Your voice matters – take it from this guy
by Sara Ritsch
Staff Writer
Zachary Mallory, 19, has seen the trauma LGBTQ youth endure on a daily basis. He has been through bullying, harassment and intimidation to the point of three separate suicide attempts – but these trials have not only made him a stronger adult, they have inspired him to do well for other lesbian, gay, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) teens and youth.
The VoiceMatters Project was founded by Mallory as a social media platform for young LGBT adults seeking guidance. Its genesis stems from his own hardships in Independence, Missouri, where he has mostly lived.
“I came out at the age of 14; shortly afterwards, I attempted suicide the first time,” Mallory begins. “During school it was basically hell for me. I was bullied, I never participated in any school activities. I was never really physical.
“P.E. was like torture for me, because I was always by myself. No one ever wanted to play with me. I was ‘too girly’. I’ve always struggled with my weight; I was never happy with my self-image. I didn’t like what I saw in the mirror. I wanted to be something, but it didn’t happen. I felt like I never got a chance to be a star because they pushed me away from it.”
But Mallory’s stray from stardom eventually came to a close. In 2014, he was awarded the HALO Award (Helping and Leading Others) from Nickelodeon. He also received the FOX4 Young Achiever Award in Missouri. But most recently, he was anonymously nominated for and won the Spirit of Matthew Award, and so far, this one is the closest to his heart.
The Spirit of Matthew Award highlights a young person who is creating a change in the communities by promoting diversity, acceptance and understanding through words and actions. Mallory will be receiving this award in October because of his advocacy for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention amongst the LGBTQ+ community.
“The past year has been filled with amazing adventures for me. I enrolled in college at Kaplan University for online classes to earn my Undergraduate studies of Bachelors of Science in Communication. I became a Volunteer Crisis Counselor with the Crisis Text Line, shared my story about growing up with mental illnesses and being bullied throughout school as well talked about my attempts at suicide,” he explains.
But mainly, his impact has been through VoiceMatters, his social media initiative. Mallory recently released a series of stories written by LGBTQ+ people of all different backgrounds, ethnicities and orientations from all over the world. “That’s what brought the attention and the life,” he says.
“[This award] means the world to me,” he continues. “I look back and I’m like, ‘Damn, I actually made it. I overcame this.’ I share my story to inspire others to do the same. That’s why I founded the project, as an outlet to share stories. Mental health, suicide, advocacy – it’s a community resource. We can all make a difference; we can all make a change. It only starts with one.”
Find the VoiceMatters Project on their Facebook page for more information or to find your guidance. To learn more about his award, visit www.MatthewShepard.org.
Copyright 2016 The Gayly - 8/21/2016 @ 10:02 a.m. CDT.