The “It gets better” campaign has taken the media by storm including its appearances on hit shows like Glee and dozens of celebrity and political endorsements. The premise behind the campaign is to remind teens that being gay gets better in time. But comedian Rick Mercer isn’t so sure the message has been heard or even effective in wake of the recent death of gay 15-year-old Jamie Hubley of Ottowa.
Funny guy Mercer, usually a witty and lighthearted comedian, took to the ‘net to tell teens, allies, and LGBT activists that it isn’t enough to simply tell teens that it should get better in time. Mercer explains that gay bullying is real and has an effect on youth today; to wait it out is simply not enough.
“Every year in this country, 300 kids take their own lives,” he explains. “It is a mind-boggling number… Last week, one of those kids was Jamie Hubley… who happened to be gay. He was a great big, goofy, gay kid singing Lady Gaga on the internet…. kids attacked and now he’s gone.”
Mercer continues to explain that it’s not enough to be reactive. He added: “It’s not longer good enough for us to tell kids who are different that it’s going to get better. We have to make it better now. That’s every single one of us, every teacher, every student, every adult has to step up to the plate. And that’s gay adults, too.”
Mercer appeared Thursday on CBC’s The Current, where he addressed his own sexuality: “It would be nice if there were more role models so people could say, ‘What about Rick Mercer? He’s gay. He went to this school.’ ‘What about Sergeant so-and-so?’
The video has gone viral since it was launched Wednesday. Mercer leaves his rant with a sober reminder: “300 kids is 300 too many.”
Watch the video below.
