I don’t want any more people to die of this (From Worcester News)
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I don’t want any more people to die of this
8:54am Monday 6th February 2012 in News
Exclusive By James Connell
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DETERMINED: Ten-year-old Livvy James (05459601)
A GIRL trapped in a boy’s body says she sometimes feels suicidal but is determined to give hope to others like her.
Livvy James, aged 10, of Worcester, has gender dysphoria which means she was born a boy but feels she has always been a girl.
We have previously reported how Livvy, which is an assumed name, was called a “freak” after she returned to her school dressed as a girl for the first time last September.
Her family launched an online petition on Thursday against the use of terms in the media which include “sex-swap/change’, ‘tranny’, ‘gender pot’, ‘gender confused’ and ‘gender bender’ because of the emotional scars it leaves on transgender people.
The petition argues that people with gender identity issues are being murdered, beaten, threatened, bullied, teased, intimidated, disowned and are prone to suicide and self-harm.
When today's Worcester News went to press the petition had already attracted 224 signatures and many positive comments.
Livvy’s mum, Saffy, 37, plans to send the petition to the Press Association when she gets enough signatures.
Livvy, speaking about her life, said: “The other day I was whacking my head against the wall and the bed. I just feel frustrated and angry because, at that point life wasn’t going well and someone at school had said something, annoying me and making my best friend upset. I have a few moments where I do feel suicidal.
I don’t want any more people to die because of this.”
She has to use the disabled toilets at school to change during PE.
She said when she went into the girls’ changing rooms some of her classmates said: “Oooh! Get out! You’re a boy.”
Livvy said: “It does feel lonely but I would rather be by myself than be with the boys because I’m a girl and I find it disturbing.”
Livvy will have to wait until she is 12 to have hormone blockers, 16 before she is given female hormones and 18 before she has gender reassignment surgery, which the family hope to pay for themselves, probably in Thailand.
Her mum, who insists the school has been brilliant throughout, said: “The problem is now she is at that age where you have a host of other problems, such as puberty and sleepovers.
“Things are happening to her body she doesn’t want to happen.
"She is coming to the age where boys and girls are interested in each other. She is freaking out.
"She plays it down but is worried about having to wait until she is 18 to have her body fixed. People don’t choose their gender.”
Referring to the hormone blockers that Livvy will take from the age of 12 her mum said: “They’re not ‘Peter Pan pills’. It’s not that they don’t want to grow up, it’s that they don’t want to grow up in the wrong body.
"There’s no confusion. She has said to me ‘I would rather be dead than live in this body’.”
However, Livvy’s school work has improved dramatically since she returned as a girl. Saffy said: “She’s not sick before she goes to school.
She doesn’t have stomach aches or headaches. She is not living a lie. She feels like she is free from a prison.”
To sign the petition click here.
Comments(52)
Emma Lou
says...
9:43am Mon 6 Feb 12
CJH
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9:54am Mon 6 Feb 12
david paine
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10:00am Mon 6 Feb 12
David Paine
Political Reporter
MissyPip
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10:29am Mon 6 Feb 12
Fog Based Japery
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10:56am Mon 6 Feb 12
Debs2460
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10:59am Mon 6 Feb 12
Heffalump22
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11:09am Mon 6 Feb 12
Andy_R
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11:43am Mon 6 Feb 12
Well done for raising awareness, and for fighting back against bullying in the press. I'm sure many writers for newspapers simply haven't understood the damage that they are doing by using the wrong terms, and will be horrified to discover they are inadvertently contributing to suicide and self-harm, so I think that this is one petition that really will make a difference.
CJH
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11:55am Mon 6 Feb 12
Fog Based Japery wrote:What an unhelpful and unsympathetic comment.
Whatever happened to just being a bit of a tomboy? You're in no position to make life altering decisions like this at 10 years old. The world's gone completely and utterly mad.
ushmush
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12:12pm Mon 6 Feb 12
Debs2460 wrote:How about accepting yourself for who you are? Kinda contradictory don't you think?
What a pretty little girl, and very brave. Stick with it sweet, it'll all work out fine in the end I'm sure. Just rise above the negative comments at school, children can be very cruel. My little girl's overweight and she has to put up with nastiness too. We should all except people for who they are. You have your whole life ahead of you, it can only get better. xxx
jane fae
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12:24pm Mon 6 Feb 12
Fog Based Japery wrote:The whole point, if u actually read what's written, is that this is NOT a life changing decision. Rather, this puts things on hold and gives lobby time to decide.
