America's Not-So-Sweetheart
To the left is Tyra Sanchez, crowned RuPaul's Drag Race (RPDR) winner and holds the moniker America's Sweetheart.
Now I found RPDR to be entertaining. I refer to it as they have be America's next top model, lip-syncer, actor/actress, comedian and seamstress. Tyra was on the first season of that show that I ever fully watched. Very confident with a bit of a sad past, which makes for great TV. But I think that's where her voice should stay: on TV and most definitely scripted.
This person (not sure what pronouns to use and I want to be respectful) believes that suicidal people are "cowards" and that they should just go kill themselves. That isn't rhetoric deserving of the title America's Sweetheart nor RPDR crown.
Y'all see this right? It's still up on Tyra's Twitter account. The performer is not apologetic at all. After seeing this, I found out I had liked her page on Facebook and she posted the following rant.
In a nutshell, Tyra feels that people who don't think suicidal people are cowards, encourage suicide. Then gets angry and says that he/she won't throw a pity party for those are suicidal (like anyone was asking). Next, Tyra throws his/her own pity party in the post and talks about how he/she was depressed at one point in time, but didn't commit suicide, completely missing the point again. Then Tyra attempts to explain his/her callousness, and fails, saying that he/she never signed up to be a role model. There is no excuse for mental health shaming and encouragin suicide. Being depressed for a moment in time is completly different from living with depression every day of your life. It's a constant battle and when people encourage mentalhealth stigmas like Tyra did, people don't seek help because of the shame. Tyra doesn't get it.
As you can see I commented. Here is a better view:
I was civil and as respectful as I could be to someone who was telling me and people like me that I should kill myself. I sparked a debate and when the amount of likes on my comment started to get closer to hers, she/he said something and then deleted my comment, which deleted Tyra's and everyone else's comments.
There were some trolls asking me why I commented and I will tell you what I told them. Am I supposed to stay silent when someone says something bigoted, prejudiced or ignorant? No. That, to me, is cowardly and stupid. How could I consider myself an activist if I kept quiet? How could I confidently stand in front of a classroom and talk about Freedom Fighters if I am not willing to fight for equality and better treatment myself? I'm doing my best to educate others in more than one aspect. I hope that Tyra learns better, and I pray not the hard way.
I would like to end on a positive note. Pandora Boxx and Mimi Imfurst empathized and reached out to people le about mental illness.
Mimi, as Braden, penned a beautiful letter that brought me to tears. Sometimes, just knowing you're not alone and that someone out there knows what you're going through can be the difference between suicide, and fighting to live another day. They were already a couple of my faves, but after that, they have earned a huge amount of respect and love from me.
If anyone, you or someone you know, is struggling with thoughts of suicide. You are not alone. You are cared about. There are resources availble to you.
Theres the National Suicide Hotline: 1 (800) 273-8255
And the Trevor Project, specializing in helping LGBT: 1-866-488-7386
Please, keep fighting.
