SAN FRANCISCO—Sean Chapin is a San Francisco Giants fan who proudly wears his black Giants' jacket through the Castro District, the city's predominantly gay neighborhood. Chapin, 35, an accountant, is quick to tag pitcher Brian Wilson of the defending World Series champions as his favorite player.
Chapin's joy for the team's success last fall will, at the very least, be matched later this season when his favorite team releases an "It Gets Better" video.
The Giants will be the first professional team from any of the big four male sports (baseball, basketball, football and hockey) to release such a video, aimed at troubled LGBT youth.
"The idea started with Kobe Bryant, when he said the homophobic slur [earlier this spring] that he did," Chapin said. "It was very unfortunate that he said it, but was more unfortunate how it was handled. He initially said he did not mean what he said, so, in essence, he did not take responsibility and did not apologize for his words.
"With the LGBT civil-rights movement accelerating at such a fast pace, and the majority of Americans now in agreement with [allowing] same-sex marriage, to me, it felt like it was the right time for a team to take a pro-active stance in some form or fashion."
After all, the mainstream sports world has been submerged head-first this spring in the LGBT world—banter about gay marriages, gay rights and homophobic rants.
"I just figured, now was the right time [for a team] to do a video," Chapin said. "San Francisco is a city that truly believes in diversity and differences, and celebrating those differences with open arms. So the Giants were a perfect team to ask."
Chapin first wrote an email to the team's website, and then recited it at different spots around the team's stadium to drum up support. He also aired his appeal on his YouTube channel.
The folks at the It Gets Better project noticed, and featured Chapin's appeal on their Facebook page. That helped spur about 700 signatures of support for Chapin's idea.
"I thought that [total] was good," said Chapin, who admits he was resigned to the fact that the Giants would not do one.
However, Chapin kept at it, and when change.org expressed interest in his idea, things catapulted. The website featured Chapin's appeal, helping push the signature tally to more than 6,500.
"One thing I've learned in this process is … the only thing that can stop you is the fear that you're not going to succeed," Chapin said. "A lot of events were, in essence, working in synergy with one another. There was the homophobic comment from Kobe Bryant, the homophobic comments from the Atlanta Braves pitching coach, [professional hockey player] Sean Avery coming out in support of same-sex marriage, the [Phoenix] Suns executive came out, and more."
Among the signers of Chapin's appeal to the Giants are four San Francisco mayoral candidates.
"I'm just absolutely ecstatic," Chapin said. "I think the Giants are going to make a huge world of difference, especially when a lot of homophobia tends to stem from the sports environment, the sports culture.
"When the Giants make their It Gets Better video, I think it's going to have a huge impact, and I think other [professional] teams will be inspired and encouraged to do the same."
The Giants officially announced May 16 that they will produce an "It Gets Better" video, but no exact release date has been made.
"I'm excited to see what they're going to do," said Chapin, a member of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. "Sports are a crucial domino to fall [for LGBT rights], so perhaps this video will help burst that bubble."
