It Gets Better

Last week, the It Gets Better staff had the honor of sitting in on the Youth Voices Class of 2024 graduation. Friends, family, and supporters gathered to celebrate these inspiring young leaders. While their impressive list of accomplishments would captivate any college recruiter, it was an impromptu speech from one of the Youth Voices’ parents that moved everyone to tears. Seriously, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. And we wanted to share it with you. Abril Villanueva's words perfectly capture why it Gets Better is so important to LGBTQ youth — and how it has been a lifeline for her son, Aaron. Please read, please share, and please know that when you support It Gets Better, you make stories like this possible. --- I came to this country as an immigrant child and to see Aaron have an impact not just in the United States, but in my home country… it’s something I could have never even dreamed about. It makes me very proud that he’s a part of It Gets Better — that he can show up authentically and unapologetically as himself and that he has a platform where he can voice his frustration and is supported across the country and on a global stage. I want to thank It Gets Better. I’m very grateful that this program has helped my son grow so much — not just as an individual but with this amazing group of kids who are just extraordinary. As a collective, they are a force of nature. I always think of these kids as the Care Bears, putting this light out into the universe. I have been their cheerleader, I watch their videos, read their blogs, I fan out… I am constantly telling people what great work they all do. I am in awe of all of them and all of you. Thank you so much for giving us this space. You’re putting a lot of emotional, intellectual, and even spiritual work out into the world. SUPPORT IT GETS BETTER: https://lnkd.in/gTyN4_MN #itgetsbetter #lgbtqyouth #queeryouth #lgbtqrights #equality #supportiveparents #education #inclusiveeducation

These students in Seattle hosted a whole conference for LGBTQ students! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ With the help of one of our 50 States, 50 Grants, they held their first “Community and Culture Conference," a huge summit for LGBTQIA students across all Seattle Public high schools featuring over 20 different workshops from queer and trans artists, cultural workers, community members, and healthcare professionals, plus queer performances. The conference brought together nearly 200 youth from nearly every high school in their district! When asked how it felt to be at the conference, students said: 🟣 “I haven’t really been to many queer events so thank you for showing me how incredible they can be. It felt like joy, understanding, and strength.” 🟣 “This made me wish I wasn’t a senior so I could go to this again.” 🟣 “What I really enjoyed was the community and the atmosphere in the workshops that connected everyone to everything and also gave some good advice and experience.” 🟣 “It was amazing to be near so many people like me. I could be vulnerable and talk with people who had the same life experiences as me. I was so happy!” 🟣 “I have sometimes felt like I’m not queer enough, or I don’t seem as queer as others, but being able to come here and being accepted has meant a lot.” Keep an eye out as we highlight more amazing projects that came out of last year's 50 States, 50 Grants, 5,000 Voices initiative all summer! #50states50grants #itgetsbetter #lgbtqia #lgbtq #schoolgrants #queeryouth #transyouth #gsa #seattlepride #seattle #education

We asked LGBTQ youth... they gave us more than 100 amazing answers, and we will share them later. But we wanted to ask Linked In... share your story. #itgetsbetter #lgbtq #comingout #queer #trans #lgbtqyouth

These students in Milwaukee, WI hosted a Pride conference across 15 different schools! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ With the help of a "50 States. 50 Grants. 5,000 Voices" grant from It Gets Better, Milwaukee Public Schools was able to host their first ever GSA/LGBTQ High School Leadership Summit. They hosted 150 high school students across 15 different GSA clubs/High Schools, where students received LGBTQ community resources, learned leadership skills for their home GSAs, listened to a keynote speaker, saw drag performances, and networked with other LGBTQ students. A sophomore GSA student reflected, "Wow. I just moved to Milwaukee a month ago and I am from Texas. If I had an event like this, this would've saved my life in so many ways." And one of the staff members/GSA club advisors said, "I am CRYING! This is so beautiful to witness my kids seeing drag for the first time, their expression on their faces has me so emotional right now." Keep an eye out as we highlight more amazing projects that came out of last year's 50 States. 50 Grants. 5,000 Voices initiative all summer! #50states50grants #itgetsbetter #milwaukeepride #milwaukee #lgbtqia #queeryouth #transyouth #gsa #lgbtq #students #grants #education

It's International Drag Day, and we're throwing it back to our It Gets Better video with Kyne Santos in support of her new book "Math in Drag." "It's really important to me to show people that you can be an academic and you can be whatever you want. It doesn't matter what you look like. It doesn't matter what you sound like. It only matters what's in your brain and what you bring to the table." #internationaldragday #itgetsbetter #lgbtq #dragqueen #kynesantos

Not sure who needs to hear this today but... The LGBTQ community ALL of us! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ That includes those of us who are out and open, folks who aren’t out right now (or ever), people who are just figuring this whole thing out, folks exploring a new label or identity, those of us in various stages of transition or transformation, and anyone who might be wondering whether or not they’re “queer enough.” There is no such things as being "queer enough." Thanks to Queer Chameleon for the reminder that all of us are enough exactly as we are. #itgetsbetter #lgbtq #animation #selfhelp #advice #lgbtqyouth #queeryouth

New on the guest blog for #NonbinaryAwarenessWeek! Read how Charlie, who recently moved from Iran, envisions a world that's "a place for our future generations to have freedom. Where we are all just people who do not have to put ourselves in different boxes in hopes of being loved and valued." 💜 READ "An Unlabeled World" now: https://lnkd.in/gt9DxwDN #itgetsbetter #nonbinary #lgbtq #queeryouth #lgbtqyouth #nonbinarypeoplesday #gender #genderidentity #lgbtqia

It Gets Better offers a heartfelt congratulations to Jaymes Black as the new CEO of The Trevor Project. We know that when LGBTQ youth find themselves in crisis, there is no better resource to refer them to than Trevor. We cannot wait to see what Jaymes brings to the mix for this essential community service.

The Sims continues to break new ground with progressive updates — polyamory has now been introduced to the game. It Gets Better was honored to work with Electronic Arts (EA) and GLAAD on some of the first in-game updates, including the introduction of pronouns and more. Happy to see the Sims continues to evolve into a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQ people. #itgetsbetter #lgbtq #lgbtqyouth #thesims #gaming #equality #pronouns #polyamory

We're back, and our summer to-do list is pretty simple. #itgetsbetter #lgbtq 🔲 be gay 🔲 gay some more 🔲 gay stuff 🔲 gay