The Dutch Approach To Combating Gay Bullying

by Peter Knegt
November 15, 2011 8:58 AM
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I just so happen to be in Holland right now staying with some very lovely distant relatives and experiencing Rotterdam for the first time - the city my grandparents and some uncles and aunts were born and raised. In the midst of this ancestoral discovery session I came across this Dutch PSA against gay bullying...

Instead of the "It Gets Better" approach, they seem to be taking a more "It's Fucking Horrible" line of thinking. There's no happy endings in this really intense, brutal minute and a half. Which is admirable in how frank and honest it is about the reality of what gay teens very much go through. But I can't imagine that if I was a closeted 14 year old Dutch queer that watching this could lead to any level of comfort. Either way, at least the Dutch are aware enough to be putting something like this on the air. Which is more than we can say for most other countries...