A gay sailor tells viewers: "It gets better"

A gay sailor tells his personal story as part of a campaign to bolster the self-confidence of gay youth. // Youtube

“Being in the Navy actually has helped me a lot with getting comfortable with who I am,” says Electronics Technician 3rd Class Taylor Short, a 21-year-old sailor who posted videos online this month about being gay in the Navy.

Since the ban on gays serving openly ended on Sept. 19, gay sailors are finding a variety of ways, large and small, to come forward about themselves. A lieutenant married his long-time partner at the stroke of midnight when the law lifted; a seaman posted “I’m gay” on her Facebook page.

Short said in a video that he was already out to many of his shipmates before repeal, adding that, at the time, “no one really cared.” His video was inspired by the It Gets Better project, which showcases testimonial videos that remind gay youths it’s OK to be themselves.

“Don’t be scared to tell people,” Short told his viewers. “People who I never thought I would really be friends with are now my closest friends.”