Never be afraid to say “GAY!”

Friend  —

We are deeply disappointed by the passage of the infamous “Parental Rights in Education” bill in Florida – more commonly referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill due to its discriminatory language aimed squarely at LGBTQ+ youth.

Although we are angry and we are hurting, we are encouraged by the thousands of students in Florida and around the country who have spoken up, walked out, and taken a stand for equality. To witness a generation of young people tapping into their power to create a better, more inclusive world is nothing short of inspiring. But there is still work to be done–starting with one simple task:

If you’re a parent or an ally, an educator or a self-actualized LGBTQ+ adult seeing this, today is the day for you to tell the young LGBTQ+ people in your lives that you see them and they have value.

More than 200 anti-LGBTQ+ bills, many specifically targeting trans youth, have been introduced this year alone. Fighting these bills is going to be a marathon effort requiring all of us — like-minded individuals and organizations — to stand together and persevere in the face of adversity.  

The It Gets Better Project will continue to stand strong for LGBTQ+ youth in the best way we know how:

– Through powerful wisdom-infused storytelling initiatives designed to guide and support LGBTQ+ young people on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity journey.

– Offering LGBTQ+ inclusive resources for educators interested in integrating LGBTQ+ storytelling into their lesson planning. 

– Investing in grassroots efforts to elevate LGBTQ+ youth through impactful grantmaking.

– Building a global community of activists championing the needs of queer youth everywhere (an effort that now spans 19 countries across 4 continents).

We hope you’ll stand with us – to watch, learn, share and support our essential and life-affirming work. Thank you for being part of this movement to create a world where all LGBTQ+ youth are free to live equally and know their worthiness and power as individuals. 

Stay loud, stay proud, and never be afraid to say “GAY!”

– It Gets Better Project