Gay Teen Calls Out Bullies In Viral TikTok Video
Image: Landon Jones
A gay teenager has posted video footage of bullying in a viral TikTok, after finally being sick of staying ‘silent’ about the harassment he’s received at school.
Trigger Warning: This story discusses bullying, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
California high school student Landon Jones described his experiences of being bullied in a video that was posted to TikTok last month which included footage that was captured by him being targeted by bullies on two different occasions.
In the TikTok , a teenager is seen walking up to Jones’ house and asking whether “Landon lives here” before adding “Someone said to come up here … because he’s a faggot!” and leaving the premises.
@allclearforlandon #lgbt #fyp #hatecrime ♬ original sound – Landon Jones
Gay Teenager Harassed, Called Slurs By Classmates
“This is a little example of what’s going on in my life, and what’s been going on in my life. This is a group of boys from El Toro High School who have repeatedly called me names, called me slurs, have followed me, and have now come to my house to say these things. For what reason? I couldn’t tell you”, Jones said.
Jones added that the harassment by these teenagers were done by people who he didn’t know and had “never even spoken to before any of this ever”. “They just simply know the fact that I’m gay and out at school so they choose that, and they hang on that, and they just give me that attention, that negative attention that they think is so funny,” Jones stated.
Jones addressed the other clip he shared too, telling viewers that it was taken while he was with his sister at Starbucks. The duo were “apparently followed” to the coffeehouse where he was called slurs and unable to leave his parking spot.
Bullying Is A Hate-crime
The 18-year-old explained to viewers on TikTok that these instances constituted a “hate crime”.
“Now, I don’t know if you guys know this, but these are hate crimes. This is harassment. The fact that they went to my house to do this, the fact that they followed me, this is a hate crime, this is harassment, it’s bullying,” he said.
Jones stated that he was “fed up with it”, been called “faggot countless times at school” and was frustrated by the fact that they had come to his house to shout slurs at him.
Jones finished the video, stating that there would be consequences for those bullies who were now identified and said that this would not be “happening anymore”.
Jones Receives Support
The video received an outpouring of support by viewers on TikTok with many praising Jones for speaking out and assuring him that there was an entire community standing behind him.
TikToker Josh Helfgott commented, “If there’s one thing I got from this video, it’s “how STRONG you are & how weak they are. I’m so sorry this is happening. Keep shining, Landon”.
Another TikTok content creator Johnny Sibilly wrote, “Your light shines bright and no matter how much they try and dim it just know THEY CANNOT”.
So glad he is going to proceed in calling them out to the school and authorities, as the these incidences will get more and more targetted and possibly dangerous. If they think they can get away with it, they will.