOOK PLACE… READ MORE FEB. 2, 20141 VIEWER8 CONTRIBUTORS“I’M HERE TODAY BEE I’M GAY.” LYRICSHELLO! WOW. THANK YOU.THANK YOU CHAD, FOR THOSE KD WORDS AND FOR THE EVEN KR WORK THAT YOU AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATN DO EVERY DAY ON BEHALF OF THE LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENR YOUNG PEOPLE HERE AND ACROSS AMERI.IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO BE HERE AT THE GURAL TIME TO THRIVE NFERENCE. BUT 'S A LTLE WEIRD, TOO. HERE I AM, THIS ROOM BEE OF AN ANIZATN WHOSE WORK THAT I EPLY, EPLY ADMIRE. AND I’M SURROUND BY PEOPLE WHO MAKE THEIR LIFE’S WORK TO MAKE OTHER PEOPLE'S LIV BETTER— PROFOUNDLY BETTER. SOME OF YOU TEACH YOUNG PEOPLE. SOME OF YOU HELP YOUNG PEOPLE HEAL AND TO FD THEIR VOICE. SOME OF YOU LISTEN. SOME OF YOU TAKE ACTN. SOME OF YOU ARE YOUNG PEOPLE YOURSELV… WHICH SE, ’S EVEN WEIRR FOR A PERSON LIKE ME TO BE SPEAKG TO YOU.IT'S WEIRD BEE HERE I AM, AN ACTRS, REPRENTG—AT LEAST SOME SENSE—AN DTRY THAT PLAC CSHG STANDARDS ON ALL OF . AND NOT JT YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT EVERYONE. STANDARDS OF BETY. OF A GOOD LIFE. OF SUCCS. STANDARDS THAT, I HATE TO ADM, HAVE AFFECTED ME. YOU HAVE IAS PLANTED YOUR HEAD, THOUGHTS YOU NEVER HAD BEFORE, THAT TELL YOU HOW YOU HAVE TO ACT, HOW YOU HAVE TO DRS AND WHO YOU HAVE TO BE. AND I HAVE BEEN TRYG TO PH BACK, TO BE THENTIC, TO FOLLOW MY HEART, BUT N BE HARD.BUT THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. IN THIS ROOM, ALL OF YOU, ALL OF , N DO SO MUCH MORE TOGETHER THAN ANY ONE PERSON N DO ALONE. AND I HOPE THAT THOUGHT BOLSTERS YOU AS MUCH AS DO ME. I HOPE THAT THE WORKSHOPS YOU’LL GO TO OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS GIVE YOU STRENGTH. BEE I N ONLY IMAGE THAT THERE ARE DAYS—WHEN YOU'VE WORKED LONGER HOURS THAN YOUR BOSS REALIZ OR R ABOUT, JT TO HELP A KID YOU KNOW N MAKE . DAYS WHERE YOU FEEL PLETELY ALONE, UNRMED, OR HOPELS.I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE THIS ROOM WHO GO TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY AND GET TREATED LIKE SH FOR NO REASON. OR YOU GO HOME AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU N'T TELL YOUR PARENTS THE WHOLE TTH ABOUT YOURSELF. BEYOND PUTTG YOURSELF ONE BOX OR ANOTHER, YOU WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE. ABOUT LLEGE OR WORK OR EVEN YOUR PHYSIL SAFETY. TRYG TO CREATE THAT MENTAL PICTURE OF YOUR LIFE—OF WHAT ON EARTH IS GOG TO HAPPEN TO YOU—N CSH YOU A LTLE B EVERY DAY. IT IS TOXIC AND PAFUL AND EPLY UNFAIR.SOMETIM 'S THE LTLE, SIGNIFINT STUFF THAT N TEAR YOU DOWN. I TRY NOT TO READ GOSSIP AS A LE, BUT THE OTHER DAY A WEBSE RAN AN ARTICLE WH A PICTURE OF ME WEARG SWEATPANTS ON THE WAY TO THE GYM. THE WRER ASKED, “WHY DO [THIS] PETE BETY SIST UPON DRSG LIKE A MASSIVE MAN?”