It Gets Better at Brigham Young University
This 9:37 video is from the courageous people of USGA - Understanding Same-Gender Attraction an unofficial group of Brigham Young University students, faculty, and friends who wish to strengthen families and the BYU community by providing a place for open, respectful discussions on the topic of same-gender attraction.
I was in Wyoming the weekend Matthew Shepard was beaten, tied to a snow break fence, and left in freezing temperatures, alone, to die. I remember reading the newspaper headlines at a truck stop. The brutality was incomprehensible. At that time the details were sketchy and it wasn't until I got home and watched the news, the reasons for Shepard's murder became known. Like the majority of the country, I could not understand the brutality, nor the intolerance of the two attackers, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson.
Being a member of a majority lends a certain filter, an invisible buffer, a safety zone, in which the realities and experiences of people outside of that majority are not at the forefront of consideration. I identify as female. I know what sexism is. I identify as Caucasian. I have absolutely no idea what racism is as far as personal experience. I will admit I was ill-treated, once, because of my light olive skin color. And, when I complained about it to a friend, she said, "shut up white girl." I shut up. And rightly so.
I have friends, coworkers, and aquaintances that identify as lgbt, but I really have no idea about their daily, on the ground, personal and professional struggles. It Gets Better and The Trevor Project is a window into that world.
Interesting Reading:
Huffington Post - Gay Mormon Students From Brigham Young University Produce 'It Gets Better' Video
The Trevor Project
Wikipedia - Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act
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