Red Sox to Produce ‘It Gets Better’ Video to Speak Out Against Anti-Gay Bullying

by

Jun 5, 2011

The San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs have recently produced videos speaking out against anti-gay bullying, and now, after a petition started by a 12-year-old New Hampshire boy, the Red Sox are doing the same.

The petition, started by Sam Maden of Nashua, N.H., received more than 10,000 signatures and has prompted the Red Sox to produce an online video for the "It Gets Better Project," which aims to educate about the dangers of anti-gay bullying and discrimination, according to the Boston Globe.

"The Red Sox organization takes the issue of bullying seriously," team spokeswoman Leah Tobin released in a statement. "It is something that has touched many of us and those we love, and it is a growing problem in our community. 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."

Like similar efforts that compelled the Giants and Cubs to create their videos, Maden's petition was posted on Change.org, a website that allows people to create petitions for causes of their choosing and garner signatures.

The 12-year-old created the petition as part of a school project, and was inspired by the death of his uncle, who was gay.

"The Red Sox are my favorite team, and when I saw the Giants were doing it, I really wanted to get them to do it too," Maden told Boston.com. "I see kids who are bullies, I see them everyday. I do what I can to get them to stop, and I thought this might make it better."

Petitions on Change.org have also begun for the Mariners and Yankees to produce "It Gets Better" videos, and both have received over 2,500 signatures as of Sunday night.

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