The NOH8
Campaign on Thursday released two videos featuring prominent
celebrities talking about gay bullying.
The videos support The
Trevor Project, the California-based non-profit that runs the
nation's only 24-hour, toll-free suicide hotline for gay and
questioning youth. The group has received nationwide attention
following the launch of sex advice columnist and activist Dan
Savage's It
Gets Better Project, a collection of inspiring videos that lets
troubled gay teens know that it gets better and urges them to call
The Trevor Project for help.
“How serious is bullying?” asks
rocker Gene Simmons.
“Bullying has led to an epidemic of
LGBT teen suicides that has sent shockwaves through the community,”
Jeff Probst, host of CBS' Survivor, says.
“What's convincing these kids that
things won't get better?” Simmons asks.
Laws that legislate discrimination
“teach bullies that what they are doing is acceptable,” Probst
answers.
“Our government treats the LGBT
community like second class citizens, why shouldn't they?” Cindy
McCain, wife of Arizona Senator John McCain, who
opposes repeal of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” says. (The video
is embedded in the right panel of this page.)
The NOH8 Campaign, which is best known
for raising funds and awareness to defeat Proposition 8, is helmed by
photographer-activist Adam Bouska and his partner Jeff Parshley.
The group's iconic photographs feature
celebrities and everyday folks with their mouths duct taped and the
campaign's familiar “NOH8” slogan often written on one cheek.
The
second video stars Tori Spelling, Kirsten Vangsness and Pauley
Perrette.