When I was sixteen, my mom passed away from cancer. The next year, at my sister Maggie’s graduation, a giant rainbow appeared in the sky. My aunt remarked that my mom often showed up for her in rainbows. At the time, my sisters and I kind of brushed it off, but at Celia’s wedding aa few years later, right as she began reading her vows, a rain shower broke out of nowhere, creating a huge rainbow over the ceremony site. This weekend, as I got ready to marry Scott Bixby — the most handsome, sensitive, brilliant man I know — I joked that I was going to be pissed if he hadn’t arranged for a rainbow to show up. As we were getting into our suits, I was hit by a wave of sadness. Although it was without a doubt one of the happiest days of my life, it was hard knowing that someone really important to me wasn’t going to be there for our big day. But right as we were about to walk down the aisle, the clear blue sky became cloudy and a sudden burst of rain showered over the field where we were having our ceremony. I noticed everyone pointing behind us and we turned around to see a huge rainbow that had formed across the sky. I can’t say I’m a very religious or even spiritual person, but in that moment, I felt taken care of. Marrying Scott this weekend was one of the great moments of my life. It was magical getting to be surrounded by the people we love, and I can’t believe I get to spend the rest of my life with such a beautiful person. Oh, and the song that played as we walked down the aisle? “Rainbow Connection.”
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#it gets better #lgbtqMore you might like
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.

Wedding photographer Steph Grant writes on a criticism she often receives in response to her work: don’t call it a “lesbian wedding” or “gay wedding” in 2017, just call it a wedding.
Yet, as she points out, what happens when you search “wedding photos” on Google? Probably you’ll find pages and pages of beautiful photographs featuring straight couples, and maybe one or two LGBTQ couples.
But search “Lesbian wedding,” and her clients will find what they’re looking for – photos that represent themselves.
An LGBTQ couple may be able to get married like any other in this day and age, yet the visibility is still skewed. Let’s keep the love flowing, let’s keep getting married, and soon maybe those Google search results will look a lot different.
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.

I think that the best day will be when we no longer talk about being gay or straight — it’s not a ‘gay wedding,’ it’s just a ‘wedding.’ It’s not a ‘gay marriage,’ it’s just ‘a marriage.’
Kiss /\ Bliss


#goals much?
These photos are part of the gallery for Pink Iceland, a travel agency based in Iceland entirely owned and operated by LGBTQ professionals. Their gallery is truly incredible, with many more different wedding photos of other couples to peruse.
Their website: http://www.pinkiceland.is/
Instagram: pinkiceland
Photographer: Kristín María
Instagam: kristinmarias
Website: www.kristinmaria.com
Fascinating look at the life of Chi Chia-wei, whose case it was that led to the Taiwanese court declaring bans on same sex marriage unconstitutional.
He’s been fighting for LGBTQ rights for 30 years. He was the first person to publicly come out in Taiwan in 1986, during a time when the country was under martial law. When he submitted a request for gay marriage to be recognized, he was imprisoned.
Still, through immense passion and dedication, Taiwan is immensely close to marriage equality. The public largely says yes, and now so too do the judges.
“I never tire,” Chi said. “Every morning when I wake up, it’s like my first day of doing this 30 years ago.”
Attn theater kids: New #10YearsBetter video alert!
Growing up in Arkansas, Kyle Dean Massey was bullied for dancing and being different than the rest of his classmates. Little did they know, he’d grow up to make a career out of singing and dancing…on Broadway! Watch him reflect on his original It Gets Better video and what’s changed in the last 10 years since then.
After a video of their first dance went viral, PJ and Noah knew that they wanted to use their visibility to inspire LGBTQ+ young people who might be feeling alone like they once did.
They started a Facebook fundraiser for It Gets Better, and the results were incredible–over $31k to date! ❤️🌈
We sat down with the newlyweds to talk about their personal journeys, their adorable dads and that famous ‘Dirty Dancing’ lift. 🕺
Check out their #GivingTuesday fundraiser here: https://bit.ly/2BBvoiy
🌈✊ 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.



