I decided to post this video because this problem also exists in EMS, Fire & Police departments. This problem also exists with our junior squad members. We as adults are supposed to be there to protect our young people, and create as safe and educational environment for them, not cause them further harm. Maybe we can all learn something from these young adults, and applaud them for their courage in speaking out.

This is the story of two rural teens who had the courage to stand up to bigotry and intolerance in their schools and the determination to tell their stories to the world.

Homophobia is one of the last permissible forms of prejudice. Its effects are especially acute for youth, who often suffer alone and in silence. Two thirds of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth experience harassment or violence in school, and the suicide rate for this group is four times the average.

When C.J. Bills is gay bashed in the school locker room, then arrested for disorderly conduct because he protests to an administrator about the harassment he has experienced, he decides to fight back by making a documentary about discrimination. With his family's help, he also initiates an investigation by the state human rights commission and shames the school district into developing an anti-bullying and diversity training program.

C.J.'s documentary project also leads him to Tim Dahle, a former high school student who challenged the years of anti-gay harassment he suffered in a neighboring town. In Tim's case, the school district that failed to protect him agreed to one of the largest sexual harassment settlements in history, sending a signal to school districts around the country that such behavior can be costly.

We Belong demonstrates that young people have the power to change their communities and the world, and that helping youth to tell their stories, in their own way and on camera, is enlightening, empowering, and effective.