Is Dan Savage’s It Gets Better Project the new Trevor Project? Nah, not exactly. There’s a difference between uploading to YouTube personal stories about coming out and growing up gay (Team Savage) and running a national hotline for at-risk LGBT youth (Team Trevor). But along comes Chris Salvatore, the LA-based actor and singer, setting up a new email address to specifically reply to any of these kids who need somebody to talk to. Will it stop another month of heartbreak that includes the suicide deaths of Seth Walsh, Asher Brown, and Billy Lucas? I have no idea. But I think it could help? The more voices, and the farther their messages spread, the more likely a queer kid will hear that life is not always this awful, and the answer isn’t ending it.
NB: Salvatore’s commitment to kids isn’t new. When last year’s round of suicides hit — which took the lives of Lawrence King, Lateisha Green, and Sean Kennedy — he was also taking his message to YouTube.
The Gays of San Francisco have a similar message:
Soupy
You know what sickens me? That some right wing douchebag will seize upon these efforts to cast gay men as pedophiles, and accuse us of “trying to indoctrinate” kids. Gay men all know that they must be scrupulous in any dealing with children and that stinks. Like we are not allowed to care. That’s one of the misconceptions that I want to fight.
Mike
I don’t think that Dan & Terry or Chris Salvatore are trying to be the new Trevor Project – I think they’re just trying to give kids some hope. It *does* get better – and if posting some YouTube videos we can help that kid in rural America rethink hurting himself or herself, then I’m all for it.
I would hope that rather than the negative tone of your post, Queerty, that you’d wholeheartedly support these efforts. You’re a beacon of hope out there, too – shine bright.
uu
@Mike: That tone is probably nothing but a misguided attempt to sound journalistic. You’re right though, they should stop it.
(“They”, “he”, “she” ? I have no idea how many people Queerty comprises.)
Terry Dock
What Salvatore says couldn’t be more true: it does get better. It can even get to a point where you will be grateful for who you are and content with being different. But, no point in denying it, that’s a hard road. It’s worthwhile though.
I was bullied at school too. I was called names too. But you know what? School ends. It may seem like a long time in the future. But it ends. And then life changes, for the better.
I’m 32 now, I’m out, and I’ve never been happier. That’s a promise: it does get better.
Ryan
Queerty, seriously get your act together. You’re starting to play fast and loose with facts a little too often.
Lawrence King was murdered, he did not commit suicide.
Anonymous
The thing so upsetting about this is that some people make things videos because they mean it, and some people are just doing it for attention. Unfortunately Chris Salvatore is one of those people doing it for attention and all you are doing is feeding into it.
E11is
@Ryan Queerty never lets silly things like facts bother them. This site is nothing more than some people pretending they know what they are talking about and ranting. Facts are for real journalists which Queerty is not, but in Queerty’s defense they don’t really claim to be real journalists, just a blog site.
Shallow HAL
@ Soupy
Very true. The irony is that the same right wingers that accuse us of ‘recruiting’ children are the same that indoctrinate their children with all kinds of religious nonsense from the earliest age. If that isn’t recruitment i don’t know what is.
Soupy
I know. I’ve already seen the Tea Party colouring book for kids.
_atlas
What has Queerty done to help the community aside give their (mostly) asinine opinions? With the kind of reach that Queerty has, they should be supporting those who help, not criticize.
To David Hauslaib: apply the bullshit filter on your own website.