ECAC Member NYU Releases "It Gets Better" Video as Part of NCAA Division III Week Initiative
(Courtesy of New York University Athletics)
NYU Athletics It Gets Better
Video
NEW YORK - The New York University Department of
Athletics, Intramurals and Recreation--in conjunction with
NCAA Division III Week--released this week a video in support of
the “It Gets Better Project,” a movement begun to
remind young lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people that
despite whatever bullying they may face, they are not alone and
their lives will get better.
Dan Savage and Terry Miller started the “It Gets Better
Project” in September 2010 in response to a number of
suicides by students who were bullied in school because they either
identified as or were perceived as LGBT.
Though other collegiate athletic departments have made “It
Gets Better” videos, NYU's ground-breaking video features an
openly gay student-athlete and an openly gay head coach speaking
about their own experiences on camera, as well as a coach who was
often perceived to be gay during his competitive career. Jay
Hayes, a captain on the Violets' men's volleyball team, and
Jolie
Ward, head coach of the women's volleyball program, both
lend their voices to the video to speak about their experiences as
a gay athlete and a gay coach in collegiate athletics. In addition,
Scott
Donie, assistant swimming & diving coach and 1992
Olympic silver medalist, speaks about his experiences competing in
a sport in which many athletes are perceived to be gay.
Many other NYU student-athletes, coaches and administrators also
appear in the video to let young LGBT people know that being gay
and being an athlete are not mutually exclusive, and that despite
whatever bullying they may face now, it does get better.
To learn more about the “It Gets Better Project,” visit
http://www.itgetsbetter.org/