Hi -

This entire end-of-year campaign has been centered around joy — but if I’m being honest, joy isn’t always a given. Sometimes — particularly this time of year — it can be really hard to find the joy. And that’s why I wanted to write to you about how I cultivate my own joy myself, and how by supporting It Gets Better, you’re helping queer youth all over the world cultivate their own joy. 

As a queer teen who lives with a conservative family, the holiday season has always been a rough time to get through. I’m stuck at home without the support systems that I usually have access to, and it’s up to me to figure out what I want to do during winter break.

Personally, I don’t celebrate major holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. I do celebrate Chinese New Year, but that’s in January (and I’ll write more about it next month).

But, I know that queer youth who do celebrate often feel unable to spend this time with their loved ones authentically because of a lack of acceptance regarding their identity. It’s the unfortunate truth for some LGBTQ+ teens that ignorance of their identity leads to abuse and violence from the people who are supposed to love them the most.

However, there are ways of tapping into queer joy that youth can use to avoid giving into fear and shame — something It Gets Better helps me to remember every day. 

Donate before December 31 and you'll receive a free copy of our new interactive card game, Perfectly Queer!

Art has always been my emotional outlet. It’s a way for me to explore, express, and accept my queerness. Through making and sharing art, I stay hopeful that the future will become a safer place for the LGBTQ+ community. Making art is also an accessible way of celebrating one’s queerness as there are many forms of creating.

Earlier this year, I created a series of stickers for It Gets Better centered on all of the reasons LGBTQ+ youth need adults to vote. Having that outlet for my creativity at such a stressful time was a gift.

Examples of Marlin's artwork - from left, a scrapbooking page he did for Pride Month 2024 and an original piece for Trans Day of Visibility, 2023. 

If you’re a queer youth reading this, find joy this time of year in whatever makes you happy, makes you curious, makes you excited. Adults — look out for the queer youth in your circles… this can be an especially rough time of year.

And if you’re looking to do more, help youth like me find joy by supporting It Gets Better. 

With rebellious joy,

Marlin, 16 - (he/him)
Youth Voices
It Gets Better

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