Whatever happened to just being a bit of a tomboy? You're in no position to make life altering decisions like this at 10 years old. The world's gone completely and utterly mad.
That said, who gave u the right to be so cruel? This is obviously heart breaking for lobby and her family...and doesn't deserve this sort of pompous insensitivity by folk like yourself.
Jane
Fog Based Japery
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1:48pm Mon 6 Feb 12
jane fae wrote:Who gave you the right to be so supportive? Freedom of speech. That's who.
Fog Based Japery wrote:The whole point, if u actually read what's written, is that this is NOT a life changing decision. Rather, this puts things on hold and gives lobby time to decide.
Whatever happened to just being a bit of a tomboy? You're in no position to make life altering decisions like this at 10 years old. The world's gone completely and utterly mad.
That said, who gave u the right to be so cruel? This is obviously heart breaking for lobby and her family...and doesn't deserve this sort of pompous insensitivity by folk like yourself.
Jane
Fog Based Japery
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1:54pm Mon 6 Feb 12
jane fae wrote:"Livvy will have to wait until she is 12 to have hormone blockers, 16 before she is given female hormones and 18 before she has gender reassignment surgery, which the family hope to pay for themselves, probably in Thailand".
Fog Based Japery wrote:The whole point, if u actually read what's written, is that this is NOT a life changing decision. Rather, this puts things on hold and gives lobby time to decide.
Whatever happened to just being a bit of a tomboy? You're in no position to make life altering decisions like this at 10 years old. The world's gone completely and utterly mad.
That said, who gave u the right to be so cruel? This is obviously heart breaking for lobby and her family...and doesn't deserve this sort of pompous insensitivity by folk like yourself.
Jane
These sound like pretty life changing decisions to me. She'll only be 12 years old by the time she starts taking hormone blocking pills! This is so against human nature it's untrue. Feeding 12 year olds hormone blocking pills doesn't sound the tiniest bit wrong in your eyes. How can anyone know what they are or want to be aged 10?! The most life changing decision any 10 year old should make should be what to get for Christmas, not what gender do I want to be! It must be down to the parents.
CJH
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2:09pm Mon 6 Feb 12
oopster
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3:18pm Mon 6 Feb 12
GroovyChick
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4:30pm Mon 6 Feb 12
Those that call you names and ignorant and niave and you are worth far more than them - hold your high up high - if you were my child I would be so proud of you
Goodluck in everything you do
Jennie Kermode
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4:32pm Mon 6 Feb 12
awatch.org
commonsense
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7:16pm Mon 6 Feb 12
MulsanneChap
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9:21pm Mon 6 Feb 12
Fog Based Japery wrote:Well, as it's free speech I just like to say Fog Based Japery, you're entitled to your comments, but I think you'e just a plain autonomous uncaring idiot. Let's hope that either you or your family aren't in a situation where tough decisions need to be made, regardless of age or gender. Then again, I suppose you wouldn't care one jot what happened.
jane fae wrote:Who gave you the right to be so supportive? Freedom of speech. That's who.
Fog Based Japery wrote:The whole point, if u actually read what's written, is that this is NOT a life changing decision. Rather, this puts things on hold and gives lobby time to decide.
Whatever happened to just being a bit of a tomboy? You're in no position to make life altering decisions like this at 10 years old. The world's gone completely and utterly mad.
That said, who gave u the right to be so cruel? This is obviously heart breaking for lobby and her family...and doesn't deserve this sort of pompous insensitivity by folk like yourself.
Jane
That's my right for free speech said and done.
Biggles
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10:47pm Mon 6 Feb 12
Fog Based Japery wrote:I have to agree with the above post.
Whatever happened to just being a bit of a tomboy? You're in no position to make life altering decisions like this at 10 years old. The world's gone completely and utterly mad.
.
the other posts are just goo !
.
EmmaVicky82
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1:29am Tue 7 Feb 12
yeller
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8:04am Tue 7 Feb 12
Fog Based Japery wrote:I have to agree. A ten year old being quoted that he doesn't want any more people to die from this 'condition' along with claims of being in the wrong body begs the question of what has been put into his head at this young age. His Mother calls herself Saffy...is this a clue?
Whatever happened to just being a bit of a tomboy? You're in no position to make life altering decisions like this at 10 years old. The world's gone completely and utterly mad.
