Birthday Suits

1: Tyler Vermont

1: Tyler Vermont

           The whole student body was consumed with grief, like anyone would be at the death of a peer. It was unexpected, heart wrenching and absolutely devastating. The death was what made everyone cry. But for Belle, it was more than that. It was the reason why he felt the need to commit suicide.

            Tyler Vermont was revolted by his physical appearance; a self-conscious teenage boy manipulated by society into believing he wasn't attractive. The social expectations associated with his gender were characteristics his phenotype couldn't provide. And in the twenty-first century, where different forms of media are so easily accessible, Tyler was constantly haunted by the whispers of the world.

            Weak. Scrawny. Disgusting.

            The thought of Tyler hearing these judgments circle his mind made Belle sick to her stomach. So, in memory of Tyler, the boy who sat four seats away in her English class, she started a blog titled Birthday Suits, in which she wrote a post about why he was beautiful.

            Beauty is always considered to be associated with femininity, but honestly, it's a gender neutral connotation. Tyler Vermont was beautiful, despite what society manipulated him into believing. He was infectious; his smile always broad, creases in the corners of his eyes from years of laughing. And those wrinkles that he despised so passionately, held secrets and stories of happiness that only the outside world could see. The laugh he so discretely despised was rough and wild and uncontrollable; the way it should be. And even though Tyler Vermont didn't believe he was beautiful, I do.

            It was meant to be an outlet, to aid in the recovery of such a tragedy. Then Belle received a comment from an anonymous user: If only everyone knew they were beautiful.

            Which inspired her to do just what the comment suggested.