Fridae

Tyler Clementi, age 18, threw himself off the George Washington bridge  on September 22, 2010 after his roommate secretly set up a webcam to film him during a sexual encounter. Thirteen-year-old Seth Walsh hung himself from a tree in his backyard after years of being bullied at school despite his family accepting him for being gay. ABC News noted in an Oct 3, 2010 report that Clementi's death one of five suicides by gay teenagers in the last three weeks in the US.

Rise Against lead-singer Tim McIlrath said in a statement that "Make it Stop (September's Children)" hopes to address the issue of homophobic bullying which hasn't been adequately addressed in the rock scene.

"A number of events were the catalyst for the creation of Make It Stop, everything from the suicides in September 2010, to our own fans voicing their fears and insecurities from time to time," says McIlrath. 

"I decided to create the song as a response, and when I discovered the It Gets Better campaign and [It Gets Better Project co-founder] Dan Savage's commitment to such an important and concise message, I was moved. I immediately felt that if our song is the road, then the It Gets Better campaign is the destination. I hope the synergy between the two can reach people and make a difference."

The video depicts the band performing the song in the high school gymnasium alongside moving scenes of individuals from the LGBT community experiencing and coping with bullying from their peers in high school. The music video also includes snippets of multiple youtube submissions provided by the It Gets Better Project, with individuals sharing their stories and letting viewers know that "it gets better."