http://www.wisconsingazette.com/national-gaze/dont-ask-repeal-tops-years-eventsbreaktop-national-stories-of-2011.html
The year ending Dec. 31 proved that LGBT Americans are on an inevitable path to equality. WiG’s picks for top national stories of the year, in order of importance, are:
1. DADT’S DONE: THE LIFTING OF THE MILITARY BAN
2. NYME: THE PASSAGE OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN NEW YORK
3. AMERICA’S PASTIME: THE PROTEST REGAINS POPULARITY
4. BATTLING BULLYING: IT GETS BETTER BANDWAGON
The It Gets Better multi-media project originated with writer Dan Savage, who wanted to send a message to youths after a series of gay-related suicides at the start of the 2010-11 school year. Some 10,000 people and organizations – from prominent politicians to average citizens – posted video messages to the It Gets Better website in 2011.
President Barack Obama taped a video, as did Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, other cabinet members and the openly gay members of Congress.
Hollywood stars shared videos.
And athletes and professional sports team, including the San Francisco Giants, winners of the 2010 World Series, also produced powerful messages.
Giants Barry Zito, Matt Cain, Andres Torres, Sergio Romo and Hensley Meulens shared the encouragement that gets tossed around on the field in a video intended to convince LGBT youth that life “gets better.” For the 58-second video, pitchers Cain, Zito and Romo, centerfielder Torres and batting coach Meulens stood in their uniforms in AT&T Park to make their pitch directly to the camera.
Zito said, “We all know how difficult life can be as a teenager.”
Romo added, “We’ve all been there and have had to deal with the pressure to fit in and be accepted by our peers.”
“It’s particularly challenging for LGBT teens who face adversity and intolerance in their daily lives,” said Cain.
In the end, the players promised – in English, Japanese and Spanish – that “it gets better.”
The Giants was the first pro sports team to post a video, but not the last – the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays and others followed. But not the Milwaukee Brewers, which ignored a Change.org campaign asking the team to join in the effort.
Many ordinary folks – students, teachers, nurses, counselors, reporters, musicians, activists and even reformed bullies – also shared messages, many of them plainspoken into a web cam, but some scripted, sung, painted, sculpted or shouted.
Plus, by the end of the year, thousands had taken the It Gets Better pledge: “Everyone deserves to be respected for who they are. I pledge to spread this message to my friends, family and neighbors. I’ll speak up against hate and intolerance whenever I see it, at school and at work. I’ll provide hope for lesbian, gay, bi, trans and other bullied teens by letting them know that ‘It Gets Better.'”