Dan Savage’s It Gets Better Project is a success! In less than three weeks it’s caught the attention of most major media outlets, the MTV set, and celebrities. And you know things are working when The Gays are already bitching about it. But now Dan is deluged by media requests — and the decentralized nature of the project, where anyone can upload a video aimed at queer youth, means even porn stars can get involved.
Savage said he is thrilled by the volume and diversity of the contributions. But the project is already feeling growing pains. The writer has been contacted by school administrators, who are hesitant to use the site as a teaching tool because a few videos have a risque tone or contain sexual themes. Among other contributors, transsexual adult film star Buck Angel contributes a very touching (and arguably PG-rated) segment.
On the other hand you’ve got porn stars like Brent Corrigan trashing the project, so doesn’t it all even out?
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PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Helen Keller would have been so very able to see the “problems” with this attempt to prevent Gay kids from committing suicide coming from the “concerned parents”………
Alex
I almost cried watching this.
ewe
Queerty headline reads “Too sexy for schools”. I remember girls and boys planted in corners throughout the school and corridors groping, kissing and completely making out right in front of the administration when i went to high school. No one ever said a word. How can “it gets better” video presentations possibly be more risque than that? Banning the video as a tool in schools is just another homophobic reaction.
Blake
Wow, Brent Corrigan just became a lot less sexy.
DR
Maybe I missed something… how was that arguably PG-rated? Because of the talk of cutting and self-mutilation? Welcome to reality, folks.
Anyway, I’m not surprised some folks are expressing concerns. I haven’t seen all the videos, but I’m sure that teachers and administrators can find age-appropriate videos to use. And I hope that those voicing concerns are willing to engage in dialogue instead of shutting the program out.
Just Sayin'
I have never seen the appeal of Brent Corrigan. He is everything I do not find attractive in men. Different strokes, I suppose
Mark
I do not see any negatives in the ‘It Gets Better’ campaign.
Sending a positive message of support to an LGBT teen is a good thing. Always.
Brent Corrigan sounds bitter and twisted.
Buck Angel’s message sounds honest and caring.
D
Oh, fuck you Brent Corrigan. Contributing to gay rights through community efforts and making an “It Gets Better” video are not mutually exclusive things.
Soupy
Brent’s just jealous because he lost a chance for some good publicity.
Dutch-Frank
In all fairness, easy as hating on Brent Corrigan might be, his reaction seems pretty similar to that of many posters here whenever a celebrity does something which they think will help the gay community.
An example of that is the riffing Anna Paquin got when she said that she had bisexual feelings. The reactions here to this item give off a whole ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ vibe.
Ceraphiel
I reluctantly agree with Brent about this whole issue. He’s right with respect to the “It Gets Better” campaign being the same comparative popularity contest as the “No H8” campaign in California. Our community is too focused on celebrities; we’re always looking up for a solution instead of inward. Each of us has the ability to do something; donating, caring for our gay brothers and sisters by offering them a home away from home, giving in ways we otherwise wouldn’t if we really gave a damn. I mean, when was the last time that anyone who is gay made an effort to hang out with someone else who is gay? Does it ring true in our community that “like repels like”?
We have a lot of issues to work out on our own before we go on the web and make vids of ourselves telling stories about how hard it “was” for us and how much better it’s expected to “get” later for our bros and sisters. I mean, some in our community are dateless, friendless, and have considerably low self-esteem, while there are others who are far more (and respectably so,) fortunate (high self-esteem, likely to have many dates, and pecuniary success to boot,) who try to distance ourselves from where the rubber meets the road. These suicides have been happening in silence for years and it’s just becoming a major issue?! Brent was right; we (the actual gays in the gay community,) could bear to be a little less self-serving and self-righteous.
Matzpen
Dan Savage’s project is a great movement in the right direction, but left on it’s own, things don’t necessarily “Get Better” for LGBT youth facing bullying. The point is to fight to Make it Better and Stop Homophobia.
http://sherrytalksback.wordpress.com/2010/10/19/does-it-really-get-better-for-lgbt-people/
Silver
What’s everyone’s problem with Brent Corrigan’s response? He’s absolutely right- these videos are great, but limited in scope, and we are severely lacking in volunteer power. Honestly, the most positive thing that everyone can do, right now, is come out of the closet. All the way out of the closet. We all have a bigoted acquaintance or two; you know, those people in whose presence you feel nauseated at the thought of discussing gay issues. If they don’t know you’re gay, then come out. Present to them the reality of being a gay person. The way that the conservatives win is by painting us as some depraved sex club. We know that isn’t the case, and the best way to show it is by being out and letting people know that we’re pretty much regular people, like they are.
@ No. 8: Sadly, they often are. These are the same people who contribute $25 a year to the HRC and claim that they are “fighting for the cause”. I like the videos, I think they’re great and I’m glad they’re available- but they aren’t going to help a gay teen who was tossed onto the streets by their bigoted parents or, even worse, one who still lives at home and is denied positive reinforcement like these videos. We need to be more proactive than media like Youtube will allow us to be. In the meantime, however, I guess a video expressing support is better than complete silence.
Silver
I slipped with “even worse”, strike “worse”, ought to just be “even”.