Profile—Bullied Teen Uses Secret Identity to Fight Back

8/5/12 8:49 PMHow a Bullied Gay Marion Teen Used Secret Identity to Fight Back - Marion, IA Patch

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By Scott Raynor Email the author May 1, 2012

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Matt Shankles, a Linn-Mar High School Sophmore, is a prominent anti-bullying advocate.Credit Scott Raynor

How a Bullied Gay Marion Teen Used Secret Identityto Fight BackMarion resident and Linn-Mar High School student Matt Shankles has made tremendous efforts toaddress bullying in his school.

Related Topics: Bullying, Greatest Person,Linn-Mar High School, Matt Shankles, andTracy Bradley

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Matt Shankles lost friends and self-esteem and his depression grew when his eighth-grade classmates learned he was gay. They bullied himrelentlessly.

He one day locked himself in his bathroom and jammed the door shut with a drawer, intending to end his life with of a box of X-Acto blades.

"I hated myself more than I hate war," said Shankles, 16, now a Linn-Mar High School sophomore. "More than I hate famine, more than I hate hate."

Thankfully, Shankles didn't die that day.

Rather than give in to his suffering, which is too much for many other bullying victims, he has devoted his high school career to fighting bullying. Hehas been reaching out and reassuring victims, advocating for anti-bullying legislation in our nation's capitol and telling his painful story in front of thevery classmates that still ridicule him.

Have a message for Matt or the bullies? Share it in comments below.

Shankles' story provides optimism to bullied children, and their parents, everywhere. And, it offers some hope in the battle against bullying and cyber-bullying less than a month after a gay Iowa teen took his own life. Kenneth Weishuhn Jr., 14, committed suicide after being teased and bullied byclassmates at South O'Brien High School in western Iowa.

"I hated myself more than I hate war."The suffering was so great that Shankles rationalized his escape from his burdensome depression like this: people that surpass suffering becomeangels.

"I feel like regardless of whether I am an actual angel or not, I feel like I can help people become angels themselves," he said.

His advocacy has taken many forms. In addition to more routine support of bullying victims, Shankles has spoken at the Safe Schools AdvocacySummit in Washington D.C. and served as co-president of a gay-straight alliance club called Spectrum.

Shankles' mother, Tracy Bradley, said that until recently she was unaware of the bullying after he came out or that he had contemplated suicide. Shesaid she feels terrible that he went through so much suffering alone, but she said she is incredibly proud of the maturity, character and generosity thathe has shown since the bullying began.

"Nobody is pleased when their child is bullied," Bradley said. "At the same time, I am proud. He is going to be a better human being — 10 times theperson that a lot of bullies who never grow out of being bullies will be."

Twitter Power

Shankles is most known around school for a Twitter account he started last fall.

Shankles said a Linn-Mar student started a Twitter account specifically to harass students, divulge unflattering secrets and spread false rumors.

So, Shankles decided to create a rival Twitter account to Tweet kind words to ridiculed students. The handle is linn_mar_love.

But he knew he couldn’t take ownership of the account. Despite his advocacy work, Shankles is still bullied. He said he can’t walk home from schoolalone without having derogatory words shouted at him from cars. So he remained anonymous to keep his credibility.

"You can pull through this! Stay strong! Don't let him get to you ever," he Tweeted to a student ridiculed by the bullying Twitter handle, which has sincegone offline.

Last week he officially revealed himself to be the author of the Twitter feed linn_mar_love and said he was approached by many students who werebullied. He said the trust they have shown him and has been amazing.

"Within the past three days I have felt very empowered," he said. "I have the power to make so much more."

Proud Mom



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Shankles isn't the only one in the family to experience bullying. Bradley said she experienced bullying so extreme in her youth that it had a profoundeffect on her.

That's why Tracy Bradley is so proud of her son for getting past his depression and devoting himself to the well being of his classmates.

"If I have done only one thing right in this life, it's raising this kid," she said. "I couldn't be more proud of the path he has taken. It is not an easy one,and it takes more courage than I have, but he handles it with grace."

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Jeff Robison6:37 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2012Good Job, Matt Shankles. Don't let your adversaries pull you down. Instead, let the knuckle draggers drown in the obvious filth which spews fromtheir ignorance and bigotry.

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Stephanie Fudge9:10 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2012What a wonderful story from a courageous young man. I too was bullied at Linn Mar back in the 60's because I had "buck teeth". It was horribleback then...now kids are much more vicious and they start at a much younger age. If the parents are bullies, more often then not, their kids will bebullies as well with the cycle never ending. Please Matt, stay strong and true to yourself and continue doing what you have started. God bless you!

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Sara10:14 am on Tuesday, May 1, 2012I know it's hard. Always believe in who u are it will get better. I am proud of you

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lisa northrop12:24 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012You rock, Matt!! Keep up the good work!

DeleteMaureen Johnston2:25 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012

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