VOTE: Hottest Guys of the "It Gets Better" Series
By: Joe Thompson
2.18.2011
When Dan Savage and husband Terry Miller started the "It Gets Better" campaign on YouTube, people were genuinely moved by the project. Having big name celebrities and everyday folks offering words of encouragement to victims of bullying made for a strong, powerful statement.
Then the tide changed.
IGB videos began popping up every day, and soon many of the celebrity-driven submissions started feeling less like messages of support and more like PR campaigns on a budget. Gay people in particular seemed to be over it, making jokes at parties or leaving negative comments whenever websites like this one posted the latest video; indeed, nowadays we only get e-mails about a new IGB video if it features a hot guy or guys.
So in light of the It Gets Better book being released in March, we decided to return attention to the project by featuring the hottest guys in 10 videos. Think of it as re-marketing the campaign in a way that gay male readers will pay attention to, and reminding people this amazing project is still important and still exists.
1. The Boys from Gap
Their names aren't given, but these two pupcakes made us take notice. One is at the top of the video and the other is approximately 30 seconds in. They're super sweet and probably the youngest nominees on the list.
2. Gareth Thomas
The Welsh rugby superstar’s coming out has generated a storm of interest and maybe even a movie of his life. We know his muscles and tats, but his accent and personal story adds to the man's sexiness.
3. Boston’s FLAG Flag Football League
There are a whole bunch of hotties in this one, but Chris and Mario appear around two minutes and they just seem so honest and cute. They also come from a butch great group. The Boston FLAG Flag Football league was founded twelve years ago as an outlet for LGBTQ individuals who wanted to get together and play football. Since then, it has grown into a community of more than 200 men and women— gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, or however people see themselves.
4. John from Brothers and Sisters
It was amazing that the hit TV show's whole team worked together to make this video, but super cute Executive Assistant, John, appears at 50 seconds. His words are honest, and we just want to cuddle with his gingery deliciousness.
5. Danny Miller
The English actor is best-known for his current role as Aaron Livesy in ITV soap opera Emmerdale, but he's also no stranger to gays. The above, right pic appeared on the cover of Attitude, England's biggest gay glossy mag.
6. Mike Ruiz
The A-List star and celebrity photographer has always been a huge supporter of The Trevor Project, and seeing his hunky goodness using his fame to do good in this video was a real treat.
7. The Boys of Broadway
The folks at Brodway Cares/Equity Fights AIDs, Broadway.com and Broadway Impact all got together to make this tribute—and it features some amazing talent. For us, though, the hotness hits at 41 seconds with Colman Domingo and at 1 minute, 7 seconds for Denis O’Hare. Encore!
8. Jeremiah Brent
Jeremiah doesn't talk about what he does for a living, but we were able to dig up the model photo (above, right). We're good like that. But the point isn't just that he's dreamy, it's that his story involves coming out and finding the strength that comes with being true to yourself.
9. Barry Jay
Barry Jay is the owner of Barry's Bootcamp, but what will surprise you is that he wasn't always the buff-bodied stud you see here. Indeed, his heartfelt and humorous video talks about his difficult childhood and how life didn't just get better, it got brilliant!
10. A Doctor, a Lawyer, a Ph.D., and an Event Planner
Who doesn't love three smarties and a boy who hosts parties? Meet Ted, Ryan, Brock, and Mike, four Washington, DC residents who got together on a school night to make their video. While they get a couple points off for the bland background, what's really special is seeing them together and recognizing that these are friends living a full gay life. It's quite wonderful when you think about it.
Comments
I cannot cope with the thinking that gay people have to put so much intensity in living before they can come true with their selves. I voted for the honesty and the dare!!!!!!!!!
It seems weird, insensitive, and inappropriate to be voting for hot guys that are involved with... gay suicides. Really?
disgusting is right. so offensive.
Entirely agree with orestes g. Well said. What a tightrope of an image we must walk, eh?
The meaning of the word "hot" is in the beholder. I voted, but based on the video, not the body. Ok, so the group I voted for had like 2% of the vote and the cutest guys get most of the votes... that's just life I guess.
I have to vote for Danny Miller of Emmerdale. I'm surprised that you know who he is or that he would be considered for this. If you haven't watched Danny on Emmerdale, please do. His gay story line with Marc Silcock is great.
