President Barack Obama joined the hundreds of people offering online support to the gay community in an official video posted to YouTube this morning.
In the video, President Obama expressed his shock and sadness for the gay teens who killed themselves after being bullied. He raised his own concerns as a parent and called for an end to bullying, saying, “We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe for all of our kids.”
The video quickly turns more personal when President Obama addresses the viewer directly, imploring them, “You are not alone. You didn’t do anything wrong. You didn’t do anything to deserve being bullied… There are people out there who love you and care about you just the way you are.” Those struggles will lead to greater pride later in life and the desire to stand up against discrimination of any kind, Obama said.
The video is part of a YouTube channel by sex advice columnist and gay rights activist Dan Savage called It Gets Better. The channel was created to offer hope and support to gay, lesbian and transgendered teens facing discrimination and bullying. The channel mostly displays user-submitted videos offering messages of hope from celebrities like Neil Patrick Harris, Ellen Degeneres and even Hillary Clinton. It Gets Better will also be turned into a book featuring essays from celebrities and ordinary people. Savage said the proceeds will be given to organizations supporting gay youth.
While President Obama’s video contains some general political speak on discrimination, his surprising frankness during the direct address creates an honest and compassionate moment from the head of state. Check out the video or the channel to have a see for yourself.
What do you think of the video? Do you think the project is headed in the right direction? What messages do you like the best? Let us know in the comments below.
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