There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the Washington Wizard’s backup center, Jason Collins for opening up and stating: “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.” 

Jason Collins is the first active male professional athlete of the four major sports to come out as gay and I believe it’s one of the most admirable things he could’ve done because he’s showing anyone who has yet to come out that it’s OK to be gay.

There’s a silent fight happening right now that has slipped under the radar over the past few years. In 2010, the It Gets Better campaign was launched by syndicated columnist and author Dan Savage and his husband Terry Miller, to target LGBT youth who have been battered and tricked into believing that their natural tendencies are deplorable acts. Savage and Miller are telling them that’s not true, and that being gay should not serve as a barrier in life. While their sentiment caught on, the message itself has been dwindling away. The coming out of Jason Collins put that message back in the spotlight. 

Teen bullying of LGBT youth is one of the most important battles being fought within the LGBT movement. The harassment of LGBT youth has serious side effects that are detrimental to their mental and physical well-being. 

LGBT youth are often victims to high rates of suicide, depression and victimization. Not only does this harassment come from peers, it also comes from adults, from parents to pastors, and many more figures that can play pivotal roles in the development of children. 

In the past, I’ve read stories about teenagers coming out to their parents who react in the extreme: sending their kids to conversion therapy, proven to cause mental harm to participants. Proponents of conversion therapy insist that homosexuality can be cured. “All you have to do is pray!” Yes, the infamous method of praying the gay away, sadly, still exists.

All of these acts of harassment and bullying are rooted in the belief that being gay is not OK. That you’re a second class citizen because of the “personal choices” you make and if you continue to make them, you’ll hurt not only yourself, but the people around you. 

Due to campaigns like It Gets Better, the tides have turned and the stigma that says LGBT individuals are second class citizens has turned. 

Now, we know that being gay is becoming increasingly accepted and it can be seen by all the successful figures within the LGBT community that have made a huge impact on the world. 

Members of the LGBT community hold powerful positions all over the world. Tammy Baldwin, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin, is the first lesbian to openly serve in the upper chamber of congress. Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, the prime minister of Iceland, is the world’s first openly lesbian head of government. Ellen Degeneres, an actress and Emmy award winner, is one of the funniest figures and has spoken out strongly about the prejudice and bullying that occurs in the day to day lives of LGBT youth.

Jason Collins showed not only the youth of the LGBT community, but also showed anyone who has yet to come out that being gay is OK and that it is not a barrier to success.

I commend what Jason Collins did. Coming out is no easy feat, especially when you’re a public figure whose career revolves around the macho stigma of sports. His admirable act of courage should serve as a beacon of hope to anyone who’s still too scared of coming out and fearing the consequences of doing so. It’s important to remember: It gets better.

Matt is a freshman in LAS. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @matthewpasquini.