*PSE*BEE I LIKE TO BE FORTABLE. THERE ARE PERVASIVE STEREOTYP ABOUT MASCULY AND FEMY THAT FE HOW WE ARE ALL SUPPOSED TO ACT, DRS AND SPEAK. THEY SERVE NO ONE. ANYONE WHO FI THE SO-LLED ‘NORMS’ BE WORTHY OF MENT AND SCTY. THE LGBT MUNY KNOWS THIS ALL TOO WELL.YET THERE IS URAGE ALL AROUND . THE FOOTBALL HERO, MICHAEL SAM. THE ACTRS, LAVERNE COX. THE MICIANS TEGAN AND SARA QUN. THE FAY THAT SUPPORTS THEIR DGHTER OR SON WHO HAS E OUT. AND THERE IS URAGE THIS ROOM. ALL OF YOU.I’M SPIRED TO BE THIS ROOM BEE EVERY SGLE ONE OF YOU IS HERE FOR THE SAME REASON.YOU’RE HERE BEE YOU’VE ADOPTED AS A RE MOTIVATN THE SIMPLE FACT THAT THIS WORLD WOULD BE A WHOLE LOT BETTER IF WE JT MA AN EFFORT TO BE LS HORRIBLE TO ONE ANOTHER. IF WE TOOK JT 5 MUT TO REGNIZE EACH OTHER’S BETY, STEAD OF ATTACKG EACH OTHER FOR OUR DIFFERENC. THAT’S NOT HARD. IT’S REALLY AN EASIER AND BETTER WAY TO LIVE. AND ULTIMATELY, SAV LIV.THEN AGA, ’S NOT EASY AT ALL. IT N BE THE HARST THG, BEE LOVG OTHER PEOPLE STARTS WH LOVG OURSELV AND ACCEPTG OURSELV. I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE STGGLED WH THIS. I DRAW UPON YOUR STRENGTH AND YOUR SUPPORT, AND HAVE, WAYS YOU WILL NEVER KNOW.I’M HERE TODAY BEE I AM GAY. AND BEE… MAYBE I N MAKE A DIFFERENCE. TO HELP OTHERS HAVE AN EASIER AND MORE HOPEFUL TIME. REGARDLS, FOR ME, I FEEL A PERSONAL OBLIGATN AND A SOCIAL RPONSIBILY.I ALSO DO SELFISHLY, BEE I AM TIRED OF HIDG AND I AM TIRED OF LYG BY OMISSN. I SUFFERED FOR YEARS BEE I WAS SRED TO BE OUT. MY SPIR SUFFERED, MY MENTAL HEALTH SUFFERED AND MY RELATNSHIPS SUFFERED. AND I’M STANDG HERE TODAY, WH ALL OF YOU, ON THE OTHER SI OF ALL THAT PA. I AM YOUNG, Y, BUT WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS THAT LOVE, THE BETY OF , THE JOY OF AND Y, EVEN THE PA OF , IS THE MOST CREDIBLE GIFT TO GIVE AND TO RECEIVE AS A HUMAN BEG. AND WE SERVE TO EXPERIENCE LOVE FULLY, EQUALLY, WHOUT SHAME AND WHOUT PROMISE.THERE ARE TOO MANY KIDS OUT THERE SUFFERG OM BULLYG, REJECTN, OR SIMPLY BEG MISTREATED BEE OF WHO THEY ARE. TOO MANY DROPOUTS. TOO MUCH ABE. TOO MANY HOMELS. TOO MANY SUICIS. YOU N CHANGE THAT AND YOU ARE CHANGG .BUT YOU NEVER NEED ME TO TELL YOU THAT. THAT’S WHY THIS WAS A LTLE B WEIRD. THE ONLY THG I N REALLY SAY IS WHAT I’VE BEEN BUILDG UP TO FOR THE PAST FIVE MUT. THANK YOU. THANK FOR SPIRG ME. THANK YOU FOR GIVG ME HOPE, AND PLEASE KEEP CHANGG THE WORLD FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME.HAPPY VALENTE’S DAY. I LOVE YOU.22EMBEDCANCELHOW TO FORMAT LYRICS:TYPE OUT ALL LYRICS, EVEN REPEATG SONG PARTS LIKE THE CHOSLYRICS SHOULD BE BROKEN DOWN TO DIVIDUAL LUSE SECTN HEARS ABOVE DIFFERENT SONG PARTS LIKE [VERSE], [CHOS], ETC.USE ALICS (<I>LYRIC</I>) AND BOLD (<B>LYRIC</B>) TO DISTGUISH BETWEEN DIFFERENT VOLISTS THE SAME SONG PARTIF YOU DON’T UNRSTAND A LYRIC, E [?]TO LEARN MORE, CHECK OUT OUR TRANSCRIPTN GUI OR VIS OUR TRANSCRIBERS FOMABOUTGENI ANNOTATN3 NTRIBUTORSIN FEBARY 2014, JUNO AND INCEPTN ACTOR ELLT PAGE ME OUT AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN’S THRIVE NFERENCE LAS VEGAS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SPEECH TOOK PLACE BEFORE PAGE ME OUT AS TRANSGENR DECEMBER 2020.EXPAND +2SHAREASK A QUTN ABOUT THIS SONGASK A QUTN *‌WHEN DID ELLT PAGE RELEASE “"I'M HERE TODAY BEE I'M GAY."”?CREDSRELEASE DATEFEBARY 2, 2014TAGSNON-MICNEWS EXPAND COMMENTSADD A MENTSIGN UP AND DROP KNOWLEDGE ?GENI IS THE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF MIC KNOWLEDGE, CREATED BY SCHOLARS LIKE YOU WHO SHARE FACTS AND SIGHT ABOUT THE SONGS AND ARTISTS THEY LOVE.SIGN UPGENI IS THE WORLD’S BIGGT LLECTN OF SONG LYRICS AND MIL KNOWLEDGE