Sorry for the cynicism, but freedom of speech has been granted as per other posts
jane fae
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11:10am Tue 7 Feb 12
yeller wrote:Sure. Of course you have and are entitled to freedom of speech. That said, maybe - just maybe - there should be some thought given. This is not a decision taken lightly, nor allowed lightly.
Fog Based Japery wrote:I have to agree. A ten year old being quoted that he doesn't want any more people to die from this 'condition' along with claims of being in the wrong body begs the question of what has been put into his head at this young age. His Mother calls herself Saffy...is this a clue?
Whatever happened to just being a bit of a tomboy? You're in no position to make life altering decisions like this at 10 years old. The world's gone completely and utterly mad.
Sorry for the cynicism, but freedom of speech has been granted as per other posts
Of all the thousands of kids up and down the country who may identify as slightly variant, just six are being accepted by specialists initially. Maybe that should put this into some sort of perspective.
Second...sure: free speech is good. Your prerogative. But maybe, just occasionally, you should give some thought to simple empathy.
THis is not done lightly (see above) and however it goes, is occasion for much, much heartache by all involved...without cruel and unempathic stuff from people such as yourself and japery.
Debs2460
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2:01pm Tue 7 Feb 12
Natacha
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7:03pm Tue 7 Feb 12
Since we are all into free speech, I might, were I not so well brought-up, refer you to the recent publication of research data demonstrating that those who exhibit bigoted and intolerant opinions such as yours tend to be of much lower intelligence. Indeed I might also have pointed out that you have clearly demonstrated this by failing to understand the article. However I shall refrain from doing this so you do not have to face up to your personality problems and intellectual deficiencies.
Emma Lou
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9:18pm Tue 7 Feb 12
Natacha wrote:+1
@FBJ, Biggles, Yeller
Since we are all into free speech, I might, were I not so well brought-up, refer you to the recent publication of research data demonstrating that those who exhibit bigoted and intolerant opinions such as yours tend to be of much lower intelligence. Indeed I might also have pointed out that you have clearly demonstrated this by failing to understand the article. However I shall refrain from doing this so you do not have to face up to your personality problems and intellectual deficiencies.
jane fae
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11:51pm Tue 7 Feb 12
Fog Based Japery wrote:Still not listening - or hearing - are you?
jane fae wrote:"Livvy will have to wait until she is 12 to have hormone blockers, 16 before she is given female hormones and 18 before she has gender reassignment surgery, which the family hope to pay for themselves, probably in Thailand".
Fog Based Japery wrote:The whole point, if u actually read what's written, is that this is NOT a life changing decision. Rather, this puts things on hold and gives lobby time to decide.
Whatever happened to just being a bit of a tomboy? You're in no position to make life altering decisions like this at 10 years old. The world's gone completely and utterly mad.
That said, who gave u the right to be so cruel? This is obviously heart breaking for lobby and her family...and doesn't deserve this sort of pompous insensitivity by folk like yourself.
Jane
These sound like pretty life changing decisions to me. She'll only be 12 years old by the time she starts taking hormone blocking pills! This is so against human nature it's untrue. Feeding 12 year olds hormone blocking pills doesn't sound the tiniest bit wrong in your eyes. How can anyone know what they are or want to be aged 10?! The most life changing decision any 10 year old should make should be what to get for Christmas, not what gender do I want to be! It must be down to the parents.
First off, hormone blockers aren't life CHANGING. That's later, IF Livvy sticks to her guns.
So why do it? Because if you're trans, every day of puberty is nightmare. For many, a time of self-harm and suicide attempts. Not all trans children make it thru puberty at all.
So if you wish to talk about "life-changing", consider that.
The thing about hormone blockers is that they are already used fairly commonly, to pause what are known as "precocious puberty"...girls, espesh, who find themselves starting puberty at age 6 or 7, and just aren't ready for it.
And when the time comes, the blockers just stop and puberty resumes.
So basically, its a bet. If Livvy IS trans, then no harm done, much grief avoided and, best of all, when she does come to transition,far easier, less surgery needed, etc.
If Livvy is not trans, then she comes off the blockers, starts puberty...and all goes back to "normal".
