Sam Shore and Green MP Jan Logie at the WTF launch One of the creators of the Rainbow Youth and OUTLine WTF campaign Sam Shore is blown away by the tens of thousands of hits the first video has received, and says while there have been critics, the positive feedback has been far more overwhelming. The YouTube clip featuring celebrities and MPs asking “what the fuck” is up with homophobia and transphobia and encouraging people to donate to the community groups has now received more than 54,000 hits since its launch on Wednesday night. “None of us were expecting that I don’t think,” Shore says. “We’re blown away.” Shore says donations are good so far, but they could be better. “Hopefully more people will decide to give. It’s such a little amount but we aren’t lying when we say it makes such a difference. “If we can get 4000 people to donate $5 a month, that’s our organisations not only sustainable but reaching out into areas and people we just didn’t have the resources to get to previously.” When it comes to the critics, some from with the glbti community who have been fierce in tearing down the campaign, Shore says they will always exist. “The positive feedback has been far more overwhelming and the numbers so far speak for themselves,” he says. “I think some people are missing the point a little though. We are a non-funded organisation with very few staff and this is the first time we have ever launched a project like this. “We are learning, we have never done anything like this, and we are more than anything trying to make a positive difference. “You always get people who want to sit back and tear down your ideas, there's not many but my message to them would be if you don’t like what we are doing, get out there and do something yourselves. “Nothing is ever perfect or pleases everyone, but we have taken action and we are passionate about this cause. We believe WTF is a strong stance to take and it reflects the tenacity and the strength that lies in our community,” he says. Shore says the WTF campaign was always modelled off campaigns that were successful overseas and that inspired them, like the FCKH8 campaign. “We wanted to use those templates but in a way we felt would reflect more of New Zealand, how we are and how we choose to talk about things. And if anyone out there has a good idea we are totally open to it. We want the community to support us and help us on this one. This is just the first of many faces for this campaign.” Shore says the feedback has been 95 per cent love and support, “and after so much work its really great to see that our idea is actually resonating with people, it’s getting them talking and they are responding. “It’s also empowering people, WTF is a pretty strong thing to say and stance to take and the amount of people who have contacted us to say thank you... well its brilliant. There are a lot of good people out there spreading the word.” Shore promises more ahead from the campaign. “This isn’t the only bun in the oven and I can promise you exciting things to come.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 26th May 2012 - 10:59am