David D'Agostino RAP

The Movement

“I think homophobia is an endangered species in America, and I know I’m not the only person who thinks so,” proclaims acclaimed singer, songwriter, and activist Henry Rollins on the subject of gay marriage.  The war against gays has raged on for far too long, seeing little progress until the recent years.  Thanks to advancements in technology connecting communities closer together, we can more easily see both sides to this battle in order to construct our own decisions and moral values.  The idea of gay marriage has been proposed to political figures for centuries, but it isn’t until now that we see the likely possibility of a revolution in the near future.  Extensive media coverage all over the world is exposing the truth behind this ordeal.  Unfair and unjust inequality of the LGBT community will only persist until the world amends its views.  Supporters and activists spreading the word through articles and videos can gradually work to accelerate this movement by reaching out to as many people as possible.  Some important works supporting this association would be videos regarding the It-Gets-Better Project, made for kids and teens across the world facing problems regarding LGBT bullying either directly or through a loved one.  Other works, such as simple personal stories and reflections on the topic, can also have an immense impact on the movement.  Even something as monochromatic as a political cartoon can do wonders in spreading word of an unjust system in place.  No matter what form of media, however, the underlying message is always the same.  A large portion of the world receives mistreatment on a daily basis, and it is up to us to hasten a movement towards finding equality for all people and demanding an end to the hatred and bullying LGBT citizens are forced to deal with.  Through technological advancements, we can see an emergence of powerful works utilizing emotional anecdotes, authority, and clever analogies to get this message across.

President Obama: It Gets Better

After being dealt a childhood of torment and suffering due to his being gay, Dan Savage founded the It Gets Better Project with his husband Terry Miller in September 2010.  Since this time, more than 30,000 entries to the project have been contributed from people of various types of situations.  One of the most influential of these contributions comes directly from the President of the United States, Barack Obama.  Although Obama admits he cannot relate to being bullied for such a horrible reason, he confesses to having been the victim of many types of bullies, and from experience provides a very helpful hand for those in need. Obama states that “if you’re in trouble, there are caring adults that can help.” Being bullied for just being yourself is something no one should have to endure, and I believe this video does a great job to express this. The reason why I have found this video to be one of the most influential of all It Gets Better contributions is partly because it is given by the highest word of authority in the nation. These videos intend to provide everlasting relief from a life of bullying, and a light and the end of the tunnel for anyone caught in a world of bullies and hatred. This video in particular, however, has also accelerated the LGBT Rights movement further simply because of the source.  LGBT Rights has been a sensitive topic politically, and has often seen a silenced or ignored response until now.  Seeing the President of the United States supporting the freedom of every man and woman regardless of sexual orientation is a very strong political factor.  Some would be so insolent to say this could hurt his reputation among the nation, but I go one further and say this will mark as one of the great things that sets him aside from his competitors.  I believe this to be one of the most effective works to guide this movement in the right direction.

Henry Rollins on Gay Marriage

Although not carrying the authoritative weight of a speech by President Obama, another influential video contribution geared towards a future of equality for gays is the speech given by activist Henry Rollins entitled “Henry Rollins on Gay Marriage”.  We come across many people of all sexual orientations every day, and might not realize it. Rollins furthers this by stating that “gay is all around us” and that “homosexuality cannot and should not be avoided” (Rollins).  Rollins is a straight man that gives eight minutes of impactful personal reflections regarding how “gay rights is civil rights” (Rollins).  I believe this video provides a valuable alternate perspective on the issue that might not be found in a majority of the It Gets Better Project videos.  One of the most touching accounts Rollins tells of in his video regards a child who came out to his community during his high school career before then being ridiculed by teen peers as well as some teachers.  He continues by noting that the teacher in this situation not only made fun of the child for being gay, but also “green-lighted”, or enabled other bullies to do the same thing.  The child later attempted to take his own life in order to combat the amount of ridicule he had received at that school.  No one should ever be forced to endure this type of pain and torture, let alone on a day-to-day basis.  I believe this video to be just as effective as Obama’s It Gets Better video, in aiding the LGBT Rights movement by using similar rhetoric.  Rollins' speech gives a varied angle of vision, which still exposes anti-gay bullying as wrongful and unwarranted behavior, whereas Obama provides a similar perspective.  Although neither Rollins nor Obama have received torment for being an LGBT individual, both have been bullied in the past, and both provide sound advice and reasoning to help anyone in need.  Rollins, however, also provides multiple powerful anecdotes, giving him credibility as well as providing his speech with a strong emotional impact.  The tone Rollins uses at some points has potential to give some listeners an incongruous feel to Rollins’ approach.  At one point, Rollins comfortably talks of a hypothetical involving two gay cavemen making love, which may strike some as off-putting. Although this would detract from the overall weight of his speech, I believe he does this purposefully to show how homosexuality has been around since the dawn of human existance, and will never dissipate in any near future.  He also successfully includes humor into a potentially sensitive topic.  Although Rollins himself does not fall into the LGBT category, it is evident through his stories and actions that he feels strongly for attaining equal rights for all.