Many anti-bully activists sist that anti-bully laws should specifilly mentn sults agast gays and those of non-heterosexual orientns.

If be a crime to sult people, then, is hoped, no one will be attacked wh the “gay” sult, and the associated vlence will disappear.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT A SEEMGLY FAKE DOCUMENT A GAY RIGHTS CASE

One of the problems wh makg illegal to ll someone “gay” is that vlat the First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech. The tth is that society has e a long way recent s toward rcg hatred and discrimatn agast gays.

LETTERS TO THE EDOR: I’M GAY AND DON’T WANT TO PATRONIZE BIGOTS. THANKS, SUPREME COURT

However, will be a while–if ever–before anti-gay sentiment disappears pletely. So what is one to do when lled gay? Usg laws to punish people for g “gay” as an sult is not likely to solve the problem, eher.

If people get punished for sultg gays, do you thk they are gog to thk, “Now I rpect gays so much bee I was punished”? We n al wh gay sults all by ourselv, and at the same time help rce prejudice society.

THE GAY VOICE

Scenar Number One: I am not gay, but you ll me gay. You: You are soooo gay! Everyone knows you’re gay!

TOLD NOT TO SAY ‘GAY’ GRADUATN SPEECH, HE MA HIS POT ANYWAY

You’re flamg gay!

Stop llg me gay! I’m gog to keep on llg you gay until you adm ’s te! You ll me gay one more time and I’ll have no choice!

You: Gay, gay, gay, gay, gay! Me: How e you thk I’m gay? What about me do you thk mak me look gay?

WHAT MEANS TO ‘SOUND GAY’

Only gays would wear pants like that. You: Well, they mt have been gay. You: Only gays like old movi.

Scenar Number Two: I am gay and have “e out, ” and you hate gays wh a passn. The Bible says all gays are gog to burn hell!

It was wrten by homophobic men! You: Yeah, go ahead, you gay sissy!