Happy Birthday Sophie, RIP

[aeron_lanart]

Today, on what would have been her 23rd birthday, an animation documenting the attack on Sophie Lancaster and Robert Maltby that led to Sophie's death has been released on youtube. You might also catch it on MTV

Comments

[idontlikegravy]

*hugs*

[aeron_lanart]

*clings*

I wanted to go to Manchester today for the official release, but I was just too tired after work.

[easilymused1956]

I sit here not really knowing how to express my horror that in the 21st century, with all our knowledge and universality, we have *children* murdering other *children* over something as meaningless as the way they dress.

I hope I made some kind of sense. I'm rather emotional at the moment.

Many, many hugs.

Renee

[aeron_lanart]

Thanks for the hugs. *hugs you back*

This is something I feel very strongly about as there is a large element of 'There but for the Grace of God go I' involved. I am lucky enough to live in a city that is fairly cosmopolitan and have never suffered abuse because of how I look, but plenty of my goth friends have. I didn't know Sophie personally, but I had seen her when she attended Whitby Goth Weekend and that brigs it so close to home.

[luscious_words]

*HUGS* Thank you so much for sharing this. I passed it on (as you know), and I hope it gets passed along by others.

[aeron_lanart]

That's what I'm hoping too. I even posted it to torch_wood because of the GDL connection and I'm hoping it doesn't get deleted - there's a lot of traffic on that comm which can only be good.

[luscious_words]

*crosses fingers* Here's hoping it doesn't get deleted since you have the GDL connection.

[aeron_lanart]

There have been a couple of very positive comments so far so I'm hopeful. *crosses fingers with you*

Online goths are pretty well informed about SOPHIE, but there are a hell of a lot of people in Torchwood and other fandoms who suffer for being different in other ways (just by being fannish in some cases) and I think it is very important for them to know that there is someone, somewhere who is *trying* to make people aware that being different just makes you unique, not a freak.

[aeron_lanart]

You're only 8 years older than me and I can't see myself not being goth in 8 years. One of my very good goth friends is 60 next year - and that's something else we get hassle for... being told we're 'too old' to be goths. Pffft. I hasten to add that this is *not* by other goths! We are a very tolerant bunch.

Thank you for spreading the word!

[chaotic_binky]

I was angry at the undercurrent of perverse judgement in some quarters that the victims had somehow invited it because of the way they dressed. As though they should have expected abuse for expressing their individuality.

I cared for a 16 year old who was attacked because he was viewed as different - he died and it was heartbreaking. His family sat shellshocked and waiting for his final breath.

My son has been attacked several times in the past for being and looking different - he walks around with a mad looking staffy now. Odd how a group of shits won't take on a potentially vicious dog!

Hugs Binky xxx

[aeron_lanart]

the victims had somehow invited it because of the way they dressed

I am glad that I never got a hint of that from anyone I came into contact with or I would have had an awful lot to say, and none of it polite. Everyone I know was as shocked and disgusted as me, as well as being concerned that I might be at risk of such an attack too.

Thanks for the hugs.