Write a Letter

Run a Write a Letter, Make It Better campaign in your community: Check out the posters, sample letters, and fliers over at our campaign resources page [1]! Or, to send a message to ALL principals in the US that they need to support Gay-Straight Alliance clubs, check out our Film a Letter, Make It Better [2] alternative!

Ready to get started? Write your letter now! [3]

Your letter can be published as an open letter on our website, and don't forget to print your letter once you finish it, so you can mail it off to your principal.

Want to read letters? Search our letter database! [4]

Share your story and you can make it better for today’s high school students -- whether you graduated last year or 30 years ago!

Write a letter to your high school’s current principal, and let them know what life was like for LGBT youth when you were there. Did you experience or witness discrimination when you attended? Ask what the school administration is doing to stop bullying and to support LGBT students and allies. Let them know what a principal’s support or intervention would have meant for you or your LGBT classmates.

Remember to print your letter after you submit it and mail it to your principal -- and let us know about any response you get! Unless you indicate otherwise, we will publish your letter without your name as an open letter in our letter database [4].

You have the power to make it better at your alma mater.

What’s the history behind Write a Letter, Make It Better?

“Write a Letter, Make It Better” began as “Write Your Principal,” a campaign by Jacqui Shine. After several young men died by suicide in September 2010 in part because of anti-LGBT bullying, Jacqui wanted to encourage people who were disheartened and distressed to take action. She created the “Write Your Principal” campaign and, in November 2010, Jacqui entrusted the campaign to GSA Network’s Make It Better Project.

What should I write?

The most effective letters include information about YOUR own school experience. Tell the principal what year you graduated and what the school was like for LGBT students and allies. To see how you can personalize the letter template, check out our sample letter [5] from Saved by the Bell's Zack Morris.

How do I participate?

First, go to our Write a Letter [3] page! That page automatically fills in a letter template to help you get started. Not all school principals are familiar with the problems that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth face, so this text explains the problem and suggests steps that the principal of your school can take to support LGBT youth.  If you use the letter template, we strongly encourage you to also include your personal story at the beginning.

Do I have to use the letter template provided?

No. We welcome original letters! If you want to write your letter from scratch, simply delete the text that automatically appears and start typing!

What happens to my letter after I write it?

Unless you uncheck this option at the bottom of the letter form, your letter will be anonymously published as an “open letter” in the Write a Letter archives on this website.

Will my name be published?

Your name will not be published unless you check “Display my name with my letter” at the bottom of the letter form.

How do I send the letter to my principal?

After you write your letter, you’ll have the option to print it out. Your complete letter will include your high school’s address, so all you need is an envelope and a stamp to send it off! If you find your principal’s email address, you could email the letter instead.

I've written and sent my letter. What now?

You can also share your story and message with your friends by posting your letter on Make It Better’s Facebook page [6] or on your own Facebook wall. Simply go to your Facebook profile and copy and paste your letter’s URL into the “share” box.

To continue to Make It Better for LGBT youth, check out the For Adults [7] page of our website, create a video [8] about the ways you Make It Better, or learn more ideas by watching videos [9] posted by other adult allies!