"It Gets Better" Project

[Guest DuchessIvanaKizznhugg]

Dan Savage, who writes the syndicated relationship and sex advice column Savage Love has started a YouTube project, called "It Gets Better".

In response to the recent rash of gay teen suicides, he proposed to offer hope to isolated LGBT youth, and let them know that "it gets better".

A number of individuals and groups have taken up the challenge, and I find them totally heartwarming.

I post here a few for your perusal, but recommend you visit the YouTube Channel to view more at your leisure.

 

Wonderful words. And frankly not just for LGBT youth, but for people of all ages.

A great project. I bet this will save some lives.

 

[video=youtube;7IcVyvg2Qlo]

 

[video=youtube;Bnev14XfUjY]

 

[video=youtube;8q1k_WKRRQU]

[josephga]

You beat me too it. I heard about this on world news tonight on ABC. They were talking about the kid that killed himself after secretly being video tapped having sex and it being posted on line.

[+ Archer]

They say, "It gets better"

 

That's true for some people, maybe even most people. It doesn't get better for everyone. Frankly, it can get a whole lot worse.

[+ purplekow]

That's true for some people, maybe even most people. It doesn't get better for everyone. Frankly, it can get a whole lot worse.

The point of the program is to encourage teens to see a future for themselves. No one's life is mapped out and while it is true that not all will have a happily ever after, it is important to convey the point that you made initially it does get better for some people even most people.

[Toulouse]

Bravo Dutchess. Thanks for sharing about this project. I hope it saves many lives and agree that for the vast majority, it definitely gets better. I also believe in the mindset that "One's Attitude usually defines one's Altitude."

[justaguy]

I also heard about this on ABC news. Hearing about the problem on national news is a step in the right direction. Archer is right in saying that the promise can't be absolute or universal; however, the positive message sent through the project, even simply by letting kids know that they are not alone, is wonderful. We'll never know about the kid who gets to the project and does not harm himself because of it. It's great that the project is out there.

[Racketjock]

An important message. I agree, for everyone, it might not get better and open bigotry can indeed make it worse. It takes courage of those of us who have made it further along this journey to lend our voices to those struggling to find theirs and as this campaign highlights, share our struggles, battlescars, joy, acceptance, and love we have now found. Our sisters and brothers living in shame, hated, and with discrimination needs to stop. It pains me to hear of another precious life lost, buried under that weight. Thanks, Duchess, for sharing.

[justaguy]

Racketjock, I think you've hit on the most important message of all. IMO, self-acceptance is the key to it all. It's when the negative message becomes internalized that folks spiral into that place where harming themselves becomes an acceptable alternative. Although the message on its face is "it gets better," what I heard was "it's okay to be you."

[+ Archer]

After reading the responses, it seems clear that I did not make my point very well. Giving up when life is hard is a sad choice. Telling kids who are being harassed to "just get through it", as the young man in the first video said, is dangerous and foolish. Harassment, bullying, cyberbullying, and assault should not be tolerated. This is criminal activity. These kids must go to the police, file a criminal complaint, and get a lawyer. The perpetrators, school administrators, and any law enforcement agencies who ignore these crimes must be held accountable.

 

My remarks may seem pessimistic and cynical, but I'm actually a very positive person. I believe we have the power to make things better with our actions. We can have a positive attitude and tell kids that their lives can get better, but be honest at the same time. Each of us can choose how we react to "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune". Do we give up or "take arms against a sea of troubles and, by opposing, end them"?

[josephga]

this month 4 teens have committed suicide Billy Lucas, 15; Seth Walsh, 13; Asher Brown, 13; Tyler Clementi, 18

[MsGuy]

Four teens we know about, Joseph. Four teens that made the national news.

 

When I was a kid, access to something like 'It Gets Better' would have saved me a lot of grief. For me the two worse things about growing up queer in a small town were the sense of absolute isolation and the absence of any awareness that there were genuine alternate life paths open to me.

[josephga]

I'm sure there's allot more that we don't know about

[Guest DuchessIvanaKizznhugg]

The sound of progress

 

Take a listen. Progress being made.

(Might want to have the Kleenex handy).

[josephga]

that sounds good

[jgoo]

listen.[/url] Progress being made.

(Might want to have the Kleenex handy).[/color][/font][/size]

 

Gives me hope that things can change. I just wish all parents were as wise, caring and loving as that mother who accepted her son for who he is. Beautiful. And yes I should have listened to you and had the Kleenex handy because I definitely teared up listening to this.

[justaguy]

Thanks, Duchess. For me, this is the single most important thing I've heard in connection with this incident. It speaks volumes about what it is to be a parent. I can't help wondering how old the boy is and how long he had lived in isolation. IMO, this will be a positive turning point in the boy's life. I can't know because I haven't lived it, but I also can't help wondering what it would be like if the mom had sent the opposite message.

[Guest DuchessIvanaKizznhugg]

IMO, this will be a positive turning point in the boy's life.

 

I think it also will be a positive turning point in the mother's life, too. Rather than once again dismissing her feelings (about the sudden silence) or leave it up to the child to come forth, she's taken the bull by the horns. Her courage, although delayed, will be just the beginning of an increased awakening for her, as well.

I smell hope and love at work.

[josephga]

I still remember it all happening too me, you never forget. In my case it had nothing too do with being gay. I was extremely under weight and had a birth defect that was later corrected. I hide it from my parents for a long time that these things were happening at school. In junior high i missed allot of days due to being sick, I think the bullying made me physically ill. Sometimes it would happen and teachers would see it and do nothing i remember one even cracking a smile. Once My mother found out she actually went too the school. She told the teachers that she & my father had talked and decided that the next time it happened I had their permission and no fear of being punished to beat the shit out of the person or persons doing it. She also told the teachers she expected them to sit back and do nothing when i do it too as they did when it was being done too me.

[MsGuy]

YouTube spreads the word

 

Today the YouTube home page featured four of the "It Gets Better" videos as "Spotlight Videos", complete with an introductory blurb and a link to the whole channel.

 

This is wonderful. For one day at least, every kid who does a search on YouTube will be introduced to these videos.

[Guest DuchessIvanaKizznhugg]

Via reader SharonTX at the great blog, Joe.My.God

 

"Openly gay Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns broke down in tears last night as he related his own bullying at the hands of anti-gay teens while in high school."

[video=youtube;ax96cghOnY4]

[Racketjock]

These folks are all heroes in my book and this is an amazing project. Joel Burns is an outstanding guy and I'm proud of his coming forth in doing this and he makes this Texan proud!

[Guest DuchessIvanaKizznhugg]

Episcopal Bishop, Gene Robinson.......

 

[video=youtube;mPZ5eUrNF24]

[Guest DuchessIvanaKizznhugg]

Bravo to Hillary Clinton..........

 

[video=youtube;zXBpW8GCDtY]

[Guest DuchessIvanaKizznhugg]

Bravo to President Obama......

 

 

[video=youtube;geyAFbSDPVk]

[josephga]

It will take more than a video from Obama to show he really cares