Brother Remembers Tyler Clementi

When Rutgers freshman Tyler Clementi committed suicide in 2010, he became the "issue du jour for the masses," writes his older brother, James, in Out magazine. But what could the masses possibly know about his brother, the little kid he used to spin around in the air and who showed so much promise as a violinist? "It is surreal and meaningless to see you as a mere story on the New York Times, a brief glimpse at a life with none of the detail," writes James, who is also gay.

"You were a typical college freshman, trying to adjust to a dorm room, make some friends, meet a cute guy, and enjoy your independence, and no one noticed. The headlines tell of how you were violated and ridiculed; your last moments are a cautionary tale, a scandal, something to sell and entertain." He wishes Tyler could somehow know just how many people came forward in support after his death. "You were never alone; it just felt like it," James writes. Click for the full article, in which James writes a series of short letters to his brother. (More Tyler Clementi stories.)