"IT GETS BETTER"

Living in a country where diversity and self- expression are often embraced and encouraged, it is hard to believe that ignorance and cruelty still runs rampant among our youth, in the hallways of their high schools and even at home. A string of recent teen suicides are unfortunate proof that lack of tolerance and understanding is still a huge problem in America.

The question now, surrounding bullying and cyber bullying, in a time where even being at home isn’t safe because the attacks can come through the computer or cell phone, and when administrators and parents are neglectful of these certain needs, is: how can kids escape the ridicule, where can they go to cope? One organization reaches out to Gays and Lesbians and anyone who has experienced or is in the midst of hardship, using the Internet as a powerful tool to send a positive message about the future.

 “It gets better,” is a video campaign, broadcasted through YouTube, which invites any one with a positive story for the future to share their message.

Videos have been posted by men and women, service members and even high schoolers themselves who have gotten through issues they have had with bullying in the past. The try to instill the hope, in those who turn to the videos for inspiration, that a bright future full of freedom and self -love is in grasp, if only one sticks around to make it a reality.

An interesting clip by one woman, a recovering homophobic, actually addresses the other side with the message: “It gets better, because some day you will realize that the disease is not homosexuality, it is homophobia.”

Dan Savage, the man who jump started the project, was inspired by the tragic death of a gay teen in Indiana who committed suicide in September after undergoing unbearable taunting from his classmates. Savage, a proud and successful gay man, is author of a weekly advice column which appears in several alternative magazines throughout the states, and has written several books which highlight the struggles tribulations and immense happiness which can be achieved in establishing a life as a homosexuality in America.

The campaign has attracted celebrities, gay and straight including gossip guru Perez Hilton and the lead singer of Maroon 5, Adam Levine.

“Don’t let them, win please don’t let them win,” pleads Adam in his video. “It gets better, high school is not the end of the line.” 

The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network released a survey in 2009, which displays a harrowing high school experience for LGBT students. It stated that 84.6% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed, 40.1% reported being physically harassed and 18.8% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation (http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/news/record/2624.html.) These numbers show that the fight for equality and unity is far from over.

The “It gets better campaign,” is just one of the several steps which have to be taken towards reaching out to the struggling youth. The Trevor project is another grass roots organization, geared towards those who are considering suicide, which reaches out to the LGBT community with their positive message and companionship.  Hopefully, the hundreds of thousands views the videos have received collectively are a first look for many into a brighter, happier future.