June 8, 2011
By: Joe Siegel/TRT Reporter
The Boston Red Sox will produce an “It Gets Better” video, becoming the third team in professional sports in a week to join the campaign in taking a stand against anti-gay bullying and homophobia. More than 9,000 people — mostly Red Sox fans in New England — signed 12-year-old Sam Maden’s Change.org petition to the Red Sox, which he started in honor of his Uncle Chris, who died in January at the age of 43.
“One of my uncle’s favorite charities was the Trevor Project which provides help and support to gay and lesbian teens,” Maden told The Rainbow Times. “He really wanted the anti-gay bullying to stop and talked to us about it a lot. It’s not ok to pick on kids because they are gay or lesbian. People need to stop bullying them, it’s not fair.”
“We are proud of dedicated Red Sox fans like 12-year-old Sam Maden who have taken the courageous step of publicly standing up against bullying of LGBT youth,” said Susan Goodenow, Senior Vice President/Public Affairs and Marketing for the Red Sox, in a statement. “The Red Sox have frequently done PSA videos, or public service announcement videos, on important social issues. We are currently producing an “It Gets Better” video to support the It Gets Better campaign to stop bullying of LGBT youth and teen suicides. We hope that when it is released it will both reflect our continued commitment to be active participants in the community and help advance the efforts of Sam and others to stop bullying. Our team stands for respect and inclusion – there is no place for discrimination or acts of hatred in Red Sox Nation.”
Sam Maden’s effort began after his seventh-grade teacher asked him to create a project that could “make a difference” in the world. Sam decided to combine his affection for the Red Sox with a cause his uncle believed in passionately: ending the bullying of gay kids and kids perceived to be gay. Inspired by news that the San Francisco Giants had responded to a fan’s petition on Change.org by announcing they would become the first pro sports team to create an “It Gets Better” anti-bullying video, Sam decided to ask his favorite team — the Red Sox — to make a video as well.
Maden, who currently plays on three baseball teams and was invited by the Red Sox to shout “Play Ball!” before a sold-out crowd at Fenway Park, thinks a video from the team will have a positive effect on people.
“I felt really great and I think it was so cool that they agreed to do it,” Maden added.
More than 10,000 “It Gets Better” videos have been produced since syndicated columnist Dan Savage and his partner Terry Miller launched the project last September, in response to an epidemic of teen suicides by gay kids and kids perceived to be gay. Through “It Gets Better” videos, President Barack Obama, Secretary Hillary Clinton, and corporations like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Pixar and other major organizations and leaders have provided hope to kids struggling with sexual orientation and gender identity.
