People Magazine: The It Gets Better Project: 10 Years Later
You may remember educator Lark Doolan from our “Queer Heroes” series. Beloved by students and his community, Lark is a force to behold. For our 10th anniversary, People Magazine highlighted Lark’s “it gets better” story. Read more about Lark’s story and the history of our organization in this phenomenal piece below.
Forbes: Gigi Gorgeous Reaction To 10-Year-Old Viral Video: “It Gets Better”
Journalist Jamie Wareham wrote a comprehensive article about the It Gets Better Project in their piece for Forbes. The article reviews our history, viral campaigns, and hopes for the future. Below is an excerpt from the article. You can read the full one here.
“With the luxury of hindsight, the campaign worked because we had the right messenger, the right message, the right means of distribution, and the timing was impeccable. But no one was thinking about those things. They just had the shared goal of uplifting and empowering young LGBTQ+ people who may be having a rough time.” – Brian Wenke, Executive Director of the It Gets Better Project
NBC Out: ‘It Gets Better’: How a viral video fueled a movement for LGBTQ youth
“In the decade since It Gets Better was unleashed, the mantra has made its way into pop culture references in TV and film, serving as proof of how far it has spread, said Wenke. But he is also cautious about the message. “It gets better” doesn’t mean life gets easy, he noted — it’s really about sending a message to LGBTQ youth that they aren’t alone.”
Above is an excerpt from the NBC Out article. You can read the full article here.
The Advocate: It Gets Better Still Offers Hope 10 Years After Its Founding
“I do feel that there’s this perception that for something to get better, it means that there has to be glitter and rainbows and life is easier. And as an as a queer adult who experiences his own issues and having the luxury of hindsight to look back at my life and where I’ve gotten to where I am today, progress is not a straight line,” Wenke said. “And there are highs and lows. And there are days where even I feel like, ‘Oh, my gosh, is this going to get better?’
But I think what is most important is that people maintain a sense of hope, and some shred of optimism for the future. Because progress is happening, whether or not it is in your face, right? There are people out there every day making sure that we stay on this path.”
The above excerpt is from an article published in The Advocate, highlighting Brian Wenke’s leadership of the It Gets Better Project and our message of hope. Read the full article here.