Sat 2 Oct 2010 In: International News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Neil Patrick Harris Gay actor Neil Patrick Harris has sent MTV a personally-made video in which he aims to give strength to young people facing bullying because of their sexuality. There have been a number of high-profile cases in the US in recent weeks of bullied teenagers and young adults taking their own lives. The most recent was Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, who was filmed having sex with a man, an encounter which was streamed on the internet by two other students. "On the heels of a fourth kid who killed himself because of some anti-gay bullying, I heard that MTV was having people talk about it, and I wanted to get involved," Harris says in the clip. "Here's what I can say: When you're young, when you're in elementary school, when you're in high school, it's important to try and fit in and be accepted and to be part of the average," the openly gay actor explained. "Everyone does it, that's the way it goes. But let me assure you, if you're getting bullied and feeling like you're on the outskirts, it gets better. Because, when you get older, you find that people are actually drawn to individuals with different points of view who are proud of who they are and who make interesting and different and unique choices for them — at least I am." Harris went on to emphasize the fact that there is no need to harm yourself when something is going bad in your life. "You can act with strength, you can act with courage, you can act with class and stand tall, be proud of who you are," he encouraged. "This is a good time we live in, and we're being granted more and more rights, and it will continue in that direction, and, yeah, be proud." Watch the video below:
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 2nd October 2010 - 3:13pm