Franken contributes to ‘It Gets Better’ book

Sen. Al Franken is a contributor to a book urging LGBT youth not to commit suicide because of bullying. “It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living,” by columnist Dan Savage contains an essay by Franken as well as fellow politicians President Obama, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, British Prime Minister David Cameron and celebrities Perez Hilton, Ellen Degeneres and Suze Orman. The book is based on a video project of the same name in which thousands of people have lent their voice in support of LGBT youth.

Franken isn’t the only Minnesotan to appear in the book. Mark Hanson, the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is also a contributor.

According to a press release from the ELCA, “Hanson’s essay was selected for inclusion by Dan Savage and Terry Miller, the founders of the project and the editors of the book. The two men launched the “It Gets Better” project when they created a YouTube video that reached out to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth facing harassment and bullying.”

In the U.S. Senate, Franken is the lead author of several pieces of legislation that would beef up national standards around bullying and include LGBT youth in bullying policies at the federal level.

Last week, Savage suggested that Republican politicians, such as former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, should participate.

“Who hasn’t made a video yet that you hope will?” TIME magazine asked Savage.

“Rick Santorum. Tim Pawlenty. Sarah Palin. Glenn Beck. The Minister of Britain, who leads the Conservative Party there, made a video, and we haven’t seen one from anyone on the right in the U.S. to even say, You’re 14 and gay. Don’t kill yourself,” Savage said.

Here’s video of Franken’s message to LGBT youth:

Here’s Bishop Hanson’s video: