President Obama Tells LGBT Youth: "It Gets Better"

It may be a tense time between the White House and the LGBT community, as impatience over repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) takes center stage, as well as the Department of Justice's efforts to appeal federal court cases challenging both DADT and the Defense of Marriage Act. Heck, even yesterday, one of the leading LGBT activists in the country, Dan Choi, ruled out voting for President Obama in the future, frustrated with the pace the White House is setting on helping the LGBT community achieve full equality.

Just when many were starting to question the tone deafness of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, at least regarding LGBT issues, in comes the latest "It Gets Better" video from none other than President Obama himself. The video, where the President talks about how as the father of two small children, it pains him to see kids just starting out in this world take their lives because they've been bullied due to their sexual orientation, hit the White House channel last night.

"We've got to dispel this myth that bullying is just a normal rite of passage, that it's just some inevitable part of growing up," Obama said. "I don't know what it's like to grow up being picked on because you're gay, but I do know what it's like to grow up feeling that sometimes you don't belong. It's tough."

There are real and very deep differences that exist right now between the White House and many members of the LGBT community tired of the slow pace for change when it comes to equal rights. And indeed, some might see this video as just another effort to give words to the LGBT community, but not real action.

But it's worth a pause in that political battlefield, perhaps, at least for a few moments, to recognize the power of having the leader of the free world send a message specifically for LGBT youth. Imagine that under a President George W. Bush, or if you want to look toward the future, imagine that from a President Palin, Romney, Gingrich, or Huckabee. Not gonna happen.

Perhaps the most heartfelt moment of the video comes at just after the 1:00 minute mark.

"What I want to say is this: you are not alone. You didn't do anything wrong. You didn't do anything to deserve being bullied, and there is a whole world waiting for you filled with possibilities," Obama says.

If only that message can be written on every school chalkboard in the country right about now, to make all of our schools safe. That's the message coming out of the Gay-Straight Alliance Network, which is working in schools around the country truly make things better for LGBT youth.

"We are grateful that the President is committed to making schools safe for every student," said Carolyn Laub, Executive Director of Gay-Straight Alliance Network. "We call on the President and all elected officials to do everything in their power to make schools safer for LGBT youth. Our nation's leaders can make it better for LGBT youth by ending discrimination against LGBT people in our country."

And we can help push them to do that here. Check out Obama's video below. What do you think? And how does it compare to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's video from the other day? Let us know your thoughts.

Photo credit: YouTube