To the Philadelphia Phillies: Time to Record an It Gets Better Video

by David S. Cohen on Jun 6, 2011 10:00 AM EDT

I don't want Cody f*@$#&ing Ross and the San Francisco Giants beating the Phillies at anything, but they've bested the Phillies and every other team in baseball on this one, as last week they released an It Gets Better video:

Kudos to the Giants for being the industry leader on this one. Within days, the Cubs and Red Sox have announced that they are going to follow the Giants' lead, so kudos to them as well.

It's time for the Phillies to get on this most-worthwhile bandwagon and join in.

What's the It Gets Better Project, you ask? After a rash of highly-publicized suicides of lesbian, gay, transgendered, or bisexual youth last year, Dan Savage, the nation's leading ethicist, the mastermind behind the incredible humor associated with Rick Santorum, and my choice for President in 2016, formed the project to encourage adults to film videos assuring LGBT youth that "it gets better."

In less than a year, the project has collected over 10,000 videos that have been viewed over 35 million times. Videos have been filmed by politicians, celebrities, and everyday folks assuring young LGBT people that life does get better, that their lives are worth living, and that they will be happy one day, even if things seem really hard right now. Click on the link to the site and you'll be able to browse through amazing testimonials that will make you race for your tissues.

Wherever you stand on LGBT issues, I hope as a baseline human position we can all agree that teens feeling hopeless and isolated should not kill themselves and should be encouraged to think about how they can get through to the point when their life will be better. These videos get that message across to teens.

Whether we like it or not, celebrities in our celebrity-driven culture play a special role here. And the Phillies need to step up and play their role too. If a kid in Lansdowne is feeling isolated and thinking about suicide, maybe seeing Ryan Howard tell her "it gets better" could make a difference. Or Shane Victorino. Or even Danys Baez or Ross Gload. Whoever it is, the Phillies need to make one of these videos and show their support for this incredible cause. It's the right thing to do, and now's the time for the Phillies to do it.

I encourage you to explore the website linked above to find all the great videos, but I'm going to leave you with one more embedded. It's a recent ad for Google Chrome (the embed here is in no way an endorsement of that browser, which I don't even use), but it nicely captures what the project is about, and it features some of the best videos that have been made. And yes, get your tissues.

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Comments

rec'd like crazy

We cannot let Cody Ross get the better of us in both baseball and human decency.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Jun 6, 2011 10:05 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs

Well Put- Thanks for Posting This!

As a sister and friend to members of the GLBT community, this is something I wholeheartedly support- totally rec’ced

PS- love the Cody Ross line

Offense, offense, where are you?

by dannijd on Jun 6, 2011 10:08 AM EDT reply actions

Thanks. Re-post and re-tweet widely please!

by David S. Cohen on Jun 6, 2011 10:16 AM EDT reply actions

Very cool of the Giants to do this — it’d be affirming somehow if the Phillies could foster a better relationship with the LGBTQ community now than they did with the African American community in the 60’s. Recc’ed with vigor.

by Trev223 on Jun 6, 2011 10:17 AM EDT reply actions

Absolutely.

I would love to see this. And on the topic I’d love to see some other sports’ teams get in on the act too. The Giants got the first one done, but how great would it be if Philly were the first city with all major sports to do one?

by NOLACuse on Jun 6, 2011 10:38 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Unaware of the project, thanks and I wholeheartedly agree.

"Call me dumb, call me stupid, whatever. I block shots."
@boknows71

by boknows71 on Jun 6, 2011 11:08 AM EDT reply actions

GREAT initiative

Thanks a lot for posting this! As a gay guy who grew up in Philly I can attest 1) how tough and lonely it was a young person, and 2) how much it would have meant to me to see a video like this from the Phils! (heck, it still would)

by 36forever on Jun 6, 2011 11:10 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Thanks for sharing. Fantastic cause!

by The Reddgie on Jun 6, 2011 11:42 AM EDT reply actions

Come on, Phillies! Let’s get with it. Oh, BTW, eff you, Ross.

What kind of plane is it? Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big ol' Tylenol.

by doubleh on Jun 6, 2011 12:24 PM EDT reply actions

Especially with the Phillies’ sordid history of (specifically racial) discrimination, this would be a great opportunity to show that those times are, indeed, history.

by Senor Octubre on Jun 6, 2011 3:30 PM EDT reply actions

If the Giants want to bring a message of understanding to folks going through a tough time...

Why not start with Scott Cousins?

by hunterfan on Jun 6, 2011 5:53 PM EDT reply actions

What Sabean said about Cousins was thoroughly detestable and worthy of scorn, but I don’t think this is the forum for that. What they did here is admirable and stands alone from the Sabean stupidity.

by Cormican on Jun 6, 2011 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Also...I must disagree with part of your article...

“If a kid in Lansdowne is feeling isolated and thinking about suicide, maybe seeing Ryan Howard tell her “it gets better” could make a difference….Or even Danys Baez or Ross Gload. "

The mere sight of Baez or Gload is likely to set off the poor kid even more. S/he will think they are being mocked further.

by hunterfan on Jun 6, 2011 5:58 PM EDT reply actions

I don’t wish to minimize the special challenges LGB teenagers face, but I can’t help but wish that this movement was more generalized. There are a lot of straight kids out there who feel isolated, friendless, etc. What are they to think when they see these ads targeting LGB kids?

by phatj on Jun 7, 2011 12:22 AM EDT reply actions

That’s one of the things that’s made me hold off on making a video… I’m a member of the community and I’ve experienced bullying and struggled with depression/suicide before but those two things are completely unconnected for me. I’m not sure my experenice really reflects what these kids are going through, and I don’t want to just offer empty words of comfort.

by TheNumber47 on Jul 2, 2011 3:30 AM EDT up reply actions