In Celebration of Marriage Equality: Each New .LGBT Name Donates $20 to the It Gets Better Project

WASHINGTON--()--.LGBT (dotLGBT) domain registry operator Afilias announced the launch of the .LGBT Pride Program in celebration of two recent victories for LGBT equality: the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling regarding the right to marriage equality in the US, and Ireland’s legalization of same-sex civil marriage. From today through October 11, 2015 – National Coming Out Day – every new .LGBT web address registered will trigger a US$20 donation from Afilias to the It Gets Better Project.

.LGBT is the new and the only top level domain (TLD) designed to serve the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. In the few short months since its launch, over one thousand community members, LGBT-focused businesses, and LGBT-welcoming organizations have already registered their web addresses in this dedicated domain. To celebrate and give back to the community, .LGBT is launching the Pride Program in partnership with the It Gets Better Project. The Pride Program contributes $20 from each new .LGBT registration to the It Gets Better Project.

The It Gets Better Project is one of the most influential voices in the global LGBT community. It helps LGBT young people who are struggling with issues surrounding their sexual orientation and/or gender identity get through their adolescent years by showing them it gets better and helping facilitate the changes to make it better! Since their inception, more than 60,000 user-generated, hope-inspiring videos have been submitted to the Project which have collectively generated over 60 million views!

“The new .LGBT Internet address has been about inclusion from the start. And with great news about marriage inclusion and equality on both sides of the Atlantic, now is the time to celebrate,” said Roland LaPlante, Chief Marketing Officer of Afilias. “During our Pride Program celebration, we are dedicating a portion of .LGBT sales revenue to the It Gets Better Project, a community initiative that has helped so many LGBT teens navigate the difficult time of adolescence.”

“We are proud to partner with the .LGBT team during this historic period,” said Brett Peters, Director of Communications of the It Gets Better Project. “The success of the .LGBT web address is further evidence that global support for the LGBT community — and LGBT youth — comes in all forms. We encourage all our friends and supporters to get their own .LGBT address during the Pride Program, as each registration generates a donation to the It Gets Better Project.”

The .LGBT domain has an acceptable-use policy that provides protections from possible misuse of this dedicated web space. For details of the .LGBT Pride Program, please visit: www.ItGetsBetter.lgbt.

About Afilias

Afilias is the world’s second largest domain registry, with millions of names under management. Afilias powers a wide variety of top-level domains, and will soon support hundreds of new TLDs now preparing for launch, including TLDs for cities, brands, communities and generic terms. Afilias’ specialized technology makes Internet addresses more accessible and useful through a wide range of applications, including Internet domain registry servicesManaged DNS and mobile Web services like goMobi® and DeviceAtlas®. For more information on Afilias services, visit www.afilias.info.

For more information about .LGBT, please visit: www.get.lgbt. You can also follow .LGBT on social media, including:

About the It Gets Better Project

Founded in 2010 by Dan Savage and Terry Miller, the It Gets Better Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that uses all forms of media and engagement to reach LGBT youth worldwide in order to provide critical support and hope that life indeed gets better. Through the organization's messages of hope, international resources and guidance, collaboration and mouthpiece in the media, the It Gets Better Project strives to continuously make life better for LGBT youth. To date, more than 60,000 inspirational videos have been uploaded in support of It Gets Better and the LGBT community, including support from President Obama and 500,000 others who have actively taken the pledge to spread It Gets Better's messages of hope and speak up against intolerance. The Project has expanded its support of LGBT youth on both a national and global scale, serving as a resource on policy and legal matters. The It Gets Better Project is resolute in its mission to make the lives of LGBT youth, simply put, better. Connect with the It Gets Better Project:

@ItGetsBetterFacebook.com/ItGetsBetterProjectYouTube.com/ItGetsBetterProject.

Contacts

Afilias
Quinnie Wong, +1-215-706-5716
Director of Corporate Communications
qwong@afilias.info
Twitter: @afilias
or
It Gets Better Project
Brett M. Peters
Director of Communications
brett@itgetsbetter.org

Release Summary

The .LGBT Pride Program is launching today in celebration of victories for LGBT marriage equality: for every new .LGBT web address registered, Afilias will donate US$20 to the It Gets Better Project.

Contacts

Afilias
Quinnie Wong, +1-215-706-5716
Director of Corporate Communications
qwong@afilias.info
Twitter: @afilias
or
It Gets Better Project
Brett M. Peters
Director of Communications
brett@itgetsbetter.org