Oh. And if she IS trans and you got your way? The possible outcomes are too awful to contemplate.
polblagger
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9:16am Wed 8 Feb 12
However important the issue is they will only have one childhood, why not allow them to enjoy it like every other child rather than making every day a battle.
ushmush
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10:03am Wed 8 Feb 12
polblagger wrote:Spot on! It's just attention seeking. I don't doubt her desire for change, but it's obviously not too much of an issue or they wouldn't be going to the media every 5 minutes. These serious decisions should be discussed and decided in private, so that real bigots can't criticise and moral crusaders can find something else to get on their high horse about.
Rather than turning this poor child's life into a crusade would it not have been more in the child's interest to move them to a new school as a girl?
However important the issue is they will only have one childhood, why not allow them to enjoy it like every other child rather than making every day a battle.
jane fae
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10:51am Wed 8 Feb 12
ushmush wrote:Yeah...but if they did that, then what would bigots like yourself and polblagger find to write about?
polblagger wrote:Spot on! It's just attention seeking. I don't doubt her desire for change, but it's obviously not too much of an issue or they wouldn't be going to the media every 5 minutes. These serious decisions should be discussed and decided in private, so that real bigots can't criticise and moral crusaders can find something else to get on their high horse about.
Rather than turning this poor child's life into a crusade would it not have been more in the child's interest to move them to a new school as a girl?
However important the issue is they will only have one childhood, why not allow them to enjoy it like every other child rather than making every day a battle.
If you actually bothered to follow this story, you'll find that, like the vast majority of trans folk, Livvy would have liked nothing better than a quiet life.
That was denied her by vile parents, who both made abusive comments and took the story to the press, and the press then just piled in on top.
At which point, like many trans individuals have understood before her, there is a choice: dignified silence and let the press print whatever lies they want... or engage in the hope you can soften some of the blows.
Livvy's petition is spot on, asking that the press just get over it. Simply being trans is not newsworthy: nor is the fact that a few bigots don't like the presence of a trans child in a school.
If the press left her alone, i'm pretty sure she'd just get on with her life.
ushmush
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11:00am Wed 8 Feb 12
induby
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11:17am Wed 8 Feb 12
but as much as we would all like to control everything in our kids lives to ensure their happiness, you cant!!!!!.... the best you can do as a parent, is to inform your children the best you can, talk to them.. be open and honest and support them ...
now whilst i can see why people are of the opinion of changing schools and starting in a new school as a girl could save her from bullying or judgement , i think your missing the point, this is not something that she should be ashamed of, or she should not have to hide or lie about, she has done nothing wrong and i think by making gender issues so secretive/ and something that no one should know, you are basically saying that it is something shameful and wrong, when really the focus should be why should a child in this predicament is bullied at all ?????
and i would also like to say to fog based japery and biggles grow a brain and try to read properly she is a boy who wants to be a girl......not vice versa.... idiots!!!!!
jane fae
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2:44pm Wed 8 Feb 12
ushmush wrote:because you've taken a human and heart-breaking situation and just encapsulated it in a neat soundbite: "attention-seeking".
Errr, why am I a bigot?
The point is, she and her mum would love to do this privately...but once the national media turned up, not at their behest, they had little choice but to engage..
That's not attention-seeking: its self-defence.
Biggles
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10:42pm Wed 8 Feb 12
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If you don't agree with the whinging, you're a bigot, uneducated, selfish, racist, homophobic, etc etc etc
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It's a website people, for anybody to comment on whatever story they wish.
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I, like a couple of others on here, feel that this boy is a tad young to be allowed to make these decisions.
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Our opinions or experiences (in my case from raising three children), obviously don't fit in with other peoples opinion experiences.
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I would never have chosen to put any of my children through this kind of media coverage.
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ushmush
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9:35am Thu 9 Feb 12
jane fae wrote:Actually, once she went back to the same school the media picked up on it because it was brought to their attention. What were they expecting? They could've kept this quiet all too easily by doing exactly what polblagger said earlier. And I think you need to look up the definition of bigot, because neither myself nor polblagger said anything bigoted.
ushmush wrote:because you've taken a human and heart-breaking situation and just encapsulated it in a neat soundbite: "attention-seek
Errr, why am I a bigot?
ing".
The point is, she and her mum would love to do this privately...but once the national media turned up, not at their behest, they had little choice but to engage..
