13-Year Old Takes His Life Over Homophobic Bullying At School

The suicide of a 13-year-old French boy who was subjected to homophobic bullying at school has prompted expressions of shock in the country and warnings that homophobia kills.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation into harassment of a minor after the boy, Lucas, took his own life last weekend in the Vosges region of eastern France.

Regional prosecutor Frederic Nahon said that the boy’s friends told investigators he had been the victim of bullying “by pupils at his school for several months due to his homos3xuality”.

The family has yet to file a criminal complaint but the situation at the Louis Armand school in the town of Golbey has been reported to the education ministry, the prosecutor added.

“I am thinking of all the students like him who are bullied. Their despair is the basis of my determination to prevent all forms of bullying,” France’s Education Minister Pap Ndiaye wrote on Twitter.

Transport Minister Clement Beaune, who came out as g3y while serving as Europe minister in 2020, tweeted: “Homophobia kills. Sadness and support to the family of Lucas.”

“This is intolerable,” added Diversity Minister Isabelle Rome. “All light must be shed on this tragedy and the homophobic circumstances surrounding it,” she said.