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Clay Aiken stumps for anti-bullying bill in DC: “I was picked on, I was called gay, I was called fag, I was called sissy, you name it.”

It’s times like this that make it so clear why it is a wonderful thing when famous people come out.

Singing star Clay Aiken, who came out publicly in 2008 after the birth of his son, was among those who appeared at a Capitol Hill briefing last week to urge Congress to pass two bills that would require schools to address bullying and harassment targeting LGBT students.

“Like many kids now in middle schools and high schools, I was bullied,” Clay said. “I was picked on, I was called gay, I was called fag, I was called sissy, you name it. Fortunately, I was able to overcome it and live through it because of a number of friends who were supportive of me.”

The briefing was organized by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to draw public attention to the two pending bills, the Safe Schools Improvement Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act.

Clay joined Louis Van Amstel of Dancing with the Stars and parents Sirdeaner Walker of Massachusetts and Tammy Aaberg of Minnesota whose sons took their own lives earlier this year due to anti-gay bullying.

Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), who introduced the Safe Schools Improvement Act, and Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), who introduced the Student Non-Discrimination Act, also spoke at the briefing, calling on their colleagues to support the legislation.

Source: WashingtonBlade

FILE UNDER: Out Stars, Politics

Comments

(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)

3 Remarks

  1. I know that Clay is proficient in American Sign Language but I think he’s better known as a Singing star than a Signing star.

  2. Thanks for catching that Stan! It’s fixed :)

  3. I’m sick of the way people expect the federal government to regulate everything and solve everyone’s problems. That’s unconstitutional. The Constitution states that powers not specifically delegated to the federal government are left to state and local governments. Congress passes all these stupid bills.
    I’m also concerned about the fact that people who commit suicide are made out to be martyrs. This may encourage people to commit suicide.

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