SF Giants to produce video for ‘It Gets Better’ campaign

San Diego LGBT newspaper
San Diego LGBT newspaper
The Giants announce plans to participate in 'It Gets Better' campaign\Source: Change.org

San Diego’s neighbors to the north, the San Francisco Giants, will be the first professional sports team to contribute a video to the ‘It Gets Better’ YouTube campaign.

Thus far, the campaign has garnered participation from a wide variety of celebrities and politicians in addition to everyday people and spurred the creation of over 10,000 videos in an effort to support LGBT youth from the dangers of bullying, self-harm and suicide.

As homosexuality and sports continue to collide in the recent media sphere, a small but increasing number of prominent athletes and industry officials have come out – either as homosexuals themselves or as staunch supporters of the gay rights movement. And thanks to a strong gay and lesbian fan base, a long history of promoting tolerance and the 6,000 signatures collected by Giants fan Sean Chapin (who created a Change.org campaign urging his beloved Bay Area sports team to speak up for LGBT youth), the San Francisco Giants will now lend their collective voice to the cause.

Staci Slaughter, a spokeswoman for the team, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the Giants had already been considering a contribution to the ‘It Gets Better’ campaign – but that Chapin’s efforts sped up their resolution to move forward.

Chapin, a San Francisco resident and lifelong Giants fan, believes that the team is “in an extraordinary position to lead the rest of the professional sporting world and possibly make the most important ‘It Gets Better’ video yet,” as ambassadors of both Major League Baseball and the iconic city by the Bay.

The news of Chapin’s successful Change.org campaign comes on the heels of GLAAD president Jarret Barrios’ announcement that the gay activist organization is currently working with the MLB to involve players in anti-bullying PSA spots, to be aired at some point this fall.

Perhaps the Chapin’s example will help galvanize the San Diego gay and lesbian community to make a similar push for support from the Padres, and inspire Major League Baseball and other pro sports organizations to follow suit.

Check back for updates as we learn more about the content and air-date of the Giants’ YouTube video.

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