issue: Lesbian Rights

Many of us have seen the numerous LGBT suicide stories in the news recently — the most high-profile being the tragic death of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi. A college freshman, Clementi completed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate secretly recorded his sexual encounter with another male and streamed it live on the internet. These news stories, however, highlight but a few of the many LGBT youths who have died by suicide as a result of anti-gay harassment, bullying and social homophobia.

In a federal court on Sept. 9, 2010, Judge Virginia Phillips delivered a landmark decision declaring the policy commonly known as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell to be unconstitutional.