It Gets Better

📣 Introducing the NEW GRANTEES! 📣 Since 2022, It Gets Better: Changemakers has invested almost $1.8 million in 186 youth-led projects across the U.S. and Canada. From zine-making projects and STEM conferences to summer camps and queer proms, see what happens when we trust LGBTQ+ youth to lead:

submit your story and it might get featured in our year-end fundraising campaign to support LGBTQ+ youth! 💜 one difficult moment doesn’t get the last word. you do. tell us what life threw your way, what helped you through, & what “better” looks like now. 🔗 share: itgetsbetter.org/howitgetsbetter

🎂WE'RE 16! help us celebrate a sweet 16 years of uplifting, empowering, & connecting lgbtq+ youth around the world. misterfoxwell, @datadave.bsky.social, @jenisonline.bsky.social, & @itsianwatson.bsky.social voice-act Monster Prom & raise funds for our programs! join 10/3: twitch.tv/itgetsbetter

1️⃣6️⃣ EVERY Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday in October: join @nerapi.bsky.social for a series of charity streams to help us celebrate sweet 16 years of It Gets Better! First stream begins Thurs Oct 1 at 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT: twitch.tv/nerapi Stop by & support our LGBTQ+ youth programs with a donation!

It Gets Better is 16. Some of our newest youth leaders weren’t born when we started. Marriage equality. The end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Milestones we fought for are part of their history. Help them shape what’s next. Give $16 for 16 years at itgetsbetter.org/donate.

now introducing: for the FIRST time, our Youth Voices cohort includes activists who weren’t even born when the first It Gets Better video was shared 16 years ago! 🔗meet the LGBTQ+ young people learning how to make things better: itgetsbetter.org/16-years-later-meet-the-kids-who-are-defining-better

BDAY CHARITY STREAM! 🎂💰 Support LGBTQ+ youth and join StellarMichelle to help us celebrate a sweet 16 years of It Gets Better. Streaming Tuesday Sep 22nd and Thursday Sep 24th at 6pm ET/3pm PT: twitch.tv/stellarmichelle Drop in, say hi, and make a donation to support our LGBTQ+ youth programs!

this is how one teacher can make such a difference 🥹 everybody wish OP good luck starting college this month!

Being featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show for its final season was a tremendous honor. Congrats on seven years. Thanks for being such a champion for LGBTQ+ youth, Kelly. #itgetsbetter

did your state make the top 5? according to new data from @hrc.org, there are approximately 25.6 million LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S., 12.03% of the adult population. view more data (and see where the rest of the states rank): communityinsights.hrc.org/research/lgbtq-population-estimates

What happens when LGBTQ+ youth get the tools, support, and platform to lead? A LOT! Over the past year, our Youth Voices Class of '26 turned their stories and passions into projects that support, educate, advocate for, and create community with LGBTQ+ youth. 🎓 See what they accomplished:

Another ban blocked! ❌ It's pretty simple. If you don't like drag shows, don't go to a drag show. 👏

Dolly spoke up for queer and trans folks, spoke out against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, and she donated more than 1 million diverse books through her Imagination Library. Allies... take notes. ❤️❤️❤️

📣 Queer streamers: rolling applications are OPEN! Y'all helped us raise over $43k by Pride month. We've still got 5 months left in 2026! Work with us on Twitch to fundraise & create a safe space on our channel for LGBTQ+ youth to chat & be in community. Apply here: forms.gle/pta7UhfjNaeJdxM26

prom season may be over, but who says you can't host a queer homecoming?! apply now to host a fall event for lgbtq+ youth at your school or nonprofit for the opportunity to receive a $5,000 Changemakers grant to help you pull it off. apply here by august 31: forms.gle/DWb4LzSpHo8P95Ea9

As his final project, our Youth Voices ambassador Marshall collected and created an archive of objects that hold meaning for trans folks. “These objects quickly became so much more than just a collection to me. It’s so important to humanize stories like ours.” 💜 Explore the whole archive here:

Last day to help us send LGBTQ+ youth to SWSX Edu! Vote here:

Shoutout to director Paul Feig who played for us last night on Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionaire alongside Awkwafina! Thanks for supporting our LGBTQ+ youth programs, Paul. 💜

give us your best back-to-school advice for LGBTQ+ youth! ✐ queer young person? what do you want fellow LGBTQ+ students to know? ✐ a little older? what do you wish you'd known in school? drop your advice in the replies & we'll compile it into one big list for students to read & share. <3

Help us get LGBTQ+ youth to @sxswedu.com! Our Youth Voices Alumni Elliot, Mia, and Marshall are queer youth leaders in Texas who want to teach educators and school administrators how to be better allies. Help them make it a reality by voting for their panel by Aug 24: itgetsbetter.org/SXSWEDU

give us your best back-to-school advice for LGBTQ+ youth! ✐ queer young person? what do you want fellow LGBTQ+ students to know? ✐ a little older? what do you wish you'd known in school? drop your advice in the replies & we'll compile it into one big list for students to read & share. <3

so you wanna read more queer books but don't know where to start? we've got queer book reccs...from queer authors! all throughout our Summer Reading Challenge, we've interviewed LGBTQ+ authors about their books - but we also asked them for their own recommendations. get the full list here:

