Ex-Rotorua student says more support needed for young gays

A former Rotorua student who was bullied for being homosexual says more support is needed for young gay, lesbian and transgender people.
Now living in Auckland, the 35-year-old said life was a "living hell" for him during his high school years in Rotorua as he dealt with bouts of depression and suicidal tendencies.
He did not want to be named to protect his family from what he called "small-town discrimination".
The son of a former Cabinet minister, however, has spoken out nationally this week about how hard it was to be gay at school.
Denis McLay, son of former Deputy Prime Minister Jim McLay, is calling for the bullying culture to stop, a stance the ex-Rotorua student supports.
"I was called everything under the sun, ridiculed and at times physically threatened.
"The few teachers I did tell just ignored me or as one said, if I stopped acting like a sissy then I wouldn't get teased."
After leaving high school, he moved to Auckland where he is now working as a hairdresser.
"At times I thought the teasing I endured wasn't worth it, I wasn't worth it and there were times I thought about killing myself," he said.
"It's a lot to go through as a teenager and with youth suicide rates the way they are, there desperately needs to be something in place."
According to a 2007 national survey that questioned 9107 students on a range of health and wellbeing issues, one in 20 secondary students was attracted to the same sex or both sexes.
It also revealed students attracted to the same sex or both sexes reported much higher rates of depression and self-harm, compared with students just attracted to the opposite sex. Twenty per cent reported that they had attempted suicide - five times higher than for those attracted to the opposite sex.
Local gay support advocate Graeme Cribb said some form of help was needed in Rotorua.
"When I was working at [former nightclub] Shampers, I had parents and aunties saying their kids were gay and asking me if there was anything out there for them.
"There are a couple of counsellors in Rotorua but unless you're gay yourself, you can't understand what they're experiencing."
Mr Cribb said a local hotline or group was needed to deal with issues of sexual confusion and bullying, something he had experienced personally. "It's not the sort of thing you can go to your headmaster or teacher to talk about."
Mr Cribb moved to Auckland from his home town of Katikati after he "came out" at the age of 31.
"I was truly happy for the first time, because finally Graeme could be Graeme. I see young ones here are leaving Rotorua to carry on their lives in another town."
Rotovegas Youth Centre GP Dr Tania Pinfold said there was previously a formal Rainbow group which supported gay, lesbian and transgender young people but it was no longer active.
"It's important to support all young people who have a particular need and that is one particular subtext group that do need additional support," she said.
"Sometimes advice is given to not come out while in high school as the reaction may be toxic for them but there are some students that are gayand open with their sexuality who are supported and accepted by their peers and schools here."