Hundreds of supporters paid tribute to 13-year-old Tyrone Unsworth in Brisbane, Australia on Sunday nearly two weeks after he took his own life due to relentless bullying.
The rally was held in support of the Safe Schools Coalition Australia, a program which aims to create safer and more inclusive school environments for LGBTQ children. A program Unsworth’s family and friends believe may have saved his life, should it had been in place at his school.
Unsworth committed suicide on November 22, after what friends and family describe as “torture” at the hands of bullies.
“He was a really feminine male, he loved fashion, he loved makeup and the boys always picked on him, calling him gay boy, f‑‑‑‑t, fairy; it was a constant thing from year five,” his mother Amanda told the Courier-Mail.
“I feel like these people who were bullying Tyrone are the cause of why he is not here anymore. They pushed him to the edge.”
Days before taking his own life, Unsworth told friend Gypsie-Lee Edwards Kennard, “Everyone wants me dead.”
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, bullies attacked the teen a month earlier and broke his jaw.
“This kid picked up a fence paling and hit him from behind and knocked him out and broke Tyrone’s jaw,” Kennard said.
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Kennard told the Herald she urged Unsworth to tell someone at his school about the relentless bullying, but he refusing saying, “no one cares.” Days after his death, Aspley State High School released a statement saying it was aware of the incident, but said no allegation of bullying was every made clear.
Several prominent Australians attended the memorial including Australian pop star Jess Origliasso of The Veronicas.
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Origliasso, who is currently dating Orange is the New Black actress Ruby Rose, posted a heartbreaking tribute to the teen after attending the rally.
“Kids like Tyrone are bullied and made to feel like outcasts for their sexual or gender diversity and interests. Bullied to a point that he felt his only option was to leave this life. My heart breaks to know my best friends growing up were exactly like Tyrone, but that I couldn’t help him,” she wrote on Instagram.
“Here in Australia marriage equality is still not legal. The ‘Safe schools’ program is still not a mandatory inclusion in our school system. The LGBTQIA+ community are still fighting for the education and safety of our community.”
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The safe schools program is non-mandatory; 297 Australian schools are currently involved in the initiative.
According to the Safe School Coalition, 75 per cent of Australian gay youth between the ages of 14 and 21 have experienced some form of homophobic bullying or abuse because of their sexuality. 80 per cent said the bullying occurred at school.
Where to get help
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 911 for immediate help.
The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, Depression Hurts and Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 all offer ways for getting help if you, or someone you know, is suffering from mental health issues.
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