Date: Sun, 28 Mar 1999 09:27:08 -0800 From: Clare Howell Subject: IYF-Gender Questioning Teen Suicide MEDIA ADVISORY - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Editor: Clare Howell, clare@gpac.org GENDER-QUESTIONING TEEN SUICIDE IN CLEVELAND ============================================ [Cleveland, OH: 27 Mar 99] FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD NICOLE SEELY identified as a boy. "She decided that her outside persona was more like a boy," said her mother, Elaine. "She presented this to the world and said, 'This is who I am.'" The Cleveland News-Herald reports that, since 3rd grade, Nicole had "gravitated toward masculinity" according to her father, Greg. She wore short hair, boys' clothes, and acted like a tomboy. For defying gender norms so blatantly she paid the price at school. Classmates taunted and ridiculed her. The problems grew worse when she entered 8th grade. Life became miserable for her. "It wasn't just guys, it was girls too that were harassing her," said her mother. Nicole kept her problems to herself. Even school officials were unaware of the severity of the situation. On 13 Oct 98 Nicole could take it no longer. She killed herself using her father's .22 rifle. "She pulled the trigger... because she felt it was the only way she could escape the torment inflicted on her by her classmates," said June Shiplett, a friend of the family. "Every day she went to school was torture for her and she didn't know how to stop it." ### GENERPAC INCORPORATES ===================== [New York, NY: 27 Mar 99] GENDERPAC IS INCORPORATING AFTER 4 years as an association. Said Director of Operations Carrie Davis, "It was time. We are starting to get serious donation money. The organization has grown, and we are heading toward 200 members." GenderPAC is also applying for 501 tax-exempt status with the IRS. Continued Ms. Davis, "This is important because it means that donations and memberships will be deductible. While what we do is often referred to as 'lobbying,' as in National Gender Lobby Day, in fact, what we do mostly could be referred to as advocacy--explaining the effect of laws on this community, discussing public policy, mobilizing the grassroots and promoting gender issues as matters of civil rights." ### Subscriptions. Please contact: Subscribe@Gpac.org For prior releases, check the GenderPAC website at: http://www.gpac.org (c) 1999 InYourFace GenderPAC's online news-only service for gender activism.