Quoted - President Barack Obama for the It Gets Better Campaign

"Like all of you, I was shocked and saddened by the deaths of several young people who were bullied and taunted for being gay and who ultimately took their own lives. As a parent of two daughters, it breaks my heart. It's something that just shouldn't happen in this country. Now we've got to dispel this myth that bullying is just a normal rite of passage, that it's some inevitable part of growing up. It's not. We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe for all of our kids. And to every young person out there, you need to know that if you're in trouble, there are caring adults who can help. I don't know what it's like to be picked on for being gay, but I do know what it's like to grow up feeling that sometimes you don't belong. It's tough. And for a lot of kids the sense of being alone or apart, I know it can just wear on you. And when you're teased or bullied it can seem like somehow you have brought it on yourself for being different or for not fitting in with everybody else. But 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's a whole world waiting for you filled with possibilities. There are people out there that love you and care about you just the way you are. And so, if you ever feel like because of bullying, because of what people are saying, that you are getting down on yourself, you've got to make sure to reach out to people you trust;  whether it's your parents, teachers, or folks that you know care about you just the way you are. You've got to reach out to them. Don't feel like you are in this by yourself. The other thing you need to know is things will get better, and more than that, with time you are going to see that your differences are a source of pride and a source of strength. You'll look back on the struggles you've faced with compassion and wisdom, and that's not just going to serve you, but it'll help you get involved and make this country a better place. It will mean that you'll be more likely to help fight discrimination, not just against LGBT Americans but discrimination in all its forms. It means you'll be more likely to understand personally and deeply why it's so important that as adults we set an example in our own lives and that we treat everybody with respect, that we are able to see the world through other people's eyes and stand in their shoes, that we never lose sight of what binds us together. As a nation, we're founded on the belief that all of us are equal and each of us deserves the freedom to pursue our own version of happiness, to make the most of our talents, to speak our minds, to not fit in; most of all, to be true to ourselves. That's the freedom that enriches all of us. That's what America is all about, and every day it gets better."

- President Barack Obama for the It Gets Better Campaign

Gay and Straight Teens Collaborate in the Making of a Lady Gaga's "Hair" Music Video

I get emotional over things like this, because it hits so close to home.  I remember growing up being bullied and tormented by the people I thought were my friends.  And here comes a classroom full of straight teens and gay teens showing us that "It Gets Better".  Thank you so much kiddos!

As most of us know, growing up isn't easy. Countless young people are faced with daily tormenting and bullying, causing them to feel isolated and alone. This is an especially harsh reality for LGBT kids and teens, who often hide their sexuality for fear of bullying. In many instances, gay and lesbian adolescents are taunted, sometimes even tortured, simply for being themselves.

In support of the It Gets Better Project, Colton James Boettcher's artistic vision takes shape in the form of a music video interpretation of Lady Gaga's song, Hair. Hair is about being yourself, being true to who you are; as the song exemplifies, "you are the spirit of your hair, it's all the glory you bare", YOU are your #hair.

Credits after the jump...

Stephen Colbert - It Gets Better

The host of The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert has a message for LGBT youth: "It Gets Better."

James Duke Mason Trailblazes His Way Through Hollywood

If you don't know who the Go-Go's were or don't know who Belinda Carlisle is, then I'm going to ask, WTF?  Sorry, but one can't go through life not knowing or listening to her music.  Belinda was the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's who became successful as a solo-artist several years later.  I was such huge fan of hers growing up and "came out" when her song, "Circle in The Sand" hit the airwaves. 

As a matter of fact, she will be receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame this August.

I find it ironic how I listened to her music when I was a teenager, and here I am writing about her 18 year old son, James Duke Mason.  James is also the son of Morgan Mason, who worked as Ronald Reagan's assistant in the early 1980's and the grandson of the late British actor James Mason.  He is currently attending California Lutheran University as a freshman student pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Political Science, But his main love is acting, which is the main reason he moved to Los Angeles.  James has also worked as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives and volunteered for Hillary Clinton during the 2008 Democratic primaries.

True, James could pass for a gorgeous underwear model, but the main reason I'm writing about him, is because of his contributions to the LGBT community.  He has written a number of articles about his experience as a young gay person, participated in several roundtable discussions regarding LGBT youth, and recently created the Trailblazer Campaign, similar to the "It Gets Better" campaign which would help actors in Hollywood come out of the closet.  And we all know there are a lot of people in Hollywood who are gay, but are too afraid to come out.  "Coughs" Joe Jonas & Zac Efron - just kidding - That's wishful thinking on my part.

In the following video, James lets his viewers know what it was like growing up gay in high school, and lets them know he understands their pain and frustration, "It Gets Better," he tells them.  And after the jump there is another video explaining his Trailblazer campaign.

The Trailblazer Campaign...