Regarding the May 9 article "LGBT bullying rife in schools": Bullying is something that many people who are reading this can relate to. It's not limited only to children in schools, because it can easily transition into the workplace.
Simply because we don't hear about it as often nowadays does not mean it is not there. It's very real but has become much harder to detect. In our ever-increasing technological age, bullying can be done invisibly and silently, and the effects are just as bad.
Rehtaeh Parsons, Amanda Todd and Todd Loik should be familiar names. They had many things in common — all Canadian teenagers with a bright future ahead of them. They lost their future because they all committed suicide to escape the torture of bullying. That's how easily bullying can kill.
Bullying is not a joke. And in Japan's case, bullying someone's sexuality will have dire consequences. It affects people from their social life to academic performance, and often induces suicidal thoughts. Bullying in the wrong place at the wrong time easily becomes fatal. Therefore, dear readers, I implore you to raise awareness of bullying and end it.
Unified, we are strong. Bullied we are torn.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.