[Pete]

After reading the description of her attire, I am guessing that the reason for her harassment was not because she was gay. Everybody eventually learns that if you walk outside the lines, people are going to react. I am not trying to justify the harassment. I am simply pointing out a fact of life.

The saddest part of this story is her own self image. She is obviously in some kind of self destruct mode. A spiral has been created where she reacts to harassment by rebelling which begets more harassment.

Once again, the question must be asked. Where are the parents? Not only that, where have they been for the last 18 years?

[anniegetyourgun]

The whole thing is sad. A school for dysfunctional, anti-social, emotionally needy kids is, no doubt, a result of parents with the same problems. Each one of these kids is crying out for attention and getting it only by being bizarre and acting out. They aren't "homosexuals" in need of a safe place, they are kids making bad choices in need of corrective action and boundaries. Sadly, society decides instead to tell them they're okay.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Everybody eventually learns that if you walk outside the lines, people are going to react. I am not trying to justify the harassment. I am simply pointing out a fact of life.

No shit. It's really not that difficult: act like a freak, get treated like a freak. The vast majority of the time, the young people acting like freaks are screaming for attention. And then they get all miffed when others give it to them.

Duh 101.

I was a suburbo punk in HS, and yet I was always put off by my dopey punk peers who got upset when people looked at them differently. That's what you wanted, you damn bozos.