More than 6,000 Fans ask Yankees to Respond to Fan's Petition to Make an “It Gets Better” Video

by Joe Mirabella · 2011-06-08 13:59:00 UTC
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Brooklyn-born Luinne Elias D'Llard loves New York City and is passionate about the New York Yankees and what they mean to his city and country. And now -- after fans in San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston have successfully petitioned their favorite baseball teams to make “It Gets Better” videos against the bullying of LGBT youth -- he is asking the Yankees to become the fourth team to step up to the plate.

Inspired by news that the San Francisco Giants had responded to lifelong fan Sean Chapin’s 6,000-plus signature petition on Change.org by becoming the first pro sports team to create an “It Gets Better” anti-bullying video, Luinne came up with the idea to ask the New York Yankees to stand up for gay kids and kids perceived to be gay. In a short period of time, nearly 6,000 people -- mostly Yankees fans -- have signed Luinne’s petition on Change.org.

Last week, the Giants released their “It Gets Better” video (WATCH HERE) and both the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox announced that they will follow the Giants in making videos in response to similar Change.org petitions from their fans. The Yankees could be the fourth pro sports team in the country to join the campaign if they respond to Luinne’s petition.

“The San Francisco Giants made a big, very bold step by being the first pro sports team to make an ‘It Gets Better’ video,” said Luinne. “It would be very meaningful to LGBT kids everywhere for the Yankees to join the Giants, Cubs, and Red Sox and stand up against bullying and intolerance.”

Luinne is one of more than 30 sports fans from around the country who have launched petitions on Change.org, the world's fastest-growing platform for social change, urging their favorite sports teams to produce an “It Gets Better” video after the San Francisco Giants agreed to make one in response to fan Sean Chapin’s 6,000-plus signature petition.

Luinne thinks a video from the Yankees could be a historic milestone in professional sports. “It would be in the spirit of the Brooklyn Dodgers, when they courageously broke the color line in baseball,” said Luinne. “In 1947, Jackie Robinson stepped out on the grass at Ebbets Field -- and it changed sports forever. A lot of young kids look up to the Yankees, which is why they could lead the way in changing sports as well.”

Luinne’s petition spotlights the momentum building in professional sports to confront homophobia and create a welcoming environment for LGBT athletes following controversial incidents involving Atlanta Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell and basketball star Kobe Bryant.

Currently, there are no openly gay athletes playing in any of the four major pro sports, as ABC News recently highlighted in a story about 2011 possibly being a watershed year for LGBT athletes.

More than 10,000 “It Gets Better” videos have been produced since syndicated columnist Dan Savage and his partner Terry Miller launched the project in September 2010, in response to an epidemic of teen suicides by gay kids and kids perceived to be gay. Through “It Gets Better” videos, President Barack Obama, Secretary Hillary Clinton, and corporations like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Pixar and other major organizations and leaders have provided hope to kids struggling with sexual orientation and gender identity.

View Luinne Elias D’Llard’s Change.org petition and live signature totals:
http://www.change.org/petitions/new-york-yankees-make-an-it-gets-better-video

Giants petition, started by Sean Chapin (with video):
http://www.change.org/petitions/ask-the-san-francisco-giants-to-make-an-it-gets-better-video

Cubs petition, started by Joe Hinton:
http://www.change.org/petitions/ask-the-chicago-cubs-to-make-an-it-gets-better-video-to-stop-bullying-of-glbtq

Red Sox petition, started by Sam Maden (12 years old):
http://www.change.org/petitions/boston-red-sox-please-make-an-it-gets-better-video

ESPN story on Sam Maden, who inspired the Red Sox to make an It Gets Better video:
http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/mlb/columns/story?columnist=edes_gordon&id=6628965

For more information on the It Gets Better Project:
http://www.itgetsbetter.org

Joe Mirabella is a Change.org Organizing Manager for LGBT rights.

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New York Yankees: Make an "It Gets Better" video!
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