Courtesy of the Advocate:
A 19-year-old gay man is safe and staying with a family friend in Atlanta, Georgia, after suffering physical and verbal abuse at the hands of his stepmother, father, and grandparents when he told them he was gay.
Daniel Pierce filmed his family's reaction to his confirmation that he was gay in chilling first-hand look at the violence and rejection that can result when parents don't accept their child's sexual orientation.
I don't think I have heard of too many episodes of a child coming out to their parents that has gone much worse than this one did. They actually hit this young man and called him a "queer."
Though perhaps the most chilling part for me was hearing the family say that they do not care about what science has determined because they place their faith in God, and God would not create him that way.
For those who are concerned about Daniel, and the long term effects this might have on him, this should help you to feel a little better.
Courtesy of The Daily Mail:
A 20-year-old who was kicked out by his religious parents after he came out as gay has received almost $50,000 in donations to help him start a new life.
Daniel Ashley Pierce, from Kennesaw, Georgia, secretly filmed the moment he was disowned by his family and the YouTube video has attracted almost two million views in two days.
The five-minute clip titled 'How not to react when your child tells you that he's gay' has prompted hundreds of supportive responses on YouTube and donations have been pouring in.
This kind of ignorance of sexuality in this day and age is inexcusable, but when you find it you can be sure there is going to be a religious component interfering with their logic.
The parents sound scared. Instead of trying to understand, they react. Probably had been that way all of this young man's life. If their faith is so in the Bible, they need to really understand who Jesus' companions were.
ReplyDeleteScience trumps the word of god... He and or the family didn't all die in unison. Hocus pocus didn't work.
ReplyDeleteDeep thought:
ReplyDeleteAtheism did not bring about discrimination protections for religion in the US, it was the many sects of Christianity who just couldn't get along.
His gofundme is up to $93,800 now... way to go caring people!
ReplyDeleteAnother instance of proof positive parenting doesn't come naturally to all.
I would like to the opportunity to thank each and everyone of you who has so generously donated. My intent is to pay if forward and hopefully turn something so negative into something positive. I will do my best to value the gift I have been given by so many of you. Thank you for your love and support.
DeleteIf you would still like to make a donation please consider donating to Lost-N-Found Youth in Atlanta... they have been an amazing support and resource through this difficult time.
http://www.lost-n-found.org
Sincerely
Daniel
http://www.gofundme.com/dnoqgg
How could anyone treat their own child this way? Whether or not they're comfortable with homosexuality, whether or not they're religious and think homosexuality is wrong, how could they treat their own child like this? Their own flesh and blood, a person they've raised and presumably loved since birth... I just don't get it... :(
ReplyDeleteSeriously? This surprises you? Parents do this and much worse things to their children every day. There's nothing sacred about blood ties, especially when your mind is all fucked up by fundamentalism. Look what fathers do to their daughters in India and the Middle East for offenses like refusing to marry some scumbag already picked out for them. The only thing that surprises me in this video is the courage of the son in the face of his hateful parents. What gave him the courage is what he learned in SCIENCE classes.
DeleteReligion teaches hate and teaches that religion is an excuse to hate.
DeleteBefore I retired. I had a boss who was a fundie. He actually HATED me because I was openly atheist. He had a gorgeous young daughter of sixteen at this time. Highly intelligent and wise beyond her years.
DeleteI asked him what he would do if he ever found out she was a lesbian. (Practically everyone at work knew she was an admitted lesbian and she was quite happy with the idea. The only people there who DIDN'T know about her were the other fundies who worked there. She was a very bright girl!)
Anyway, he answered my question by saying "Not that it's any of your ignorant non-believing ass's business, but I would throw her out of the house naked and write her out of the family!"
She told him after her graduation. He did exactly what he said he would. He stripped her completely and literally threw her out of the house then called the police and had her arrested for lewd and lascivious behavior. (Being naked outside)
Her sisters went to the police station, picked her up her out and took her in. (She was never booked. The officer who came for her wrapped her in a blanket and took her to the station to make certain she was safe.) The sisters then went to the house and began to pack her clothes. When he began to yell at them for stealing the clothes of their dead sister, THEY threw HIM out. He called the police and they refused to come to his place saying the clothes were the daughter's personal property and his denying her that property was essentially theft on his part.
That is one loud mouthed fundie who got his comeuppance from the entire town. (He was a pain in the ass to all his neighbors and most of the people in that small town truly despised him.)
Yes. People DO that today. Anon 7:49 is right.
Holy crap, Leland.
DeleteHeartbreaking on so many levels. As 5:29 AM said, try the Sermon On The Mount sometime. But this is Georgia so most likely fundamentalist.
ReplyDeleteI've often wondered if St. Paul's "affliction" that he kept asking God to take away was homosexuality.
First of all, this young man is probably much better off not having any contact with the religious wackos
ReplyDeleteBut I am always amused that those that state god created everyone and everything deny some of those their god ( by their word) created. By that thinking they are never getting into their heaven for second guessing god amirite?!
7:48 - Exactly! The thing that always amazes me is the despite the fact the bible clearly states that God's will is unknowable, and despite the many, MANY examples therein of said God TESTING people's faith and goodness, it never occurs to these people that maybe, just maybe their God is testing their Christian compassion.
DeleteI remember realizing that after the tsunami that killed so many in Indonesia, and I heard MULTIPLE "Christians" pontificating and rationalizing about how they must have deserved it and it was the wrath of god, instead of scrambling to see what they could do to help the survivors.
Good thing only Christians can have a moral compass...
They will rationalize and say it was Satan who made them. I've heard that too often.
DeleteHow terribly, terribly sad. Gryphen I hope your daughter's overly-religious mother didn't treat her that way; although, i have to imagine there is a reason she is living with you and not her.
ReplyDeleteWhy do people think they have to be involved in ANYONE else's sexuality? It is a personal matter and should only concern that person and his or her partner if there is one. Bigoted, control freak assholes one and all.
We love you and support you but you're a worthless piece of shit and we never want to see you again. Yep that sums up the attitude of the sanctimonious family.
ReplyDeleteSums up religion as well, at least in this case.
DeleteI am positive it burns his family's bigoted butts that he is collecting all these donations- I am THRILLED so many people are choosing to support his new start in life. I bet they try and sue him or something, claiming he "profited" off filming them without their permission. I hope they spend themselves into the poorhouse with bogus "legal fees". These people are disgusting.
ReplyDeleteDaniel, I know it's hard, but you're better off without such vicious hatred in your life. Best of luck starting over with no shame or need to hide.
Amen and AMEN!
DeleteAlways a pleasure to see you here, Nyah!
Breaks my heart.
ReplyDeleteHow ghastly. I wish I could give Daniel a hug.
ReplyDeleteHOW can you treat your own child like this? Seriously, When they started screaming at him I was sobbing... I'm STILL shaking. These are sorry excuses for parents.How can you intentionally hurt someone like this, especially your own FLESH AND BLOOD, and live with yourself? It doesn't matter how you view homosexuality, how can you treat your child, your BABY, the same kid you said you LOVE, so horribly?! I just...wow. :( :( :(
ReplyDelete