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Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month After Making “It Gets Better” Video

This is heartbreaking. Yesterday, just one month after posting an “It Gets Better” video on YouTube, 19-year-old Californian filmmaker and gay rights activist Eric James Borges took his own life.

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News of the death came as a shock to many, as just a few weeks ago Borges, who went by Eric James among friends, recorded the “It Gets Better” video above. He had also been serving as an intern for suicide prevention group The Trevor Project.

Borges’ suicide was first reported by Queer Landia blogger Jim Reeves.

Says Reeves:

Not accepted by his birth family, EricJames was striking out on his own, trying to deal with his personal situation, but also wanting to help others. Sadly, even involvement with the Trevor Project was not enough to help him navigate the turbulent waters of young adulthood.

May he rest in peace.

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    24 Responses So Far

    • rangles   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • Tcherie2 a year ago

      @chaz atlas… If more people like you committed suicide, the world would be filled with more empathy, understanding, and respect for your fellow man/woman. You need to really understand that these are children who are taking their own lives because the same people who brought them on this earth and promised to protect them, are treating them worse, more often than anyone else. Land OfThe Free means absolutely nothing to so called “normal” people like you. You absolutely disgust me.

    • ashleyheinyhein thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is WTF  about a year ago
    • Chris S.   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • LionessFeathers   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • litaleeter   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • roxywilde   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • merrinmccallumd thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is LOL  about a year ago
    • crazy kat a year ago

      Is there a better way then killing yourself? Yes there is; but I get really sick of disgusting people who say things like get over it and other stupid ignorant things like that. I’m a lesbian, I was teased so badly my whole life not just for this but for other things. I’m also bipolar, I’ve tried killing myself countless times. One time my mother got sick of it and told me to get over it or just kill myself. Guess what I did! I cut myself so badly with a rusty hanger I had to go get a tetanus shot. I got on medication then later eased off of it and went to therapy and diet change.I also came out of the closet only to deal with my angry mother once again. My major is psychology and sociology because I want to help others who were just like me. It does get better, but only if we stop saying ignorant bullshit! Watch your words they mean something!

    • Barenakedness a year ago

      His eyes and voice seem so very sad in his video
      even though he was ultimately providing
      a positive message. May he rest in
      peace.

    • Eduardo M.   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • loptopflop   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • r0xmyface0ff   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • agh   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s OMG  about a year ago
    • Keri Madden   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • Wallz   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • joeys4   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s OMG  about a year ago
    • daniellek9 thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is OMG  about a year ago
    • SkelIy a year ago

      Another life lost because people are too bigoted and ignorant. It’s so sad to see how we as a species can condemn each other over such an unintelligible subject matter.  Maybe one day humanity will see what real issues and problems are and stop dwelling on something as incoherent as this.

    • maggielizer   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s OMG  about a year ago
    • angelp4   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • melie1113 a year ago

      Apparently, most commenters on Buzzfeed have no idea that depression is a mental disease and not just a feeling of sadness. There is far more to it then being sad. The reason you don’t understand why someone would take their life is because you don’t have clinical depression. Calling someone with clinical depression an idiot or telling them to suck it up is the same as telling someone with schizophrenia or other mental diseases to do the same. It’s not that simple.

    • sammiilouise   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • elisep thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is OMG  about a year ago
    • crystalm12 thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is Fail  about a year ago
    • maggieguevarac   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • Noel Abastillas thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is OMG  about a year ago
    • bjclaudec thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is WTF  about a year ago
    • kevind14   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s OMG  about a year ago
    • Gabriel G.   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s OMG  about a year ago
    • Meghan C.   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is starting to get hot on Twitter Tweet It  about a year ago
    • Heather Heaton   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s OMG  about a year ago
    • sangfr0id   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • cjbruce thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is WTF  about a year ago
    • b4tm4nest86 a year ago

      The most upsetting thing is that even through his “it gets better” video, despair is clearly evident in his eyes. much love and God bless.

    • Sweetcheex76   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • idkwhattosay thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is OMG  about a year ago
    • Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is starting to get hot on Facebook Share It  about a year ago
    • crazytowngirl a year ago

      I might not had know him but u cAn truly see it in his eyes so much pain his being thru may he rest in peace

    • Diana a year ago

      :,( this is so tragic. I’m so sorry, Eric. I hope you’re finally at peace.  I wish I could reach out and hug every person who is struggling with this. There are people out there who love you for who you are, and we will support you always!

