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EA’s LGBT Staff Promises “It Gets Better”

Contributing in a big way to the It Gets Better Project, EA released an inspirational video today featuring stories from LGBT staffers about growing up gay. The project was conceived after bullying led two gay teens – Justin Aaberg and Billy Lucas – to commit suicide in unrelated incidences.

The video begins on a slightly somber note, detailing the hardships that spawned the project in the first place. During the lengthy video the tone changes to a more positive one, however, as the EA staffers discuss their accomplishments and shed light on what the future can hold for struggling youth.

Kudos to EA.

[Via Kotaku]

Comments
  • I love how EA's heart is in the right spot but I always had a problem with stuff like this. Not gays but bullying. Seriously it happens, it's a part of life. We shouldnt be preventing bullying but rather helping people being bullied. It's in our nature to sometimes turn violent with other people, it cannot be helped. I'm not saying bullying is good but it builds character and It makes me sad that these two kids committed suicide because of bullying. It's like giving up. Stand up for yourself people! Grow a pair and fight back! I dunno that's just the way i feel about it.
  • Wow, this is fantastic.  Nice job EA, nice job.

  • That was just beautiful.  Just...beautiful.

  • Nice job EA, this is very kind of you, nice to know that a company I love for its quality games has a big heart too :)

  • I think it is terrible that those two guys were bullied into suicide. I do believe, however, that homosexuality is wrong. It's a sin. However that doesn't make homosexuals any worse than straight people. We all have sin in our lives, no one is perfect. I just don't like society giving the idea that is alright to be gay. I don't hate gay people or anything. We all sin and need to be forgiven for it. I just don't think we should support a sinful lifestyle. If I was living a destructive lifestyle, I wouldn't want people to help me do that, I would want someone to call me out and help me get back on track. These are my beliefs and opinions, you are entitle to your own as well. I try to respect other's opinions and hope you will respect mine too.
  • Great job, EA, for putting this out. It's encouraging to know large companies embrace differences and support their employees. I know many gay gamers sometimes feel isolated, especially when you deal with all the ignorant cowards spouting racist, homophobic, and other disparaging remarks online. It's nice to know there's support out there. Also, thanks to GI for this post.
  • To be honest, I'm just feeling better about how much of my money EA has right now, and how I can pretend that money was used to make this clip. :)
  • Can you imagine EA promoting a tolerant PC friendly video of the strait community and how they are coping with life? Yeah - never going to happen because that would be considered intolerant to the rest of the community categories we have created. It's interesting how our society, or businesses, choose certain groups to highlight and then “specialize” them in order to show how tolerant and accepting they can be. Doesn’t this very act of calling out a group of people defeat the purpose of trying to normalize this group? In this process the LGBT community are becoming the purveyors of branding themselves as an exceptional community thereby defeating the purpose of normalizing into society. “I am normal just like you however let’s highlight our differences.” Also, it is ironic that anyone who may have a differing opinion on social issues such as this are automatically considered intolerant and are cast aside. I don't know what is worse; the fact that people can't be vocal about their biases due to an inevitable backlash from a hypersensitive politically correct community or the fact that we only tolerate those who share our own opinions. Who’s to say that people can't be intolerant? I thought it was a person’s right? It's like being intolerant of intolerant people. It doesn't make any sense. Should a straight person advocate for straight rights and such or would that be ridiculous? Do gender rights only apply to the LGBT community? Would this straight advocate automatically become intolerant in your minds eye? Think about it. Maybe, it should be renamed the LGBTS community? Or are straight people automatically uninvited into this community as they are not exceptional? My advice is to get away from the labels and categorical groupings of people. Then maybe we can be normal together.
  • Interesting.  I hope the Project succeeds.

  • Has anyone ever thought that being gay is not good for mankind. It's not natural. It's kinda the reason why there are not just a bunch of dudes walking across the earth. We need women to survive and vice versa.

    I would never go out of my way to hurt another person based on what they believe in but I also don't think people should try to push their own personal feelings as the norms of our society.  

  • good job EA!

  • Great video.

  • I believe that homosexuality is a sin.

    That being said, no one should be bullied for any reason, and no matter what you believe forcing your beliefs on other people is wrong, and hurting others for being unlike yourself is wrong as well. Awareness about the dangers of bullying should include all people not just gays.

  • One hell of an inspirational video. Coming from a family that has dealt with the discrimination, I love seeing people stand tall and proud for something that we should never even ponder in the first place. Who you love is who you love, and as long as its not an animal, it should never matter at all. But it does, and that is the saddest part. I just hope someday that people will be able to marry, and their sex will never need to be an issue.

  • GI, you should have posted this story on a Sunday, since the comments have become all religious and all! I feel like I'm in church!
  • That video was gay.
  • Nicely done, EA. They're not all bad.

  • Well, this is an awesome campaign thingy. Sort of, anyway.

    The anti-bullying is great. In my personal opinion you kinda have to let yourself be bullied, but still there are people out there who don't know how to stand up for themselves. I'm a geek and a complete honors student, someone who could be a target for bullying. I've had attempts of bullying made on me before, but I haven't put up with it. And so bullying is nonexistent in my life. But there are people out there who don't know how to handle it. And this campaign is great for that.

    However, the whole homosexual thing is where I'm a bit sketchy on. No, they shouldn't be bullied because of who they are, but being homosexual is not right. Of course this is coming from the pastor's kid, so of course I'll frown upon it a bit. But I don't think encouraging homosexuality is going to get you anywhere. Discourage bullying, but don't encourage homosexuality. If you think your homosexual, GET HELP.

    Still, great campaign.

  • So... I have to be gay to get into the gaming industry?! ***, if I would have known that...