[Marguerite]

Originally Posted by The Man And XX Master

A 10 year old would perfectly understand what death and suicide are. The fact the 10 year old used whatever fabric to tie a noose and hang herself shows she's not mentally impaired, so it's fair enough to say she knew exactly what she was doing.

It's not really the point of whether she knew what she was doing or not. I agree, the fact she used a noose to hang herself shows she understood what exactly it was that she was doing. It doesn't mean that she could fully process what exactly it meant in the long term and what the consequences would be. I don't mean she didn't understand she would die... I just mean that ten year olds are illogical and irrational by nature. Did she weigh up what it would mean for her family and decide to put her self first? Maybe, maybe not. Even if she did it's not something at least I as a ten year old could have fully comprehended.

All I'm saying is that it's fine to take that line with adults (suicide is selfish and you're purposely hurting your family if you do it) but to take the same line with children is probably not worth it because ten year olds are, well, ten year olds. If a ten year old kicked me in the leg I would have a completely different reaction from if an adult kicked me because I know that ten year olds are as I said, illogical, irrational... and kind of dumb by adult standards. And that also happens to be the reason why I've protested blaming the death on other kids that age because suicide and bullying are both horrible things but at ten I'm not going to judge them by adult standards.

Also, at ten I thought about suicide a lot. And I also thought about how my family and friends would feel if I killed myself. That was usually the point, to kill myself and imagine how everyone would react if I did. It was usually a reaction to you don't care/you did this/why do you act like.... you would feel bad if I died. And while I thought about intentionally causing pain like that to my friends and family, I loved them and if I could have fully understood the pain that losing a child or childhood friend would have caused them I wouldn't have even thought about it. But ten year olds don't think like that.

Originally Posted by The Man And XX Master

It's not necessarily that nobody noticed because they could have known but not given a shit or wouldn't think she'd kill herself.

I agree, totally. All I meant was that our shock and horror should be focused towards the fact that this wasn't a little girl in an isolated cabin with no social contact except for her abusive parents. This was a girl who went to school, had friends, had family, probably had after school activities and what not... so how did nobody realise (or why did nobody care) that this was a very sick little girl and get her some help? Particularly with regards to the school which she spent a couple of hours a day with different adults who are trained to notice these things.

We shouldn't be saying OH GOD TEN YEAR OLDS ARE SO HORRIBLE THESE DAYS LETS FIND A WAY TO FIGHT BULLYING because while that was definitely a problem I don't see it as nearly as big of a problem as the former.

Originally Posted by The Man And XX Master

I assume this was directed at the OP but if it was directed at me, I didn't comment on the lack of LGBT bullying in the article because mostly everyone else already did.

Sorry, it was. Most of it was actually, only the first bit was directed at you... I'll space better next time.

Originally Posted by The Man And XX Master

If a person kill themselves over schoolyard bullying. That's a sign of ultimate weakness and cowardice. The selfishness is obvious because instead of trying to use the family for help (which the girl did and was successful at), they kill themselves, which to me waves off the family as though they're not even there, followed by potential whining that nobody was there for them. I'm sorry but if one contemplates suicide at that young of an age, I question how they'll manage through the hardships of life.

See, this is my problem. Calling a ten year old a 'coward' or 'weak' is kind of redundant. I don't understand why you're pushing adult expecations on this kid.

Originally Posted by Chaazza

it may have been the best option that she had because she couldn't take it anymore

Sorry but saying the best option a ten year old has in the face of bullying is to off herself is kind of an irresponsible thing to say and a terrible attitude to have.