Left this for my parents.
This is making the rounds online today, and it’s awesome. We’re glad to hear Laurel’s family was completely accepting of her announcement too.
A preview of the week’s big controversy: Dan Savage, editor of recent Pulitzer winner The Stranger and creator of the “It Gets Better” project, spoke some trash on the Bible and what it says about homosexuality at a recent high school journalism conference. People started walking out. Savage didn’t stop. In fact, he made a point of keeping witty and joked when he was done that the people walking out could come back inside. Problem is, folks don’t have a sense of humor and are calling on Savage to apologize — Savage did, but only for people who were offended, not for the comments themselves. Our take: Have they read this man’s advice column? This is tame.
Ravi faces charges of invasion of privacy, bias intimidation and hindering apprehension. Prosecutors say he watched his roommate, Tyler Clementi, during an intimate moment with another man and wanted to expose Clementi as gay and intimidate him.
Several other people were in the room on Rutgers’ Busch campus when an incident of alleged spying occurred, including Cassandra Cicco, who lived across the hall from Ravi and Clementi. She shared a room with Molly Wei, who was also arrested in September 2010 but was admitted into a pre-trial probationary program in return for testifying against Ravi.
Cicco was in the room when Ravi, Wei and others allegedly activated a webcam in Ravi’s room from Wei’s computer across the hall, which showed them what was going on in Ravi’s room, where Clementi had a guest over.
“it came up for a split second, it was a quick video, we saw two males leaning against the bed making out,” Cicco said.
“We were all just like, ‘Oh okay, that happened,’ and that was the end of it,” Cicco said.
Clementi’s 2010 death helped spark a nationwide anti-bullying movement (the “It Gets Better” movement), whose impact is felt to this day.
Big kudos to ABC World News Now host Dan Kloeffler. Not only did he come out while broadcasting on-air — itself an incredibly courageous thing to do — but he did it in a casual, nonchalant way. No big, dramatic announcement; Kloeffer just off-handedly dropped it during a story about actor Zachary Quinto. “He’s thirty-four, I’m thirty-five,” Kloeffler said about Quinto, who also just came out. “I’m thinking, I can lose my distraction about dating actors for that one.” Kloeffler didn’t present it as a game-changing fact of outsized importance, but just a part of who he is. This is the kind of thing that helps encourage — however slightly — mainstream acceptance of different sexualities, even. source
It’s an environmental issue that affects everyone. I mean, who doesn’t love seals?Sen. Scott Brown • Making a passionate plea for the plight of the seal to the Cape Cod Times. Problem for Scott, though, is that he made this in the wake of a faltering economic recovery and high unemployment — things he used as an excuse to get out of taking part in this “It Gets Better” video right over here. While Brown says he supports gay rights and is against discrimination, his absence from the video raised more than a few eyebrows, especially since, unlike this video, he actually was asked to participate. source (via • follow)
And the ball continues to roll: Earlier this year, a spat of polls showed, for the first time, majority support for same-sex marriage. Last weekend, New York state passed the Marriage Equality Act, granting equal marriage rights to all New Yorkers. Now, thirteen US Senators have filmed an “It Gets Better” video. When you think about the political prospects for gay rights even five years ago, this is kind of astounding — these thirteen individuals (all Democrats; Republicans apparently weren’t asked to participate) are amongst the most powerful people in the most powerful country in the world. Much respect to Senator Chris Coons for posting this; Coons, you’ll recall, was the 2010 candidate everybody wrote off until the Republicans nominated Christine O’Donnell to run against him. So, in a weird way, we have O’Donnell to thank for this video. Thanks, Christine! (via gaywrites, thegayrepublican) source
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An “It Gets Better” video featuring Apple employees was taken down for “violating the website’s ‘policy on depiction of harmful activities.’” Gay Apple employees tell their stories of being bullied and abused, which apparently is not okay for YouTube.
However, the video’s back up, and it’s inspiring as anything. Read about it here and watch it above.
A great story (well, not the YouTube part), and one of the better “It Gets Better” clips out there.
Take heart, and have hope, and please remember that your life is valuable, and that you are not alone. Many people are standing with you and sending you their thoughts, their prayers and their strength. Count me among them.Secretary of State Hillary Clinton • Making her own “It Gets Better” video. She’s the most prominent person to make one of these videos, but by far not the only one. Dan Savage’s movement has gotten a lot of attention in recent weeks (especially in the wake of Joel Burns’ speech). But is it helping? Simon Owens of The Next Web recently asked some of the video creators whether they thought the videos would have helped them. “I think it would have been amazing,” said one video-maker, Khris Brown. “I think it would have made me feel less alone.” Owens’ suggestion at the end of the article is that the videos not only have their own outward benefits, but work as “a method of confronting and addressing the video-makers’ own demons as well.” That’s exactly why this idea is so effective. It empowers the maker as well as the watcher. source (via)
This video has gotten over a million views in just three days. The “it gets better” message that Fort Worth council member Joel Burns lets out is one of deep struggle – he went through many of the things that gay teens went through – but one that he came out all the better for. His message? So will you. This feels like a corner-turning moment. The weeks since Dan Savage started the “It Gets Better” campaign have proven pivotal in building understanding for gays – of all ages, young and old. source
Joel Burns’ “It Gets Better” moment goes viral for the right reasons
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