Texan cops say It Gets Better

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Matt Akersten

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Tue 25th Sep, 2012 in International News
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“When I came out to my mother, I decided the best way to do it was through text message. I couldn’t tell her face to face.”

LGBT officers and civilian members of the Austin Police Department in Texas have united to share stories in their own It Gets Better video.

The video not only tells the coming out stories of several of the officers themselves, it also helps show the local cops are there to serve and protect the city’s LGBTI citizens, so they feel comfortable approaching them for help.

Austin’s Lesbian & Gay Peace Officers Association says it wants to reach out to LGBTQ youth who may be struggling due to bullying, harassment, and non-acceptance, and who may be thinking of committing suicide. “Our message is to let those youth know that even though it is difficult today, tomorrow will bring hope, love, and life. We are here to help you make it there!”

“Our number one goal is to create a safe environment for you,” adds Art Acevedo, Austin’s Chief of Police. “Our doors are open, and we will be here to embrace you no matter who you are, where you come from, or what your background is.”

Watch Austin Police Department’s It Gets Better video below.

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Tosca

Tosca said on the 25th Sep, 2012

its so odd seeing this, because almost all media about texas says that its incredibly homophobic. but this actually give me hope.

shazzboy

shazzboy said on the 25th Sep, 2012

Texas is mostly Mexican these days. It's Utah with its dominant Mormon population that is incredibly homophobic.

Ozmate

Ozmate said on the 25th Sep, 2012

This is inspiring, like most of the It Gets Better videos. I wonder if the Queensland Police Service would do an ad like this?

susanm

susanm said on the 26th Sep, 2012

No one does this type of thing better than the Americans. Couple of things need to be said about the comments though - Texas is not mostly Mexican, it is still majority Caucasian; and this is not really representative of Texas - it was made in Austin, which is an anomaly in Texas, a sort of Democrat enclave, an oasis if you like...

coast_boy_21

coast_boy_21 said on the 27th Sep, 2012

The Texas Republican Party gives a whole new meaning to the word conservative.

The GOP there has voted on a platform that would ban oral and anal sex. It also would give jail sentences to anyone who issues a marriage license to a same-sex couple (even though such licenses are already invalid in the state).

"We oppose the legalization of sodomy," the platform says. "We demand that Congress exercise its authority granted by the U.S. Constitution to withhold jurisdiction from the federal courts from cases involving sodomy."

FROM: http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-06-22/news/27067851_1_strip-clubs-platform-texas-gop

flounder

flounder said on the 28th Sep, 2012

Queer cops fuck, if ever anything demonstrated how far we have come in a relatively short period its this.

Turn back the clock 30 short years and my god the slightest hint that you were a faggot would have been instant and very public vilification and a conversation with a senior officer suggesting a change of career was probably a good idea for health reasons.

Amazing. :)