That's not attention-seeking: its self-defence.
verity86
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12:43pm Thu 9 Feb 12
Biggles
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6:14pm Thu 9 Feb 12
auntiewarhol
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6:37pm Thu 9 Feb 12
Biggles wrote:Kudos to this inspiring young girl. One only need look at some of the comments here to see just what sort of vile ignorance and bigotry trans persons have to deal with every single day of our lives.
HE is not a girl, HE is a boy !
And every time a bigot screams an angel gets her wings.
ThiaJones
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8:42pm Thu 9 Feb 12
Biggles wrote:No, Biggles, the whole point is that SHE is a girl, you're still not getting this, are you?
HE is not a girl, HE is a boy !
The petition is about asking the press (particularly the tabloids) to stop using the wrong pronouns, so that they no longer cause confusion to or mislead those who rely on those papers to tell them how they are to understand the world, rather than reasoning things out for themselves.
As you are someone who would appear, by your insistent use of the wrong pronouns, to be a victim of said tabloid-inspired confusion, the petition, if successful, will be of benefit to you too!
verity86
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9:37pm Thu 9 Feb 12
Biggles wrote:Seriously are you really that black and white and unable to see some things for more than what they may appear!!!! SHE is a HE only biologically but the rest of her doesn't match up to that and every other part of her is FEMALE!! SHE is happier than ever now living as a girl, If this is the wrong decision SHE has years to change HER mind!!! If you had followed this story over the past months you would know that livvy has been aware of this for a few years now but has not been able to be a girl until now, she has been to months and months of councilling and other things before the decision was made and suggested this was the way forward by the doctors - not her parents! What a pathetic excuse for a human being you are. Just one example of why this country is such a joke!!
HE is not a girl, HE is a boy !
Biggles
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10:07pm Thu 9 Feb 12
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HE is only biologically a boy, everything else is a girl.
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Errrrrr, what else is there ?
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And yes, unless you are some kind of human creator, there are only two types, male and female !
ushmush
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11:18am Fri 10 Feb 12
Good luck to the girl, hope she finds true happiness whatever path she takes.
CJH
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11:32am Fri 10 Feb 12
pinkfluff
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1:33pm Fri 10 Feb 12
Do men and women act differently?
Should we assume then that male and female brains are different?
Have a little think about that if you have the time or inclination. Have a nice day x
p.s, personally I believe that male and female brains are different.....the female brain being far superior ;)
CJH
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1:40pm Fri 10 Feb 12
.
I have to say though that all of us are different - each one of us unique, male or female. I am not the same as my mother, or my niece, or the woman next door, or the Queen, or Katie Price (if that doesn't prove my point nothing will).
Biggles
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11:31pm Fri 10 Feb 12
pinkfluff wrote:Generally less agressive and more tolerant, but superior ....... not sure, if your brain (and all your fellow women) is more superior, how come you still live in a mans world ?
Do men and women think differently? Do men and women act differently? Should we assume then that male and female brains are different? Have a little think about that if you have the time or inclination. Have a nice day x p.s, personally I believe that male and female brains are different.....the female brain being far superior ;)
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And CJH, what makes you think YOU'RE correct, why don't you get it, what makes your knowledge so superior to mine ?
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You are more accepting, but how do you prove you're correct and I'm so wrong ?
CJH
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11:48pm Fri 10 Feb 12
worcester86
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7:49am Sat 11 Feb 12
The Doosra
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9:27am Sat 11 Feb 12
pinkfluff
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1:54pm Sat 11 Feb 12
sjames6621
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9:08am Sun 12 Feb 12
All I can say is you are not alone. I was also suicidal as a kid. the whole issue for me was friends - I was the total nerd.
it only took one good friend who was worried about me to help me out,a nd I've been fine for over 50 years.
So all I can say is hang in there, see if you can get some psych help until you can transition.
when one is suicidal whats really happening is that your tooo focused on your problem and cant see any way around it.
You cant fix it quickly like flipping a switch off or on.
Another thing might help - its a "mantra" eg a piece of paper with some key things that you should do.
in a sense its a prayer repetition thing without any god biz.
Over some time it really helps to refocus you.
BTW if you get any religious crap about you have a mental problem, show the creep to the door, and in your best profanity tell him enough so he never dares to come back.
Some religions are still in the dark ages. BTW I'm more or less an aethist who believes that most religion is BS, just try to help others and if there is something beyond, you will be well taken care of by 'god'
if not, maybe your final thought will be that you helped others. What else is life about/
Emma Lou says...
9:38am Mon 6 Feb 12