Tag Archives: LGBT youth

Open Thread Thursday

When Dan Savage emailed me a couple of weeks ago to float the concept of his “It Gets Better” project, I almost fell out of my chair at the idea’s brilliance and, perhaps as importantly, its simplicity. What an easy to execute, yet incredibly powerful way to reach LGBT youth at risk! But a moment later, I also felt a …

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Quote Of The Day – Wayne Besen

“We blame the anti-gay industry for fighting measures to end bullying in schools, and school officials who turn a blind eye to brutality. We are fed up with what amounts to anti-gay schoolyard muggings that are foolishly dismissed as ‘boys being boys’. In reality, it is ‘boys beating boys’, and these bullies receive tacit approval for their violent, homophobic behavior …

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CALIFORNIA: Bullied Gay Teen Seth Walsh Dies Nine Days After Hanging Himself

After nine days on life support, 13 year-old Seth Walsh has died. Seth hung himself from a tree in his back yard after enduring years of anti-gay bullying from his classmates. Tehachapi police investigators interviewed some of the young people who taunted Seth the day he hanged himself and determined despite the tragic outcome of their ridicule, their actions do …

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HomoQuotable – Charles Robbins

“I think that the fact that so many young people are so tormented—so ostracized by their family, peers, school, and society in general–that rather than engage and participate in life, they choose to end their life, says a lot about the Christian values that everywhere inform our culture. I think each and every one of us needs to look inside …

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San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Responds To The “It Gets Better Project”

At the end of this clip the chorus sings The Irish Blessing “in honor and memory of those who left us far too soon.” This should wash away the bile of the Lot Project clip posted earlier.

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San Francisco Says “It Gets Better”

With filmmaker Matt Baume, San Franciscans respond to Dan Savage’s “It Gets Better” project. Get a tissue. UPDATE: Dan Savage writes us: “I’m issuing a challenge here—to see similar videos from New York, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Provincetown, Minneapolis, Madison, Atlanta, Houston, and on and on. There are lots of large, vibrant, powerful gay communities out there, in lots of …

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CHICAGO: “It Gets Better” Video Shoot To Take Place This Sunday

JMG reader and fellow blogger Jake Stigers is helping to organize an “It Gets Better” video shoot to take place this Sunday at Chicago’s LGBT center. Details: Date: Sunday, October 3, 2010Time: 15-minute sessions between 1:00 and 7:00 pmLocation: Center on Halsted, 3656 N. HalstedRoom: Polk Brothers Foundation Youth Space, Second Floor Here’s all you have to do: 1. Forward …

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TEXAS: 13 Year-Old Boy Commits Suicide After Years Of Anti-Gay Bullying

Eighth grader Asher Brown put a bullet in his brain this week after enduring years of anti-gay taunting and bullying at his Texas middle school. His parents say they complained to the school repeatedly. The school, of course, claims no knowledge of such complaints. Cy Fair ISD officials said Monday that they never received any complaints from Brown’s parents before …

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Sean & David – It Gets Better

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SAN FRANCISCO: “It Gets Better” Flash Mob To Film In The Castro On Sunday

JMG reader Matt Baume writes us to announce an It Gets Better flash mob to be filmed in the Castro on Sunday. San Francisco will be jammed for Folsom Street Fair this weekend so if you’re attending the fair, please consider participating in the shoot first. Here’s the event’s Facebook page. NOTE: This Sunday there will also be a marriage …

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Dave Holmes – It Gets Better

Former MTV personality and JMG reader Dave Holmes responds to Dan Savage’s It Gets Better project, which aims to help ward off the suicidal thoughts of LGBT youth. Holmes currently co-hosts DVD On TV on FX.

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Dan Savage Launches YouTube Channel Devoted To Helping LGBT Youth

Stunned by the rash of LGBT youth suicides, Dan Savage has launched a YouTube channel called the It Gets Better Project in which adult LGBT folks can send the message to gay youth that while times may be tough right now, they will eventually see the light at the end of the bigoted tunnel. In a blog posting yesterday, Savage …

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October 7th In NYC: Ali Forney Center’s
“A Place At The Table” Annual Benefit

The Ali Forney Center, NYC’s homeless shelter for LGBT youth, will be holding their annual “A Place At The Table” benefit gala dinner on October 7th at 91 Horatio Street in the West Village. Get tickets here. This year’s host is openly gay Tony winning actor Denis O’Hare, whom you may best know as True Blood’s vicious vampire, Russell Edgington. …

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Today Is Trevor Project Day In NYC

As proclaimed by Gov. David Paterson in recognition of National Suicide Prevention Week. Suicide is one of the top three causes of death among young people (15 to 24-year-olds). Only accidents and homicides occur more frequently as causes of death among young people. LGBTQ youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. LGBTQ …

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GEORGIA: Gay Teen Launches Group To Help LGBT Youth In Crisis

Georgia teen Derrick Martin has partnered with the Trevor Project and other groups to create Project Life Vest, an organization meant to assist LGBT youth facing discrimination after they come out. You may recall that Martin was kicked out of his home in March after attending his high school prom with his boyfriend. “My situation and the attention it has …

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NEW YORK CITY: Summer Benefit For The Ali Forney Center – Wed. July 21st

On Wednesday July 21st, the Ali Forney Center will hold a summer benefit party at Hudson Terrace. Get tickets here and help support AFC’s vital work for NYC’s homeless LGBT youth. Facebook event page here. RELATED: Visit Frank And Gabe today for a great interview with AFC’s mega-hunky executive director Carl Siciliano.

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The Nation Examines Violence Against Imprisoned LGBT Youth

Not only are LGBT youth highly overrepresented among the nation’s homeless, they are imprisoned at a much higher rate than their heterosexual peers. And once behind bars they continue to be victimized. The Nation examines their plight in an online article and the below accompanying video. An excerpt: Across the United States, the brutal and dysfunctional juvenile justice system sends …

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NEW YORK: Big Crowd Rallies For Homeless LGBT Youth

Several hundred activists rallied in New York City’s Union Square last night in support of homeless LGBT youth. The rally, which was sponsored by the Ali Forney Center, featured speeches from Lt. Dan Choi and actress Sandra Bernhard among others. Frank And Gabe reports: One of the event’s prominent speakers was Lt. Dan Choi, who brought an incredible emotional resonance …

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LGBT Youth Group Launches To Fight Exodus & “Ex-Gay” Therapy

Launching this week in advance of the upcoming Exodus International “ex-gay” conference is Stand- Together, a new group whose mission is to tell LGBT youth that they are fine, normal, and beautiful just as they are. Below, they invite young LGBT people to record a video message of strength and self-acceptance and upload it to YouTube for inclusion on the …

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NEW YORK CITY: Homeless LGBT Youth Shelter Defaced With Anti-Gay Graffiti

A just-opened Queens residence for clients of the Ali Forney Center, which serves the city’s homeless LGBT youth, was defaced with anti-gay graffiti yesterday. Via press release: The Ali Forney Center’s newly opened shelter for homeless LGBT youth in Astoria Queens was defaced last night with anti-gay graffiti. At 6am this morning, two of the residents of the shelter discovered …

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