Kevin Siers' "Reality - Centuries of Conditioning"

While videos are a great source for spreading values, influential thought can come from all types of modern media.  Political cartoons have been used to portray ideas or messages for hundreds of years.  An example of a controversial cartoon of this category would be one by cartoonist Kevin Siers.  The cartoon generates an analogy by first making the reader think the topic of conversation is “gay marriage” when it turns out to be “interracial marriage”.  Siers gets the reader to compare these two ideas in order to show that they aren’t too different in a sense.  Interracial marriage wasn’t fully legal in the United States until a Supreme Court ruling in 1967, just as gay marriage isn’t fully legal yet in the United States.  Many states have already ruled gay marriage legal inside their state boundaries, just as interracial marriage was legalized in some states years before the 1967 Supreme Court ruling.  Although some did not agree, it was stated that denying anyone the right to marry based on race is unconstitutional, and I strongly believe that it is only a matter of time before the nation sees that denying anyone the right to marry based on gender goes against our Constitution for the exact same reason.  Although this comic provides no emotional response or shocking anecdote, the use of this analogy makes it is extremely effective in spreading the word on LGBT Rights.  Siers’ cartoons are distributed to over 400 newspapers across the nation, and have sparked heated discussion through journalism and multiple internet forum boards.  This is another prime example of an effective medium to generate change in the right direction.  Siers hooks the reader with humor, but leaves them thinking about how silly this debate is in the long-run.  It is a simple fact that gays should have the right to marry whomever they please; we now just have to wait for our nation to realize this fact and act before matters get worse.

How to Continue

As more people convert to supporters and activists for the LGBT Rights movement, we will witness a revolutionary change to the world’s way of thinking.  What may have been viewed as morally wrong or unlawful in the past may change in the future.  We need to stand up for what we know is right, and do our part in spreading the word to make such a change.  While technological advancements will accelerate this revolution to a nearer future, it also comes with the potential to harm others in ways we had not previously imagined, such as internet bullying or bullying through text messages via cellphone. This is why we, as a community, must properly utilize these types of media to reach out to every close-minded individual stuck in an old way of living. The multitude of It Gets Better Project videos, as well as pictures, cartoons, speeches, films, and more, all contribute to securing the true rights of everyone, regardless of race or gender.  Of the texts I discussed, I would have to say Obama’s It Gets Better video stands as the most effective work in aiding this movement.  He effectively uses assertion to tell the listener that, no matter what is ailing them, “things will get better”.  This statement carries a lot more weight and credibility when spoken by the President of the United States of America. You can’t help but want to believe every word he is saying. Good people are tormented every single day for illegitimate reasons, and will continue to be until a change is made, and the world opens its eyes to what is happening.  I believe it is our job as supporters to spread the word of these events and let bullies see that this is not okay and will not be tolerated.

Works Cited

Rollins, Henry. “Henry Rollins on Gay Marriage”. Big Think. Fowler, Jonathan. 1 Jul 2012. YouTube Video. 3 Oct 2012.

Obama, Barack. “President Obama: It Gets Better”. White House. Obama, Barack. 21 Oct 2010. YouTube Video. 4 Oct 2012.

Siers, Kevin. “Reality – Centuries of Conditioning”. Charlotte Observer. Siers, Kevin. 2003. Political Cartoon. 6 Oct 2012.