The Mariners Announced They Will Make an It Gets Better Video

by Joe Mirabella · 2011-06-09 19:50:00 UTC
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The Seattle Mariners have announced that they will join the Giants, Cubs, and Red Sox by making an "It Gets Better" video to fight homophobia directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. This comes after more than 3,000 fans signed Iraq War veteran Eric Williams' Change.org petition to the Mariners.

According to a report in USA Today, which broke the story on Thursday:

Williams, 22, says the message would have transformed his youth had he heard it as a 10-year-old growing up in Excelsior Springs, Missouri.

"I had nobody, there were no gay people in my area. There were a few sit-com characters and that was it," Williams said. "Seeing this project that puts big names and regular faces out there and tells kids that it does get better is such an awesome thing."

Eric Williams told Change.org,“I started the petition to the Seattle Mariners because I know that my story is not special,” Eric Williams said. “Out there right now is a young boy feeling ashamed, because he is surrounded by negative voices. He may even feel his life is not worth the pain.”

“I don’t expect that we can find these kids and prevent their pain, however, I know that if we put positive voices out where they can hear them these kids are more likely to get the message that things will improve. And by getting the message from people they admire, such as their favorite player for the Seattle Mariners, they might believe that it actually does gets better. It has for me, and it will for them.”

More than 6,000 people signed San Francisco native and Giants fan Sean Chapin’s petition on Change.org, resulting in the Giants’ historic decision to become the first pro-sports team to make an “It Gets Better” video. Since they released their video more than 123,000 people have watched the Giants’ It Gets Better video on YouTube.

The Cubs, and the Red Sox have also announced plans to make videos after Change.org members Joe Hinton, and 12-year-old Sam Maden were inspired to start petitions for their favorite teams.

More than 50 teams have been asked by fans on Change.org to create It Gets Better videos. If you are inspired to ask your favorite sports team to create a video, it only takes a few minutes. Just click here to start a petition (it's ok if someone else has asked your team -- the more petitions, the better)!

You can also create your own It Gets Better video to tell lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth that life is worth living. Join the more than 10,000 other people and organizations by telling them, “there is hope. It gets better.” Visit http://www.itgetsbetter.org to learn more.

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

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Seattle Mariners: Please make an "It Gets Better" video!
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