It gets better

It's been quite a touching week in the gay news. First there was the repeal of Americas Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) meaning that for the first time gay men and woman can be in the US Military. I came accross a short video blog of a young Airforceman, who recorded the moment that he told his father he was gay, while on active duty in Germany. I love a coming out story and love Neil Sexton's story every morning on Gaydar Radio. You never quite know how it will go, but for every gay man or woman it is a right of passage that we have all been through. The young guy starts off on the video, calling his father and saying his something he needs to tell him but wants to know if he will still love him. Its such a touching video of a pinacle point in this boys life. Catch the full video at http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/09/20/video-us-airman-comes-out-to-his-father-and-broadcasts-the-video-on-youtube/

Then the following day there was the news that this poor 14 year old boy, Jamey Rodemeyer, had taken his own life after homophobic bullying. What a traggic loss. This poor boy had his whole life ahead of him and yet felt so isolated and bullied that he took his own life. This hit some heart strings and watching his video blog, http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/09/21/new-york-boy-14-kills-himself-after-anti-gay-bullying/ made me think back to my own childhood. I wasn't that different from Jamie.

Growing up in the pre internet age, I really was the only gay in the village. I felt an outcast. Like him, at the time, all of my friends were girls, I was called names and bullied. I didn't like sport and was, almost certainly in my own mind, an outcast. But it got better.

His touching video blog, days before his own death made me want to do more so I have asked the GBLT Group at work if we can create a network "It gets better", video montage. So far it's been met with keen ears but will have to wait to see what happens. But I will make my own message very soon. For the sake of people like Jamey who feel they are on their own and have nooone to turn to.

As my project begins I discovered the Pixar employees It gets better video, ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a4MR8oI_B8 ) and had for the third day running a touching moment of the old heart strings.

It does get better and I am looking forward to making the video! Until then, Happy FriGay. Big love, Neil xxx