In an It Gets Better video, Chris
Armstrong announced the Chris Armstrong Scholarship Fund at the
University of Michigan.
In the 3-minute video, the recent U of
M graduate discusses the anti-gay bullying he faced last year by
former Michigan Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell.
Shirvell tormented Armstrong – the
university's first openly gay student president – in an attempt to
force Armstrong to step down. Instead, he wound up losing his job.
“When the bullying began the
university was there to support me with all of its resources,”
Armstrong said. “Michigan alumni rushed to help me deal with this
situation. And professors, students and staff all stood by me in one
of my darkest times. Because of this we were able to turn it around.
My attacker lost his job, I finished my term and a message that this
kind of behavior is unacceptable was sent throughout the nation.”
“A year out from everything, I'm here
to tell you that it does get better,” he added. (The video is
embedded in the right panel of this page. More
videos can be found at our video library.)
(Related: Andrew
Shirvell fired for tormenting gay student Chris Armstrong.)