SF Giants Post "It Gets Better'' Anti-Homophobia Video

By: Rachel Gordon

The San Francisco Giants posted their ''It's Get Better'' video on YouTube and its team website this morning, becoming the first professional sports team to join the online campaign against gay bullying and homophobia. The video can be viewed at sfgiants.com and at itgetsbetter.org/sfgiants.

Five Giants appear in the 58-second video -- pitchers Matt Cain, Barry Zito and Sergio Romo, centerfielder Andres Torres, and batting coach Hensley ''Bam Bam'' Meulens.

Dressed in their uniforms with the ballpark in the backdrop, the world champions look directly into the camera to make their pitch.

''We all know how difficult life can be as a teenager,'' Zito starts out. '' We've all been there and have had to deal with the pressure to fit in and be accepted by our peers.'' Romo adds. ''It's particularly challenging for LGBT teens who face adversity and intolerance in their daily lives,'' Cain says.

They say there's no place for hatred or bullying in our society and plead with people to not give up hope in despair. The video ends with the come-away message, spoken by the players and coach in English, Spanish and Japanese: ''It gets better.''

The Giants announced last month that they would participate in the burgeoning ''It Gets Better'' campaign after lifelong Giants fan Sean Chapin began an online petition drive urging the team on. Giants officials said that while they already had been planning to make a video, Chapin's lobbying speeded up production.