Our friends are dying [concerning suicide in the gay community and need to address the issue; reference also to Brenda Ortynski, for which see P79:9]. By Gens Hellquist.
P79 (v11n2)(March 10, 1993): 8 (55cm.)

Remembering Brenda [Brenda Ortynski, young Saskatoon lesbian, 26, who committed suicide February 21]. By Kim Sullivan, with a poem by Angii Pender.
P79 (v11n2)(March 10, 1993): 9 (35cm.)

Dealing with suicide [Calgary school trustees vote to create information package to assist teachers working with lesbian and gay students; decision came after release of study by Chris Bagley, University of Calgary].
P106 (v14n5)(July 24, 1996): 14 (24cm.)

Suicide conference [first annual Friends For Life conference held October 25-27, 1996 in Regina; "Friends For Life is a province-wide youth driven organization... [whose] goals are to provide awareness of the high...[incidence] of suicide in the youth population"; report and criticism of conference by author, who attended as a member of Out and Proud Youth, which organization acted as the representative for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth at the conference]. By Rebecka Sheffield.
P109 (v14n8)(Dec. 4, 1996): 6 (39cm.)

Gay youth "at risk" ["study done by the McCreary Centre Society supports growing research that gay youth are at higher risk of suicide....British Columbia gay and lesbian youth are three times more likely to attempt suicide" than heterosexual youth; some recommendations made by the Society for reduction of youth suicide risk].
P130 (v17n5)(July 28, 1999): 26 (16cm.)

How long will we put up with it? [author discusses the lack of government support for gay, lesbian, bisexual health issues and social services; funding for AIDS/HIV easier to obtain if gay angle downplayed; "at least 15 gay or lesbian youth kill themselves each year in Saskatchewan"; need to "aggressively lobby for changes"; etc.]. By Gens Hellquist.
P142 (v19n1)(Jan. 31, 2001): 4-5, 7 (71cm.)

"It hurt me so bad" [Nasima Nastoh, mother of 14-year-old Hamed Nastoh, who committed suicide after being taunted that he was gay, is refused permission by Surrey School Board to address students; Hamed wrote in his suicide note that it was the school's fault; this school board is "notoriously homophobic"; Hamed's suicide note is reprinted in this news report; Mary Polak, chair of Surrey School Board, says "the student body is not ready for this kind of presentation"].
P143 (v19n2)(March 14, 2001): 25 (41cm.)

Enough is enough [report on the suicide of 18-year-old gay youth, Jamie Lazarre; when he moved to Prince George from the Nak'azdli reserve, he was harassed further at Prince George Secondary School, where staff "turned a blind eye to the bullying that was a constant reality for Lazarre and other gay students at the school"; names of other harassed students given; comments of the school principal and of a local lesbian researcher; other details].
P154 (v20n5)(July 31, 2002): 26 (36cm.)