Social Advocacy. Social Media.

Homosexuality has become an increasingly prominent topic in American politics in recent years. The topics have centered on gay marriage and the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy implemented in the United States military. In the past two months, gay bullying has come to the forefront because of Cody J. Barker, 15, Asher Brown, 13, Tyler Clementi, 19, Billy Lucas, 15, Seth Walsh, 13, Harrison Chase Brown, 15, Raymond Chase, 19, Felix Sacco, 17, Zach Harrington, 19, and Caleb Nolt, 14, who all died as result of suicide within the month of September.

Norman High School student at Candle Lit Vigil Oct. 20th on South Oval
Photo By Ana Lastra

According to the Washington Post article on Oct. 17th 2010, only 15 out of the 50 states have laws in which they address harassment or bullying of students because of sexual orientation. In the same article, the anti-bullying laws passed in Washington State in early 2000s were found to have little effect on the anti-gay bullying. 

Bullying has gone from physical violence, to spoken violence and to today, were it has become an online issue known as "cyber bullying."

Trevor Project

According to the website, lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) youths are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide and more than 1/3 of LGB youth have reported making a suicide attempt.

LGBT youth face not only discrimination from their peers, but from people in the media, their local communities, their teachers and possibly even their friends or family. When hearing comments from school board members such as Clint McCance in Arkansas, it is no wonder LGBT youths feel much more isolated than the average teen.

Students at Pride Rally Against Intolerance Oct. 25th on the South Oval
Photo By Ana Lastra

People around the nation and even the world are no longer waiting around for more overwhelmed and stigmatized teens to take their own lives in order to act. LGBT advocacy has gone from grassroots organizations and activists to the average person with access to the Internet.  Social media, such as YouTube, has become a platform for individuals and groups to reach out to mass audiences to make a difference.

Hayley Gorenberg, a lawyer who works for a national LGBT civil-rights organization known as Lambda Legal, stated in the Philadelphia Inquirer, "social media can be a fantastic source of support for youth who feel isolated...:"

Dan Savage, a columnist for Seattle's, The Stranger, created a YouTube channel where he and his partner Terry posted a video telling struggling youths that life does get better. This channel, titled the "It Gets Better" Project, called upon society to make videos and share their own stories in order to inspire and influence.

In one of his columns on Sept. 23rd 2010, Savage wrote, "I wish I could have talked to this kid for five minutes. I wish I could have told Billy [Lucas] that it gets better. I wish I could have told him that, however bad things were, however isolated and alone he was, it gets better."

The "It Gets Better" Project on YouTube has had 1,896,595 channel views, 21,755 channel subscribers and the Dan and Terry video alone has had 1,004,249 views since being posted on September 21, 2010.

Savage and other YouTubers who use the medium for more than social media have proven that it is becoming an effective tool for advocacy.  Through YouTube, anyone can become an activist.

According to the YouTube Reader, edited by Patrick Vonderau and Pelle Snickars, "YouTube has become the very epitome of digital culture not only by promising endless opportunities for viral marketing or format development, but also by allowing "you" to post a video which might incidentally change the course of history."

To learn how you can help your local LGBT community check out the PFLAG website, the Trevor Project website or even groups on your social media networks like YouTube to get involved.

Check out Monday & the Gays on YouTube to hear more from PY at http://www.youtube.com/user/MondayAndTheGays#p/u/13/gSUaY8sY0Sg  and Richard's Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/ChannelRichard?blend=2&ob=1.