“It Gets Better,” a new youtube channel by Dan Savage, is the best creation I’ve seen in ages. Savage is the sex advice columnist for The Stranger (Seattle’s “only newspaper”), and he and his husband are both gay rights activists. This channel is aimed at queer teens, especially those who are isolated in small towns and do not have access to a queer community and support groups. It’s primary goal is to remind young people that life really does get better after junior high and high school, and that suicide doesn’t fix anything; it only robs you of all of the opportunities yet to come.
As Kate Bornstein always says: “do whatever you need or want to do in order to make life worth living. Love who and how you want to love. Just don’t be mean.” Savage and his husband convey this message of hope in a way that is endearing and uplifting – definitely watch this one! User submissions of your own “it gets better” story are also welcomed. Check out the itgetsbetter channel for more details.
