“It Gets Better” for LGBT students

Openly gay professor joins social movement

Gina Gutierrez

High school should be one of the most exciting times in a young person’s life. For many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students, however, it can be very difficult.

The “It Gets Better” movement was created to inspire hope during tough times in a teenager’s life.

“The movement is created to show young LGBT people the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach-if they can just get through their teen years,” according to their website.

It was created in September by Dan Savage and his partner, Terry, in response to the countless suicides relating to bullying.

More than 25,000 user-created videos have been uploaded to the site with more appearing every day. The videos come from a mix of teenagers, celebrities and politicians, including President Obama.

“It was all over my Facebook,” said 19-year-old Elizabeth Mejia. “I couldn’t sign on without seeing the videos.”

There is a video on the Pierce website from Dr. Richard J. Follett, who has been teaching English for more than 27 years.

Dr. Follett, who is openly gay, made the video after two former students approached him with the idea. Slightly longer than three minutes, it gives an in-depth look into his past.

“People used to think being gay was an arrested development,” he said.

Follett was born in a small conservative town in Michigan. In 1968, he got married, but never told his wife that he might be gay. Five years later, they divorced and went their separate ways.

Follett then attended the University of Michigan where he received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees and wrote his doctorate on gay literature.