From Our Blog: It Gets Better 

As an adult, I have become fascinated by the power of the internet as a tool for queer youth to socialize, network, and find support from their peers and community. I recall many times sitting alone in my bedroom crying and extremely depressed, often believing that I was the only gay kid in the world; I didn’t have access to the queer community at all until the age of 17. If only I had support, someone to tell me that I will be ok, that the discrimination and harassment would stop; if only.

With the inexcusable increase in gay teen suicides, I wanted to let gay teens know it does get better, people do care, and people love you for who you are. The YouTube channel, called the It Gets Better Project (http://www.youtube.com/itgetsbetterproject) a collection of videos from adults in the gay community who share their personal stories of surviving bullying in school and moving on to build successful careers and happy and fulfilling lives.

It is critical for gay teens to understand that there is life after bullying, that the social and cultural climates of their personal lives are temporary and the gay community is visible and available to support them in whatever capacity they can. Adults offering these personal life experiences validate gay teen identities and offers hope to the often depressing and confusing experience of gay teen bullying. The channel offers a chance for gay adults to speak directly to youth, something that, if I had access to as a gay youth, would have made an major impact on the development of my gay identity. Gay teens are no longer relegated to the marginalized borders of their town to socialize and understand their community. It is often this marginalization that leads gay teens down dangerous roads in understanding their sexuality; drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, and secrecy. Today gay adults have a platform to support and encourage gay teens to be who they are and it is our responsibility to reach out and validate our queer youth of tomorrow. The It Gets Better Project is a transformative approach to support for gay youth and requires our steady and disciplined advocacy for these young gay teens. As SXS students, we should think of future directions for online social support and networking for gay teens. What were our own teenage experiences like, how can we take our experiences of bullying and identity development and translate that to support paradigms for gay youth? How can we harness the power of social media to enhance the lives of gay teens in the U.S.?