The It Gets Better Project

[plumtreeblossom]

The It Gets Better Project is a video outreach to young LGBT people who are suffering bullying in high school and junior high because of who they are. For each LGBT youth suicide brought on by bullying, there are thousands of LGBT adults who wish they could have told the young person how much better life gets if they can just hang on and get past high school. Now they're doing something about it:

http://www.youtube.com/itgetsbetterproject

I was a victim of bullying in middle school/junior high (for being fat rather than being gay, but the pain is the same). Please, please pass this link on to any young person who might find strength in it, or any adult who might wish to add a video. I would even share it with those who feel LGBT youth don't deserve protection from bullying. The revenge, as you'll see, is in survival. It gets better.

Have a kleenex or two handy.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/urban_faerie_/]

thank you for posting this. i was bullied as a kid too.
and look how good i turned out!

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I never would have known you were bullied, too. And look at you now -- talented, smart, gorgeous, successful, and loved. YOU WIN! I want kids today enduring what we did to know that they'll win too.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

I too was bullied in high school, but in a different way, not so overtly. Boys were lying, saying that I had sex with them, and smearing my reputation. Back in the fifties that was like social murder. I could not understand why girls were avoiding me and boys were acting so leeringly fresh. I had one or two rough times with boys -- boys who I had until then thought were nice guys. I did not consider suicide at all, but I was pretty miserable and lonely, and sometimes I actually wondered if I was as bad as they said I was, or failing that, if I had said or done something to give that impression, therby taking on the blame for my own victimisation.
At any rate as an adult I have tried to do what I can to help bullying victims. One thing I know for certain -- most of the "programs" run by schools and social work agencies do not work with this sort of thing. What works best is an adult who actually confronts the bullies, preferably a parent of the victim. Once the bullies know that they are being watched, things get better. This worked for my youngest son, who was bullied in eighth grade because he was smart. The principal called us to school and told us she feared for our son, who was becoming depressed. We went separately to each of the kids who were bothering him and spoke to them, told them that our next move would be to talk to their parents - also that the school principal had her eye on the situation. It stopped, and before long our formerly isolated son was able to make friends.
Its sounds like this LGBT group might just have a handle on that particular type of bullying, too. Good for them! If I hear of anything, I will pass on the information.