Riverside Congressman introduces resolution to bring attention to bullying of LGBTQ youth

A local legislator hopes to bring awareness to bullying aimed at LGBTQ youth, especially since, according to the nonprofit Trevor Project, 42% of young LGBTQ people have seriously considered suicide in the last year. 

In a time where people loudly protest and rally to call for change, Congressman Mark Takano of Riverside

"By vowing a day of silence, you are showing solidarity with a group that often feels that they have to be silent."

Thursday, Takano, the first openly gay California Congressman introduced a resolution to establish April 22 as a National Day of Silence to bring attention to the bullying aimed LGBTQ youth. 

"I knew that I was different around seven or eight,' Troy Yu, with Riverside Pride, said. 

Yu said he wished resolutions like these existed when he was growing up. Though he had supportive parents, he said school was a brutal place for a young, gay boy. While things have gotten better in the last 20 years, Yu said lately he's feeling threatened all over again. 

In Florida, legislators passed the Parental Rights in Education Bill, essentially banning instruction of sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten to third grade. 

There's also a Texas bill that would make it child abuse for a parent to allow their children to get gender reassignment procedures. 

Takano said these are harmful bills that silence the LGBTQ community. 

"I think this is an opportunity for everyone to push back and say no, hate will not be used to win an election." 

That's why Yu said he will be silent Friday, to not only support his young bullied self, but to others going through the same now. 

"You're telling your friend or you peer, 'I see you and I hear you and I'm going to be quiet in support of your silence, the silence that is being forced on you.'"