It’s been a difficult week. On Wednesday, the young man in this picture, EricJames Borges, 19, committed suicide. He was the latest in a series of young gay men who have killed themselves in the past two years. From what we know of their stories, they were all bullied by others for being gay. Some of them, like EricJames, also had to deal with families whose religion told them they were disgusting, evil, damned, and perverted. EricJames, in a YouTube video for the “It Gets Better” Campaign, told of his mother trying an exorcism to rid him of his homosexuality. He was told to leave home after he came out. Whatever the exact situation in his life, EricJames arrived at a place where he could no longer cope with the depression, and hanged himself. His friends and the LGBT community in Visalia and the central valley are in shock.
It’s completely normal for people who knew him to wonder if they could have done anything to prevent his death. From his closest friends, to casual acquaintances, people are left to wonder, and hope, that they didn’t miss the opportunity to help.
JimmieJoe 
Memorials for EricJames
January 16, 2012
Jim Reeves commentary, Gay, News, Personal eric james borges, ericjames, lgbtq-suicide, memorial for ericjames Leave a comment
Reposted here from Queerlandia.com and QueerVisalia.com:
Two memorial services are planned for EricJames, who succumbed to suicide Wednesday, January 11, in Visalia, California.
EricJames, as he was known to his friends, was 19, and his death has struck a cord world-wide. News sites and blogs around the world have carried the report, with people writing how the news has touched them with sadness, and has strengthened their convictions to work harder on suicide prevention, and the acceptance of LGBTQ+ people of all ages.
Two public memorials are planned:
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
College of the Sequoias 915 S. Mooney Blvd, Visalia The Theatre Arts Department will hold a public memorial at 3:00 – 6:00 pm. See their Facebook event site, here. A map to the College is here.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
The Spiritual Awareness Center 117 S. Locust St.,(map)Due to capacity considerations, this memorial has been moved. Same time, Saturday at 1pm.
New location: The Lamp Liter Inn, 3300 W. Mineral King, Visalia map.
Facebook event page, here.
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