Homophobia claimed two more lives
On the evening of October 20, two young people jumped from the Davtashen bridge. Both died. Before committing suicide, the boys posted photos on Instagram with the following caption: “Happy End. Decisions about sharing photos and our next steps were taken by both of us together.” In one of the pictures, they kiss.
Unfortunately, it was not surprising to see the public reaction to what had happened. The photos posted by the boys quickly went viral on social media and Telegram channels with hateful and offensive language, mostly continuing to highlight the fact that the boys are gay, which justifies their decision to commit suicide. Many comments even encouraged others to do the same.
We consider it unacceptable to justify the death of people. The young men still had many years of life ahead of them, but because of intolerance towards them, they took such a tragic step. LGBT people are very familiar with the feeling of isolation and misunderstanding of family and society. This tragic incident proves once again that LGBT people in Armenia are not safe and not protected by society or the state.
It is extremely important to show compassion, realizing the gravity of what happened. We offer our condolences to the families and friends of young people, and at the same time, sympathizing with their grief, we call on the public to refrain from insults, humiliating expressions, distorting the details of the incident in the form of hateful messages and comments, and spreading hatred.
Suicidal thoughts are often accompanied by feelings of guilt, fear, self-blame, and shame due to society’s attitudes towards one’s sexual orientation and gender identity. In such situations, it is essential to ensure proper professional support.
Pink continues to provide professional (psychological, social, and legal) support to LGBT people, their parents, and supporters. If you feel that you or your loved ones need support, our specialists and consultants are available anytime. And remember, you are not alone.
