WCU faculty member’s ‘Gay Cop, Gay Marine’ anti-bullying video ending w/ couple’s kiss gains national attention, racks up YouTube hits

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

1

A Western Carolina University faculty member’s anti-bully video, which features he and his partner and ends with a kiss, has gained national attention and is racking up tens of thousands of YouTube hits.

The video features Jamie Davis, an assistant professor of Spanish and French at WCU, and his partner. Davis, also been a sworn law enforcement officer for 15 years, recorded it for the national “It Gets Better” video project started by columnist Dan Savage. The project was Savage’s response to the suicide of Billy Lucas, an Indiana teen who was the victim of anti-gay bullying.

The video has received nearly 100,000 hits on YouTube and garnered national attention.

From WCU’s thereporter.com:

“Pundits such as Dan Savage, Rachel Maddow and Andrew Sullivan have talked specifically about our video,” said Davis. “Hopefully, teens who are contemplating suicide who see it will garner strength, and older people who see the video who have misconceptions about gay individuals will consider how irrational and baseless their phobias are.”

…

“We wanted our video to be spontaneous and from the heart. By standing proudly and kissing each other, we issued a statement to kids that you need not fear being who you are.”