Unspoken Issue in Teen Suicide

The tragedy of teen-age suicides was presented in clear and precise words in your article of March 12. The epidemic that is raging in Orange County and the nation was the focus of an all-day conference at the Irvine Hilton.

In outlining those youngsters who are at risk, eight categories were presented. The first three were:

* Youths with low self-esteem.

* Youths who are depressed.

* Youths who are loners.

These three categories describe most gay and lesbian youngsters who are beginning to deal with the fact that they are different and that their difference excludes them from their families, their friends, and the society beyond. Even so, the correlation between teen-age suicide and homosexuality apparently was never broached.

As a gay man, I find this difficult to understand. I have discussed the subject of suicide with a number of my friends who are psychologists, and all tell me that suicides and attempted suicides are very common among young gays and lesbians.

The conferees suggested that professional help and peer counseling are the best solutions. But when kids see that the subject of homosexuality can’t even be mentioned at a conference devoted to the subject of teen suicides, they know that it is not something that can be discussed with anyone.

I am convinced that many of those who take their secrets to the grave are driven there by that very same inability or unwillingness to address the subject of homosexuality under any circumstances.

JAMES L. BOONE

Irvine