this is a strange icon for a furious entry

[harborshore]

But it's a relevant one. Expect a longer entry on this issue this weekend, but if I don't post something right now it's going to be too difficult to work. It's about the Swedish version of It gets better, or should I say, the derailing version. Seriously. ETA: and they haven't contacted Dan Savage? What?

So a commercial TV channel has decided to do a show called Det blir bättre, using the American campaign in their advertisements. But this show isn't about LGBT youth, it's about celebrities who had a really difficult childhood because of abuse or bullying or neglect. I have no doubt that the show might end up being helpful to kids who need it. That's not the problem. The thing is, the way the representatives of the show are discussing it, the reason they're not just focusing on LGBT youth is that they're broadening the issue, and surely we can't mind that they're doing a show that speaks to all children who may consider suicide?

No, of course not. Except they're saying that it's not enough to adress the specific problems that affect LGBT youth.

Except they're saying that Save the children, an organization with a pretty iffy track record in Sweden when it comes to gay rights is a good organization to work with on this (when asked about the program, a representative tweeted that gay activists were 'monopolizing' the It gets better campaign.).

Except they're ignoring the specific point of having a campaign where ordinary people said 'I am like you, I felt like you, please stick around because it gets better.' everyone isn't going to become famous. They're also conflating a whole host of issues that could lead to a child considering suicide. This show-i don't even know. Am I wrong to be this upset? Argh.

They're also using Joel Burns video in the advertising and start by presenting the american campaign, except they say 'now the campaign has come to sweden' and then present a concept that don't mention anything about lgbt in sweden. I just.

Comments

[harborshore.livejournal.com]

As a response to someone asking whether this wasn't the same as taking Pride and turning it into an everyone-march, they said that "It gets better" wasn't known as an LGBT thing in Sweden. Which, um, maybe not among the straight population. ://

ETA: and no, I obviously don't want to minimize that either. That's not why I'm upset.

[mrsquizzical.livejournal.com]

i understand you weren't upset over that for sure. more commenting on my own thoughts as i went to comment.

they said that "It gets better" wasn't known as an LGBT thing in Sweden

obviously they didn't ask the right people. (ie the people it impacts) also, it's like they forget the internet makes things way more international. :(

also i'll shut up cos i feel like every word just digs me deeper in some hole i didn't realise i was in. /o\

[harborshore.livejournal.com]

Wait, what? What hole? I just realized that a post made from my phone may not actually have managed to convey the nuances of what I wanted to convey. So I added something.

And I know, I don't think they thought about what kind of audience a campaign that contains that many videos can generate.

[mrsquizzical.livejournal.com]

*hands* sometimes it dawns on me that i'm being irritating or missing the point or w/e. i felt like this might be one of those times. :/