Warning: This article contains disturbing descriptions of violence.
A video of a young boy in Atlanta physically and verbally assaulted by his alleged family, and with the word “gay” shaved into his head, has gone viral. Now, a local politician has stepped in with a message of hope for LGBTQ kids everywhere.
11 Alive News reports the video first appeared on Instagram June 17. In it, adults slap and beat a 12-year old boy identified only as “Tyler” while also yelling verbal insults at him. The word “gay” also appears shaved into his hair as part of the humiliation. Not long after, the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) stepped in to remove the youth from the home and place him in foster care.
Amid the horror, the video caught the eye of Devin Barrington-Ward, a local activist. Barrington-Ward also happens to be running for city council in the district where the footage was taken. For Barrington-Ward, who is gay himself, the incident also presented an opportunity.
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“It popped up on my social media on Friday and when I saw it my heart was broken because I saw a piece of myself in that,” Barrington-Ward told 11 Alive News. “As a black queer man, I have experienced some of the same homophobia and some of the same abuse by the hands of people that I love as a child.”
Barrington-Ward enlisted the help of Hope Giselle, a Black trans activist based in Miami, to reach out to the boy’s mother and discuss “what had took place, about some of the challenges that she’s had as a single mother of eight and about some of the challenges raising a young Black queer child in poverty.” He also got in touch with young Tyler to counsel him on how to cope with the trauma.
“What I told him on the patio at his home is that you’re loved, we care for you, we got your back,” Barrington-Ward said. “I apologized because we didn’t create enough safe spaces to prevent this from happening.” He added that he wants the boy to “see a version of himself in the future; so that, that it does get better and that it’s important to fight for your survival because there is a future for you.”
In addition to offering his personal counseling, Barrington-Ward and Hope Giselle have launched two fundraisers for the boy: an online fundraiser and a local drag show, set to take place this Thursday at My Sister’s Room in Atlanta. A special panel discussion on homophobia and violence will follow the show.
At the time of this writing, it remains unclear how long Tyler will remain in the custody of DCFS.
Cam
Don’t let any of the family get their hands on any of the money raised. It should go into an account for the kid to use for school or other necessities.
Glad they got him away from that family.
This reminds me of the stories of the Mormon families that would kick their kids out on the street after abusing them and sending them into conversion therapy. Hopefully the foster family is a good one.
Any child abuse charges pending?
Fahd
In my opinion, there needs to be a legal proceeding, a hearing in which evidence is presented about the suitability of the parent and home, and a finding by a judge that things have sufficiently improved, before the mother could possibly be entrusted with her child again. Returning children to hostile and violent environments is inexcusable (who do we see when the child is permanently injured or killed?) It’s 2021, and it’s deplorable that stuff like this still goes on, but now at least we have social media where the losers can betray themselves.
Openminded
I find it odd that they didn’t remove the other 7 kids from the home too. The mother appears to have proven she is unfit to treat a child fairly so why do you risk leaving the other kids in her care. Even if she is “only” homophobic, her actions prove she isn’t fit to raise kids, gay ones or straight ones.
DrJohn
My parents threw me out on the streets when I was 18, disowned me (cut out of their will), and never attended any of my college graduations (including my PhD, which I worked for just to redeem myself in their eyes).
Dunnedin
I understand you may have gotten your PhD to “redeem” yourself in their eyes, but your PhD is yours, no matter what they may think.
Mack
I feel for this kid. I hope they don’t let him go back home but unfortunately too often the goal of DCFS is to reunite the kids with their family. What money that is raised should be put aside for the kid and a Trustee appointed (not a family member) to administer the money as needed.
littlwulf
This is truly disgusting. I do hope assault charges have been filed for the beating this child took. Any person that can treat an innocent child this way deserves to be in jail. It saddens me extremely to see that in this, the 21st century, parents and family members still treat the ones they are supposed to love and care for so barbarically.
At least there is someone in the community that cares and the child is safe for now.
I have hope the boy can be placed with a loving, accepting family, that will treat him with respect and allow him to express himself freely. I don’t think he will be safe back in his home. As the saying goes “A leopard doesn’t change it’s spots”, I doubt seriously that there will ever be any change in the atmosphere of hostility shown to Tyler.
ShiningSex
This is so disgusting. How sad that family would do that.
I am so grateful that my family supported me when I came out at 14. All of my family (including aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents) were and are still supportive.
It breaks my heart to hear what others had to go through.
I was however heavily bullied in school that I had to leave.
Fname Optional Lname
Telling them “It gets better” doesn’t mean a whole lot when you’re getting slapped upside your head! We need to do more for them.
Kangol2
I grew up with both affirming and homophobic family members, but so many children do not receive any support or affirmation at all, and it can destroy them, as we know from suicide rates, the trauma-based struggles LGBTQ adults deal with, and so forth. I’m very glad some supportive people with power and a public platform have gotten involved in helping this child, and I also hope, as people are saying, that not a dime of the funds raised go to that mother or those family members who were abusing him or letting him be abused.
arnieca
i hope others here will join me in contributing to Tyler’s gofundme. Not only for the practical uses of the money but so he will know he is part of a large community that loves and supports him
Jay002
Please don’t send this kid back to his family. The evidence is captured on video. Remember Gabriel Fernandez.
James
WHY AREN’T THE PARENTS IN PRISON.
Inspector 57
“…some of the challenges that she’s had as a single mother of eight and about some of the challenges raising a young Black queer child in poverty.”
I wonder how many fathers there are for these kids. One of the challenges she’s apparently had is not getting her ass to Planned Parenthood to pick up a handful of condoms.
I agree with Openminded: the other seven children should be removed from that environment by DCFS.
Terrycloth
If I knew the money goes to the boy in a trust I’d give .in the meantime what ? He goes back to the parents who will repeat the same crap over again maybe now worse if they find out there’s money…keep the kid safe and away from horrible excuses for parents .I hope he grows up to be strong, kind , adult who takes no bs from anyone and has a happy life on his own terms