It is refreshing that so many guys share the view that what is difficult to overcome is being average in the gay community. Beautiful and successful gay men offer very little reassurance to ordinary people who are struggling to connect when their looks and careers don't dazzle. Little wonder young and old gays throw in the towel when they see that they are not only the object of derision in a largely straight world but also invisible and ignored in the gay one. Until we start reflecting reality our progress will be slow and more gays will find themselves struggling to measure up.
What confuses me is that you are all on this site ogling and fussing over all the photos. If you ask me, that could be mistaken for being shallow to start with. No one has a right to Judge others for their choices as long as they are not hurting others with their choices. I say stand up and be proud to be who you are. I give all these men credit for doing something most of you could never do. Cheers to them all.
I have to agree with many of the people who posted negatively about the hottest IGB. The point of the campaign is that we can be ourselves and grow to be out and proud. This marketing device for rating for rating a “hottie” does just the opposite in my eyes for our community. Sorry guys bad decision this time.
I know - let's help the HOT ones to live but let the homely ones die off!
You people really are low - and a good example of why the straight world looks down at us.
Asking readers to vote on whether the young and pretty Jeremiah Brent, the grizzled old Barry Jay, or the obese flag football player Mario is hotter is just wacko. I nominate Joe Thompson for laziest hack.
I really don't get what all the fuss is about. So what if it's a hottest guys list? Gay men like hot guys. Straight women like hot guys. Straight guys like hot women. Physical attractiveness is a driving force in culture worlwide. The "It's Gets Better" campaign has become as common as a Facebook profile. Yes it's great to share stories. And yes it may help kids. But it now packs all the punch of the NOH8 photo. It's like the billboards in Times Square—just colorful background noise, because EVERYONE has done one. Maybe there's a subtle commentary in that itself. Reality TV packed a punch 20 years ago. Now it's just attention-hungry clowns trying to make a quick buck. Is the "It Gets Better" campaign still relevant? Or is it now every gay person's attempt at 15 minutes of viral fame? And there really are much bigger fish to fry in the world, like what's going on in Cairo, and Tehran, and Madison, Wisconsin.
This is a joke, right? All gay men are so shallow that they are not interested in anything without a hot man attached? Danny Millar is hot, but his video lacks the moving personal testimony of others in that list. Why not a vote on the best video?
i dont belieied most of these guys were bullied through out their lives. why not find "normal looking guys" to do these ads. i find normal average dudes hotter looking then these pretty boy molded body men. get people other people can really relate too.
yaH! are you freaking kidding me ??- turning this project into a freakin' pussy- boy beauty contest - YOU LOSERS - you pimps - you sellouts - you thieves !!
-what you are doing fits the real meaning of "PERVERSE"
look it up, maybe it'll help you understand the sort of CRIME YOU COMMIT with this
-JERKS!!
stuff like this sets us back as much as the a'holes in the repubs or T-party or fundie fests
-JERKS JERKS JERKS
-put it away, boys - there's a place for a beauty contest but this ain't it and you ought to know better and i wish there were not gay men like you, you are and always have been the worst example of excess and poor taste
- you are a disgrace and that makes you UGLY
-i can't hardly say what bad taste you exhibit
I don't feel as strongly as those who have commented above, but I think you are way off here. Who cares if the campaign appeals to out adult gay men? As far as who's hot and who's not I think the average gay Joe's video will mean more to the audience this campaign is supposed to help. How many of the gay kids being picked on today can really hope to grow up to be Hot-Hot-Hot and leave it all behind? Even those who may have that in their future probably don't have the self esteem right now to identify .
I agree KG.
You seemed to completely miss the point one more time.
Couldn't you first come up with "The Most Inspiring Guys of 'It Gets Better' "........?
Thats way more important than the same old tired "hotness" factor. How many pics with guys sniffing their hairy armpits will you post before you realize how uncreative it is.
90% of the population doesnt look like the guys constantly pictured here. Believe it or not, those guys actually find "normal looking" guys attractive.
You are contributing to young readers feeling they will never measure up with your constant bombardment of images of only one type of the male body.
You are no better than the fashion industry with their skinny model syndrome and subsequent negative self image problems with young girls.
Get with reality guys...hopefully one day I will take this site seriously.
Disgusting.
Thanks for taking this good project into the mud. Nice to know that even 'our' media is promoting negative stereotypes of gay men. Not all of us on constantly prowling every media outlet for 'hotties'. Some of us can actually sit back an listen to a message or two about our community from interested parties. A better article would have been to take Savage and company to task for allowing celebrities to exploit their project for self-promotion.
Post new comment