“Look at Me, I’m Doing Fine!”

Fourteen-year old Jamey Rodemeyer’s voice trembles as he speaks to the camera from his bedroom in Buffalo, New York. He sits straight in front of the lens, nervously pushing the hair from his forehead, often looking down and to the side shyly as he tells viewers of his experience overcoming being bullied by his peers after he came out as bisexual at school.

Hi, this is Jamey from New York. And I’m just here to tell you that it does get better. Here’s a little bit of my story … When I came out I got so much support from my friends … I have so much support from people I don’t even know online. I know that sounds creepy, but they’re so nice … and they don’t ever want me to die. And just … there is so much support for me. So just listen here—it gets better! Look at me, I’m doing fine.

(Jamey Rodemeyer, “It Gets Better, I Promise!” [YouTube, May 4, 2011])