A Wiltshire College student was found hanged less than a week after filing a complaint over bullying with the school.
“I am starting to believe the insults. I am tired and I can’t see a happy ever after.”
Gabriel Tinto, 51 of Salisbury, had been outspoken on social media regarding her voice and the insults she was receiving a week before being found. “Getting frustrated about my voice again, it’s the first thing people judge me by and instantly marks me as trans and the most common reason my gender is questioned,” she posted on October 13th. “So isolating and nothing I can do to change it. I feel hopeless and angry about it, I’m instantly judged and there is nothing I can do to make people see further.” She later posted, “I am starting to believe the insults. I am tired and I can’t see a happy ever after. I got more abuse Wednesday and I am having issues because of it. Excluding eight students won’t change their opinions though, educating them might.”
Tinto’s comments were made the same day she filed her complaint with Wiltshire College. The college clams they launched an investigation, but dog walkers found her hanged this past Wednesday morning (October 19). “Everyone at the college was shocked and saddened by the news,” Wiltshire College principal Amanda Burnside told the Bath Chronicle. The college was investigating the complaint and had emailed Gabriel with an update on Thursday, unaware of what had happened.” Burnside also said that only one person was involved in the complaint.
“Police are not treating the death as suspicious, however enquiries are ongoing..”
“Police are not treating the death as suspicious, however enquiries are ongoing and a file will be prepared on behalf of H M Coroner for Wiltshire,” a Police spokesman said. “Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.”
Tinto had her own blog titled “Happy Transgender, Evolutionary Woman” and she wrote about some of her experiences. She knew she was transgender as early as 3 or 4 years old, and started to experience bullying for being different as early as age 7. “My self imposed isolation and silence made me the target for scorn and teasing by others, I developed an ability to close off from all but physical assault. I rationalized that it was not me they taunted, because I wasn’t there, I was just watching the events, just an observer,” she said in one of her posts.
She grew up in a military family and she was a fan of David Bowie. She tried to help members of the transgender community who were suffering with substance abuse. She was a person. She was a life that would not have ended if the world knew the meaning of acceptance. She was a woman.
“What qualifies me as a woman is not my physical form or a sexual act, what qualifies me as a woman is what qualifies me as a human being. My gender has no meaning, my sex has no meaning. I have a warmth and kindness I can give, I have a hope and a dream to share. I think I lost sight for what really matters for a while, but that as yet unseen candle, is guiding me.” – Gabriel Tinto
Rest in peace Gabriel.
