Project history 300px| Former President of the United States Barack Obamacontributed a video to the It Gets Better Project (2010). The project was founded by Savage in response to the suicide of Billy Lucas and other teenagers who were bullied because they were gay or perceived to be, such as with Raymond Chase, Tyler Clementi, Ryan Halligan, Asher Brown, and Seth Walsh. Savage wrote, "I wish I could have talked to this kid for five minutes. I wish I could have told Billy that it gets better. I wish I could have told him that, however bad things were, however isolated and alone he was, it gets better." A one-hour special aired on February 21, 2012, hosted by Savage. A second hour long "It Gets Better" special was aired on both MTV and Logo networks on October 9, 2012. Former U.S. President Barack Obama lent his voice to the movement against bullying and contributed a video on October 21, 2010, saying , "We've got to dispel this myth that bullying is just a normal rite of passage; that it's just some inevitable part of growing up. It's not. We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe for all of our kids. And for every young person out there you need to know that if you're in trouble, there are caring adults who can help." In March 2011, Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted an anti-bullying conference . Google Chrome backed the project as well, promoting its YouTube channel and airing a video ad for the project on television , with its first appearance on May 3, 2011 during an episode of Glee. Book  In March 2011,  It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living, a book of essays edited by Dan Savage and Terry Miller on the same theme as the web video project , was released. It contains more than 100 essays, some transcribed or expanded from the videos , and others original . Contributors include Jennifer Finney Boylan, Gregory Maguire, Meshell Ndegeocello, Michael Cunningham, Suze Orman, and David Sedaris. The book is published by Dutton Penguin. It made the New York Times bestseller list. 
Project history 300px| Former U.S. President Barack Obama's video contribution to the It Gets Better Project (2010). The It Gets Better Project was founded by Savage in response to the suicide of Billy Lucas and other teenagers who were bullied because they were gay or perceived to be, such as with Raymond Chase, Tyler Clementi, Ryan Halligan, Asher Brown, and Seth Walsh. Reflecting on Lucas' suicide in his Savage Love column, Savage wrote, "I wish I could have talked to this kid for five minutes. I wish I could have told Billy that it gets better. I wish I could have told him that, however bad things were, however isolated and alone he was, it gets better." Former U.S. President Barack Obama lent his voice to the project and its anti-bullying message during its infancy. On October 21, 2010, Obama contributed his own video saying in part , "We've got to dispel this myth that bullying is just a normal rite of passage; that it's just some inevitable part of growing up. It's not. We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe for all of our kids. And for every young person out there you need to know that if you're in trouble, there are caring adults who can help." President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama would later host an anti-bullying conference in March 2011. Google Chrome backed the project as well, promoting its YouTube channel and airing a video ad for the project on television ; that ad's first appearance came during a May 3, 2011 episode of Glee. Book and Television In March 2011, E. P. Dutton would publish and release It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living, a book of essays edited by Dan Savage and Terry Miller that reflect the same theme as the web video project . The book contains more than 100 essays, either transcribed or expanded from the videos or original writings . Contributors include Jennifer Finney Boylan, Gregory Maguire, Meshell Ndegeocello, Michael Cunningham, Suze Orman, and David Sedaris. The book would make the New York Times bestseller list. Two 1-hour It Gets Better TV specials, which focused on the project's mission and conveyed messages of support, aired in 2012. Broadcast on MTV and simulcast on LGBT-oriented sister network Logo, the specials had premiere airings on February 21 and October 9, 2012."It Gets Better Special To Premiere On MTV, Logo," from MTV.com, 2/1/2012 (accessed 2/9/2021)
R
President of the United States Barack Obamacontributed a video
U.S. President Barack Obama's video contribution
R
project
It Gets Better Project
R
Savage
Reflecting on Lucas' suicide in his Savage Love column, Savage
D
A one-hour special aired on February 21, 2012, hosted by Savage. A second hour long "It Gets Better" special was aired on both MTV and Logo networks on October 9, 2012.
R
movement against bullying and contributed a video on
project and its anti-bullying message during its infancy. On
R
saying
Obama contributed his own video saying in part
R
In March 2011, Barack
President
R
hosted
would later host
R
.
in March 2011.
R
, with its first appearance on
; that ad's first appearance came during a
D
during an
A
and Television
A
E. P. Dutton would publish and release
R
on
that reflect
R
, was released. It
. The book
R
some
either
R
, and others original
or original writings
R
is published by Dutton Penguin. It made
would make
A
Two 1-hour It Gets Better TV specials, which focused on the project's mission and conveyed messages of support, aired in 2012. Broadcast on MTV and simulcast on LGBT-oriented sister network Logo, the specials had premiere airings on February 21 and October 9, 2012."It Gets Better Special To Premiere On MTV, Logo," from MTV.com, 2/1/2012 (accessed 2/9/2021)