Dan Savage, author of the syndicated sex-advice column "Savage Love," discusses his "It Gets Better" campaign, which gathers videos of encouragement for LGBT youths.
Dan Savage, author of the syndicated sex-advice column "Savage Love," discusses his "It Gets Better" campaign, which gathers videos of encouragement for LGBT youths.
Comments [15]
"Gays tend to be more successful and politically powerful than other groups. While it is sad to get bullied, lets be truthful on the political power of gays." Oh. Really?
That is probably why it's been breeze for the Gay community to get politicians, even in predominantly Democrat states, to pass a law allowing same sex marriage. Right?
Thank you Brian and WNYC for highlighting the campaign. It's because of programs like this one that I support WNYC. And I am not gay.
so sorry--i meant that change will only come when both gay and straight become equally vested in this civil rights issue will things change. we need to demand the kind of society we want, and feel equally responsible for getting it.
bless dan savage for doing what was never done in my time in school. as a writer who's encouraged everyone to fly their unique freak flag, sexually speaking, for many years, he is uniquely equipped to speak out on behalf of so many.
as the straight friend of many gay people, i really believe that when more straight people stand up both socially and politically for our brothers and sisters. the time for complacency is over--this is a civil rights issue.
Does bullying people who voted against gay marriage in California qualify as bullying.
I love this - and relate even as a straight female. So many of us have had very very difficult adolescences, have had such a hard time just making it through high school - then go away to college and discover a world of people like us. I too would tell my teenage self it gets better. Thank you for this.
Why is the campaign "It Gets Better" instead of "It Gets Good"?
Better from bad doesn't necessarily equal good. A positive message (and a true one, I should hope for most, if not all) is that once you have the freedom to live your life as an adult---to live it as you wish surrounded by the people you wish to be surrounded by---that life will not just be better but will be _good._
Yes, it got much better, but the US government, and many states continue to discriminate.
I encourage the young GLBTs to get support now, get stronger and more empowered to create change, so that when they are in their 60s and up, the governement won't discriminate against them as it does us now (medicaid, medicare, social security survivor benefits, etc.
Gays tend to be more successful and politically powerful than other groups. While it is sad to get bullied, lets be truthful on the political power of gays.
Thanks Dan, Thanks Brian.
We need even more active support for LGBT from the Straight community!
Gay, lesbian, transexual, transgender. The alphbet soup is becoming rediculous. Mr. Savage can't even say it.
I love these videos, find them deeply moving, & am a Dan Savage fan and they--particularly the Ft Worth Citycouncilman's video--really moved my first-year college students.
However, I share Rick's concern (and I have some students who do, too), that it's too passive. What if it doesn't get better? What if there isn't money to move out of an abusive home or a bad neighborhood?
Thanks for doing this segment Brian!
I attended my 10th year high school reunion in New Hampshire on Saturday night, and saw some of the same people who tormented--and even bullied me--as a teenager. It was almost surreal to see them 10 years later, but it definitely does get better. And I thank Dan Savage for doing his part to highlight the issue of anti-LGBT bullying.
The campaign has given a voice to public support of LGBTQ people like never before. We at CBST have been working, largely based on this campaign and its reach, on building a sustainable response by the Jewish community and the progressive religious community at large. We call it the Strength Through Community project and in addition to giving a voice to religious communities that support LGBTQ youth, we are working with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to provide training for the staff of religious organizations. We have launched a site with more information at http://www.strengththroughcommunity.org
We must ensure that our approaches are varied and sustained so that we can change our culture and save lives.
Many of us in the gay community felt that "It Gets Better" started out as a weaker and more passive media campaign than similar ones such as Cyndi Lauper's "Give A Damn" campaign which predates Dan Savage's video.
Is he pleased with the evolution of "It Gets Better"? Has the message gotten better?
I think overall this is a good idea, but I heard 1 example of the videos in which the speaker says to "tough it out" until it gets better. I hope it's the only one where anyone says something like this, because that's not helpful. Young LGBT people, especially if they're being bullied or attacked, need something more substantial, like "there's support for you out there, & here's how to find it."
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