McKenna Palmer, intern at the It Gets Better Project, shares her #5YearsBetter story!
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It Gets Better in July: Five Videos to Make Your Day
Since 2010, the It Gets Better Project has collected over 60,000 video stories from LGBTQ people and their allies from around the world. Here are some of our favorites from June 2017.
1. #PorUnFinalFeliz – “For A Happy Ending” Campaign
Through July, our affiliate in Chile, Todo Mejora, continues the campaign Por Un Final Feliz with the help of several media partners. A number of new videos have been uploaded to their YouTube page featuring uplifting stories from Chilean young people, as well as messages of hope from actors and other popular figures.
Todo Mejora [It Gets Better Chilé]
2. El Summit 2017 de Pride Connection Summit – It Gets Better México
It Gets Better México participated in the 2017 Pride Connection Summit and has a large number of It Gets Better videos uploaded to their YouTube page from other participants they came across there. Featured below is Carlos Maza, a manager over at Moovz, a global LGBT social network that’s particularly popular in Latin America. Pride Connection aims to foster inclusive company cultures for LGBTQ employees at professional work places across the world.
3. It Gets Better Project Checks Out Check It
In July, we heard from some of the kids featured in the documentary Check It, which chronicles the journey of a group of young black LGBTQ men and women in Washington D.C., breaking out of poverty by launching clothing labels, walking runways, and putting on fashion shows. Emerging from violence and harassment, they made a family where they didn’t have one.
“Life for the Check It can be brutal, but it’s also full of hope and an indomitable resilience.”
In this series of videos, various members of the Check It share their stories & their messages for others in the LGBTQ community.
4. It Gets Better Spain Hears From EL PAÍS
EL PAÍS is a daily newspaper based in Madrid, Spain with a circulation of over 15 million unique readers. In this video, a number of their staff have words of encouragement for LGBTQ jóvenes – young people.
5. Petra Bayr, a Member of Austrian Parliament, Says “It Gets Better”!
Petra Bayr knows that there is bullying and even violence against LGBTQ young people in her country. But as part of the government, she she hopes she can encourage young people to come out and stresses that things will be better.
Es Wird Besser Österreich [It Gets Better Austria]
Craving more?! Go to www.itgetsbetter.org, or keep scrolling to learn more about the cool things It Gets Better and its affiliates are doing around the world.
Colombia: It Gets Better Colombia marched for Pride in Bogotá alongside 150,000 other passionate fighters for the LGBTQ community.
España: Our affiliate in Spain also marched at World Pride 2017 alongside our Portuguese and Austrian affiliates! Supported by Lush Spain, we were proud to spread hope for LGBTQ youth around the world.
Paraguay: Meanwhile, It Gets Better Paraguay was busy participating in the first module of a workshop for a leadership school in Oviedo where they educated and empowered young people on topics of human rights.
Greece: Finally, It Gets Better Greece marched at both Pride events in Athens and Thessaloniki. “Ήταν ένα εξαίσιο (It was exquisite!)” they said.
Our rainbow footprints are all over the world.
5 It Gets Better Videos That Will Keep Your Pride Going
Since 2010, the It Gets Better Project has collected over 60,000 video stories from LGBTQ people and their allies from around the world. Here are some of our favorites from June 2017.
1. Advice From Your Favorite Drag Queens - DragCon 2017
At this year’s DragCon, we met up with some of RuPaul Drag Race’s most wise & hilarious drag queens to ask them for the advice they’d give young people in today’s LGBTQ community.
2. Older Generation Tells Younger Generation: “It Gets Better” - SAGE Table
We partnered with SAGE Table to start conversations with LGBTQ community members of varying generations and backgrounds. Among them were social media creator Shannon Beveridge, Matthieu Dahdah, our own intern McKenna Palmer, and more. The crux: how can we change our future without knowing our past?
3. President Michelle Bachelet - President of Chile
President Michelle Bachelet advocates for the LGBTQI youths of Chile – for their talents and abilities through which a more democratic, inclusive, and tolerant Chile will be built.
“There is a world of possibilities waiting for you,” she promises. [Though she says: “hay un mundo lleno de posibilidades esperándolos”]
4. Todo Mejora - Google Mexico
Google employees assure others from the LGBTQ community that the future is for them – that it’s for everyone, and that they don’t need to worry about being “normal.”
“Normality” is a beautifully diverse world, they assert.
5. Berivan Aslan - Member of Austrian Parliament
In her video, Berivan Aslan fully condemns the bullying & violence toward the LGBTQ community and emphasizes that we will make it better.