"Never feel ashamed if the ways you experience (or don’t experience) love or desire falls outside of what feels like the mainstream." 💜 NEW: Summer Reading Challenge author Jessica Mary Best talks about who gets to define love, growing up bi & acespec, & shares 3 LGBTQ+ book reccs:

they grow up so fast 😭 from joining Youth Voices at 13, to attending Harvard this upcoming fall, we caught up with Kiki about her journey thus far: "That experience of meeting youth from across the country and working with them was very formative. I’m forever grateful.” 💜 read it here:

here, have a lil *good* news as a treat - merch that benefits our LGBTQ+ youth programs is now 15% off through Labor Day! Shop now with code IGBSUMMERSALE1 at itgetsbetter.org/shop

"Your work is sacred, even if the world doesn’t recognize it yet." 💜 NEW: Summer Reading Challenge author Ryan Douglass talks about reimagining The Great Gatsby through a queer Black lens, the history of queer artists, and 3 queer stories he recommends everyone read next:

"Many cis folks don't think they can identify with a trans protagonist—I hope they see that they absolutely can." 💜 NEW: Summer Reading Challenge author Mia Siegert talks real-life documentary inspo, trans protagonist representation, & shares her own 3 LGBTQ+ book reccs:

"You don't have to break yourself into a million pieces to fit into someone's definition of love. You can shape love so that it fits you." 💜 Summer Reading Challenge author L.V. Peñalba talks inspo behind her aroace pop star romance, why aro/ace rep matters, & shares THEIR 3 LGBTQ+ book reccs:

so happy for you, OP! goes to show the importance of meeting real people and sharing our real stories and experiences - like this one. 💜 #itgetsbetter

NEW blog! For Minority Mental Health Month, Youth Voices alum Andrew gets real & talks about his experience with disordered eating, why teens' mental health isn't always taken seriously, & how culture shapes how we see ourselves: itgetsbetter.org/for-my-mental-health-better-than-before-wasnt-enough

"This one is for all the queer Black boys who just wanted to BE but were told they couldn't." 💜 NEW on the blog: Summer Reading Challenge author Jumata Emill talks inspo, writing for LGBTQ+ youth, & shares HIS 3 LGBTQ+ book reccs! 🔗 itgetsbetter.org/meet-jumata-emill-author-of-i-dont-wish-you-well

banned books? not in this house! here's how you can join our summer reading challenge by accessing queer lit for FREE! see our recommended reads list and start reading here: https://itgetsbetter.org/it-gets-betters-2026-summer-reading-challenge/#summer-books-list

Shoutout to all the lesbian aunts!

Some conversations could happen anywhere. This one belonged at Stonewall. Youth Voices alum Marlin Xie joined SAGE’s Bill Gross and trans elder and TV personality Soraya Sobreidad for a Pride-themed ABC News conversation across three generations. Watch here.

MAKING HISTORY - Bravo Karla Mosley on this amazing honor. First time in the 53-year history of the Daytime Emmys two Black actresses are nominated in the same lead performer category. Watch Karla's It Gets Better story here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fAL... #beyondthegates #itgetsbetter

us waking up from queer week of rest ready to provide you with more QUEER CONTENT hope y'all got to take some time to recharge in your own way :)

pride asks a lot of queer people. that's why we're taking our annual Queer Week of Rest. 💜 rest isn't stepping away from the work. it's how we recharge to support LGBTQ+ through the rest of the year. however you rest this week, we hope you make some time for you. see you back here on july 13th!

A BIG GAY THANK-YOU is in order! 🌈 150+ creators streamed for more than 40+ hours to help us raise over $43,000 for our LGBTQ+ youth programs during Digital Pride this year! 💜 thank you to every creator, mod, donor & viewer who showed up for queer and trans youth. ....same time next year? 👀

What Becky's mom has to say about the Supreme Court ruling: "I always knew that no matter what the court decided, Becky would be a winner because she has shown all of us how to love, accept and be ourselves no matter the outcome." 🥹

So happy to see this 🥹 Carmel Pride, one of our previous Changemakers grantees, is still going strong as a youth-led Pride festival in Indiana and one of the largest in the state! Learn more about it here:

NEW video: what LGBTQ+ youth wish teachers and adults knew about bullying! Our Youth Voices ambassador Nashan is on a mission to stop bullying at school, so she chatted with Angelo and Elliot about their own experiences. Watch it here to see their advice for fellow LGBTQ+ youth:

It's Pride Month! 💖 This June, we're teaming up with @itgetsbetter.bsky.social to empower LGBTQ+ youth. Every Choice subscription sends 5% to support their mission for equality & a brighter future! https://bit.ly/4o1kvMd Make a difference with us. 🌈✨ #PrideMonth #ItGetsBetter #HumbleForGood

This week is a big week! We will be streaming the Great Palia Charity Hunt, hosted by twitch.tv/behind_the_l... this Saturday at 4PM - and we will be supporting an amazing group for #Pride this month - @itgetsbetter.bsky.social! I hope you all take a minute to stop by. <3

We hare now halfway through the work week and PUMPED about today's line up of performers ready to support Second Pride and our work to support @itgetsbetter.bsky.social! More info: second-pride.com

pride doesn't just disappear on july 1. 🌈 this year, public support for LGBTQ+ youth can't be taken for granted. thank you to the brands showing up year-round with real support that funds our LGBTQ+ youth programs! learn more: itgetsbetter.org/the-brands-that-are-standing-by-lgbtq-youth-in-2026

We're playing games from @humblebundle.com's Humble Choice bundle, benefitting LGBTQ+ youth! 🟣 6/20 at 6pm ET: Life is Strange w/ @kaethefaee.bsky.social 🟣 6/23 and Tues 6/30 at 5pm ET: Riftbreaker & Construction Sim w/ @turttay.bsky.social 🟣 6/26 at 9pm ET: Hellclock w/ @smoldrgn.bsky.social