Australia’s leading gay and lesbian newspaper Est.
1979 www.
starobserver.
com.
au Issue 1027 Wednesday 23 June 2010
Gay slurs
led to
suicideAndrew M.
Potts
Homphobobictauntsplayedasignificant
role in the suicide of a 14-year-old boy, a...
More
Australia’s leading gay and lesbian newspaper Est.
1979 www.
starobserver.
com.
au Issue 1027 Wednesday 23 June 2010
Gay slurs
led to
suicideAndrew M.
Potts
Homphobobictauntsplayedasignificant
role in the suicide of a 14-year-old boy, a
coronialinquesthasfound.
On July 25 2008 Kadina High School
student Alex Wildman was found dead
in the garage of his Lismore home.
Two
days earlier, months of harassment by
other students culminated in Wildman
being struck in the head while two other
boysheldhishairandagroupofstudents
lookedon.
Just months earlier students had left
homophobic messages on MySpace,
callinghimgayandafaggot.
“Why you go back out [sic] with that
faggot … I hope he dies in a hole,” one
messagesaid.
Alex was also bullied at Sydney high
schools before moving to the north coast
inabidtoescapethehomophobictaunts,
theinquestheard.
Handing down his finding last
week, Deputy State Coroner Malcolm
MacPherson recommended the NSW
Education Department ensure high
schools with mor
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