Like all of you, I was shocked and saddened by the deaths of
several young people who were bullied and taunted for being
gay and who ultimately took their own lives.
As a parent of two daughters, it breaks my heart.
It's something that just shouldn't happen
in this country.
Now we've got to dispel this myth that bullying is just a
normal rite of passage, that it's some inevitable
part of growing up.
It's not.
We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe for
all of our kids.
And to every young person out there,
you need to know that if you're in trouble,
there are caring adults who can help.
I don't know what it's like to be picked on for being gay,
but I do know what it's like to grow up feeling that sometimes
you don't belong.
It's tough.
And for a lot of kids the sense of being alone or apart,
I know it can just wear on you.
And when you're teased or bullied it can seem like somehow
you have brought it on yourself for being different or for not
fitting in with everybody else.
But what I want to say is this: You are not alone,
you didn't do anything wrong, you didn't do anything to
deserve being bullied, and there's a whole world waiting
for you filled with possibilities.
There are people out there that love you and care about you
just the way you are.
And so, if you ever feel like because of bullying,
because of what people are saying,
that you are getting down on yourself,
you've got to make sure to reach out to people you trust;
whether it's your parents, teachers,
or folks that you know care about you just the way you are.
You've got to reach out to them.
Don't feel like you are in this by yourself.
The other thing you need to know is things will get better,
and more than that, with time you are going to see that your
differences are a source of pride and a source of strength.
You'll look back on the struggles you've faced with
compassion and wisdom, and that's not just going to
serve you, but it'll help you get involved and make
this country a better place.
It will mean that you'll be more likely to help fight
discrimination, not just against LGBT Americans but
discrimination in all its forms.
It means you'll be more likely to understand personally and
deeply why it's so important that as adults we set an example
in our own lives and that we treat everybody with respect,
that we are able to see the world through other people's
eyes and stand in their shoes, that we never lose sight of
what binds us together.
As a nation, we're founded on the belief that all of us are
equal and each of us deserves the freedom to pursue our own
version of happiness, to make the most of our talents,
to speak our minds, to not fit in;
most of all,to be true to ourselves.
That's the freedom that enriches all of us.
That's what America is all about,
and every day it gets better.