Es Wird Besser Österreich (Austria)
Craving more?! Go to www.itgetsbetter.org, or keep scrolling to learn more about the cool things It Gets Better and its affiliates are doing around the world.
COLOMBIA: It Gets Better Colombia participated in Pride Month by Marching through Bucaramanga. They invited participants to share their photos using the hashtag #unamarchalgbt
MÉXICO: Our team in México also marched for Pride! Check out their photos across Mexico City on their Facebook here, along with other organized Pride marches alongside the U.S. Embassy, AT&T, Nielson, and more.
CHILÉ: Our affiliate in Chile has launched a new campaign #PorUnFinalFeliz which hopes to provide welfare and assistance to LGBTQ adolescents targeted by bullying or who otherwise have suicidal thoughts. For information on how to contribute, access more information here.
Our intern McKenna marched alongside thousands of fellow LGBTQ Angelinos at LA Pride (or this year, LA Resist March) – and had some questions for the participants.
Check out her interviews in the video above.
“I’m actually coming out on Facebook today,” one marcher told It Gets Better. “So I’m really excited.”
Check out @ellosteph‘s amazing #5YEARSBETTER video. We love reading the amazing comments and can’t wait to share more of your stories. “Never forget that the clouds will pass and the sun will shine through.” @youtube
🌈✊ YOUTH ACTIVISM SERIES - THE IT GETS BETTER PROJECT 🌈✊
THE IT GETS BETTER PROJECT IS LOOKING FOR OPENLY LGBTQ+ YOUTH ACTIVISTS TO SHARE YOUR STORY IN A WEB DOCU-SERIES.
Our goal is to give viewers around the world a hopeful, affirming glimpse into the lives of activists who identify as LGBTQ+ around the world (including outside of USA) and a respect for the intersectionality of many forms of activism. We’re looking for young people between the ages of 14-24 who are comfortably “out” as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer and who are involved in intersectional causes that aren’t necessarily directly about LGBTQ+ equality.
Maybe you’re part of a group of young queer activists working to end gun violence or fight for change in immigration policy. Maybe you’re creating a space for other LGBTQ+ youth to join you in advocating for global climate change or local workers rights. Maybe you’re creating art as activism related to racial inequality or reproductive justice. Maybe you are just a young person who is passionate about a particular cause and want to see a change in the world. We’re looking for young people between 14-24 who are changing the world…or even your own community. No cause is too small!
Does being openly LGBTQ+ impact your view of the world? Why are you so passionate about the cause you’re fighting for? The time commitment is limited- filming would take place over 1-2 days in your area based on your availability.
What’s your story? Please email us ASAP and let us know! casting@creatorup.com
PLEASE REFERENCE “ACTIVISM” IN THE EMAIL AND TELL US ABOUT YOU!
Innovative tech company AMD has released their It Gets Better video in order to foster an inclusive, supportive corporate environment for LGBTQ people. In the video, employees all across the LGBTQ spectrum (and some parents) share their stories of coming out & finding acceptance
“If you have the option to find the village that’s more supportive than the one you have, find it. Don’t be afraid to be by yourself for a little bit before you find the other group of weirdos who are just like you, and who are exactly who you need. Sometimes you have to try some people on before you find those people.”
AMD designs and integrates technology to ignite the next generation of computing graphics solutions. And the brightest minds are open.
NEW VIDEO ALERT: This week on Coloring With Max And McKenna, television personality and skater extraordinaire, Ryan Carrillo, talks to Max Emerson and McKenna Palmer about coming out, religious family and questionable reality show decisions.
Our own Dan Savage – who founded It Gets Better btw – was featured in this list of exemplary Queer Podcasts for his project Savage Lovecast, essentially a podcast version of his weekly sex & relationship advice column.
Also featured in the list are The Read, Homoground (featuring LGBTQ music artists), Pod Save the People, and more.
You can access Savage Lovecast here.
We interviewed Kim Chi at DragCon & asked her what advice she’d give to struggling young LGBTQ individuals. This is her It Gets Better message!
A VERY HAPPY International Non-Binary People’s Day!
Just a lil reminder:
💛 You can present any way you want (masculine, feminine, androgynous, or anywhere in between) and still be non-binary.
🤍 You can use any pronouns you want (they, she, he, etc) and still be non-binary.
💜Your gender is real and valid.
🖤It’s okay to be unsure of your labels or pronouns - there’s no pressure to figure it out right now.
💛No matter where you are on that journey, you deserve respect!
Check out our whole trans/non-binary playlist on TikTok, and know that no matter what part of your journey you’re going through right now, it gets better.
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