Lawrence King

I hope by now that everyone knows about the death of Lawrence King. On Tuesday, February 12th, 15-year-old Larry was shot twice in the back of the head in his school library in Oxnard, CA. Larry was living in a foster facility, for undisclosed reasons. Recently, he came out to his classmates as gay. He started wearing effeminate clothing and makeup to school. He made no secret of his sexuality. A 14-year-old classmate shot Larry, reportedly because of his sexuality, and has been charged with a hate-crime. As CNN so eloquently reports, the case "might be more complicated than at first glance." According to some classmates, Larry had made public his crush on the child who would become his murderer. Again, CNN reports, the shooter was "humiliated by homosexual advances and just snapped."

I wonder if Larry King "just snapped" when he decided to reveal his sexuality to his peers? Did he "just snap" when he endured the teasing of his classmates? Did he "just snap" each day as he walked into Jr High School in earrings, makeup, and heels? Or I wonder if rather Larry "just snapped" under the pressure of himself, deciding the teasing and risk of death were better than pretending to be some all-amerikan version of a 15-year-old boy?

What makes a 14-year-old decide that murder and prison are better than some faggot ruining the all-amerikan version of what he was supposed to be?

Larry is obviously a victim here. But it is also obvious that the shooter is a victim too. Who told him his heterosexually is so sacred that the penetration of two bullets into another child's skull would restore his "humiliated" masculinity?

GLSEN - www.rememberinglawrence.org
King Family Website - www.rememberlarry.com

Ode to my Agnes Scott Ring

Sometimes you can't catch a break. In short order: I was super sick over Christmas, in January I worked my regular job plus my new job in transition (exhausting), my wonderful old Toyota died with 15 years and 210,000 miles, there was massive chaos getting new insurance as Missouri has a backlog in putting new driver's licenses into the public database that insurance companies use, the day after I got my new Corolla my old Corolla was broken into and ransacked.

The funny note to this break-in was the theft of 2,000 condoms from my work with Planned Parenthood. As new-Mama Sister in South Carolina said, "Well, perhaps the hoodlums won't reproduce." It was entertaining filing a police report for 2,000 stolen condoms.

Alas, my Agnes Scott Ring was stolen. These rings, as any good Decatur grrl knows, are the pride and joy of alumnae. So sad. I comforted myself knowing that the ring has a lifetime warranty. However, theft and loss are not covered in the policy. New rings cost AT MINIMUM $455. Since I have a new car payment and a much higher insurance payment, I won't be getting an Agnes Scott ring anytime soon. April is my 5 Year College Reunion. Soooo sad.