It Gets Better: Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry

Posted by John Berry on November 26, 2010 at 12:49 PM EST

Ed. Note: As part of the It Gets Better Project, President Obama and Vice President Biden recorded video messages. Watch the videos here.

Recently, thousands of Americans have come together to share their messages of hope for American youth who may be experiencing feelings of isolation because they are, or are perceived to be, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). With the It Gets Better Project, people have shared their own stories of how life does get better for those who may feel isolated today.

I wanted to take a moment and share with you my own video for the project. As an openly gay man myself, I know that life does get better for LGBT youth. It dramatically does. Young people should know that no matter how difficult the challenges are that they are facing right now, it does get better. Every individual is precious and our nation's future rests on our ability to engage and inspire this new generation. You can be whatever you want. You can love whomever you want, but only if you first love yourself. Trust me. It's worth it. It gets better. 

I encourage you to share your own story of how life gets better for LGBT youth. You can do so at:www.itgetsbetter.org.

If you are a young person who’s been bullied or harassed by your peers, or if you are feeling isolatied for being who you are, there are people who can help.  While your family can serve as a valuable resource, I realize that not all LGBT youth have that option.  However, here are a few resources that can help:

The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LBGT and questioning youth by providing resources and a nationwide, 24 hour hotline.  If you are considering suicide or need help, call: 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386).

BullyingInfo.org
BullyingInfo.org is a project of the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP) focused on providing tools and resources for youth, parents, teachers and mental health providers to prevent and address bullying.

It Gets Better Project
My video is just one of thousands of videos submitted by people across the country to inspire and encourage LGBT youth who are struggling. You can watch more videos at ItGetsBetterProject.com.

For even more information and resources visit or call:

• Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
• Matthew Shepard Foundation
• Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
• National Suicide Lifeline 800-273-TALK (8255)

John Berry is United States Office of Personnel Management Director