I'm 15 years old! my verbal bullying started in 6th grade. i love to dye my hair and wear bright clothes and get piercings. everytime i would dye my hair my family, YES FAMILY would cut me down about it. tell me i was a faggot because im a guy and i dye my hair.  it didnt matter what i did they would keep on. even my mom would do it. i dont have my dad in my life.. he never was. when me andmy mom get in fights she tells me no one wants me and my dad was ashamed of me and thats why he left.. then she says sorry afterward. i get called faggot, queer, bitch, dumbass, loser, nobody, loner, ignorant, idiot, fucker, pussy, pansy, exc. ..  my 9th grade year i got tired of it and told myself .. hunter you are you for you.. just because they say it doesnt mean that its true.. it still hurts me when people call me that because i dress "different" .. or i "dye" my hair. we are who we are. give it a rest. ive thought about hurting my self  before but then i think why should i kill my self over pathetic people.. that would make them happy. im a sophmore now and guess what .I STILL DYE MY HAIR, I STILL WEAR BRIGHT COLORED CLOTHES.but now more people accept me for who i am.. i have plenty of friends that accept me.. and yeah i still get called names but idc anymore..  i just care when my mom calls me things... that really hurts me. everyone needs to stand up for themselves.. you are who you are. dont try to be what everyone else wants you to be.. i didnt and im glad..but even though i still get called names by my on family... i try to ignore most of it anf yeah it still hurts alot but i dont let it get to me like it used to.  stand up foryourself . the person who helped me get throu this to was my cosuin/ sister jessica smith. she told me to be me for me not for anyone else and to ignore what they say. i love you jessie! it only takes 1 :)