    • Cary O.   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s OMG & WTF  about a year ago
    • bookslut   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • jeremyw8 a year ago

      Am I seriously reading “suck it up” posts directed directed at a suicide victim? That’s about as disgusting as thinking about the idiots who bullied him.

    • spacetwice thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is LOL  about a year ago
    • yugi   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s OMG  about a year ago
    • tfoxy74   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • prettyjumbles   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • elphonine   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s OMG  about a year ago
    • Krissy Diggs a year ago

      DAMMIT I AM SICK OF THIS HAPPENING!!! What is it going to take for people to WAKE UP and see that there IS in fact a problem with making fun of gay children and it’s NOT a choice! If it were a choice, there wouldn’t be so many of these poor kids killing themselves. If it was something you could just turn off, I imagine lots of people would do just that just to escape being treated so poorly.  This is just so sad. :(

    • JohanPar   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • Spooky   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • Andrew Montano   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • DARKmodp   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s OMG  about a year ago
    • lobaroja85   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • Ronald   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • cybergata   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s OMG  about a year ago
    • Hatter   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • silverhellion thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is OMG  about a year ago
    • mandabear82 a year ago

      Why make a video unless you actually were in a place to say it does indeed get better? If things were truly better, suicide wouldn’t have seemed like the best option. This isn’t just for him, there has been a few of these stories as of late, and I don’t understand why they thought they should make a video telling people one thing and living another…?

    • ginac10   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s OMG  about a year ago
    • Nether   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • MrSwearword   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • javisartsy thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is WTF  about a year ago
    • kcristiano   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • ModernCowboy13 a year ago

      @JohanPar, I could not of said it better myself… I don’t care how shitty your life is … You only live it once and anyone who would end theirs or waste it is a complete idiot in my opinion and I do not mean to say anyone who consider s it is stupid because to consider it is rational but at that point common sense should kick in and be like no or else be like dude you need to talk to someone to tell you how big an idiot your about to be… And again I really don’t mean offense to anyone who lost someone by suicide I just cannot get my head around it… So there is my 2 cents.

    • Em0987654321   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • Magic Mona   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • izaya   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... and thinks it’s WTF & OMG  about a year ago
    • boopbop   Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af...  about a year ago
    • mollya3 thinks Gay Teen Commits Suicide One Month Af... is OMG  about a year ago
    • JohanPar a year ago

      Goddamn it. I will never understand suicide. Life can be pretty damn horrible on occasion, but it’s LIFE. IT’S ALL THERE IS. I can’t see myself, or anyone else for that matter, giving up on it or becoming bored with it. This is it. This is all there is for each and every one of us. It might be painful, even hopeless at times, but it’s still the only life we have and I, for one, plan to live it with my all of physical flaws, emotional traumas, social anxieties and guilt intact.

    • DARKmodp a year ago

      I hope his family is happy now :( how dare they disown him.

    • chaz atlas a year ago

      Commit suicide, end your life over a few dumb-asses? Whether its your parents, friends or strangers - nothing is so bad you have to kill yourself over it, especially because you happen to like the same sex. Get over it. Do you know how many millions of people are gay and/or in the closet?! Get off your horse and deal with it. Life is what you make it.

    • MrSwearword a year ago

      This sucks. I hate the fact that even with things such as the “It Gets Better” project, Trevor Foundation and other outlets for GLBT youth that some still commit suicide. *PSA MOMENT* Take it from a 21 year old preacher’s grandson with parents who despite being involved with a seemingly enabling cause of suicide (the church) life will not always blow. Although my Mom is the only person in my family I’ve told (she loves me as is), I have a group of friends that accept me as is. Please don’t let suicide be an option for you. There are people out there who aren’t stupid enough to hate you because you’re gay. Are there going to be moments in which life will suck? Yes and no matter how hard it seems to believe…no. Life will not always suck.

    • chaz atlas a year ago

      Come on, grow some nads! Why is the gay teen suicide rate higher today than in the 80s when teens TRULY had to be in the closet. There were hardly any support groups, hotlines, awareness - nothing for gay teens then and there weren’t rampant suicides?! Tell a bully to shut the fuck up and fuck off.

    • Matt Cherette Crown a year ago

      Please, guys, no more “I guess it doesn’t get better”-type jokes. Even if it wasn’t wildly insensitive, it’d still be lazy and obvious.

    • izaya a year ago

      Religious ignorance is the worst thing to happen to the world.

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