Dan Savage facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dan Savage
Savage at Inforum, 2013
Born	Daniel Keenan Savage (1964-10-07) October 7, 1964 (age 60) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Other names	Keenan Hollahan
Education	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (BFA)
Occupation	Author, media pundit, journalist, newspaper editor, advice columnist
Years active	1991–present
Spouse(s)	Terry Miller ​ (m. 2005)​
Children	1

Daniel Keenan Savage (born October 7, 1964) is an American author, journalist, and activist for the LGBTQ community. He is well-known for writing an internationally published advice column called Savage Love.

In 2010, Savage and his husband, Terry Miller, started the It Gets Better Project. This project aims to support and give hope to young LGBTQ people. He has also worked as a theater director, sometimes using the name Keenan Hollahan.

Savage was born in Chicago to a Roman Catholic family. He studied acting at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. After living in West Berlin for a few years, he moved to Madison, Wisconsin. There, he became friends with Tim Keck, who co-founded the newspaper The Onion.

When Keck started a new newspaper in Seattle called The Stranger, he asked Savage to write an advice column. Savage has since become a strong voice for LGBTQ rights in the United States. He shares his views in his column and on his podcast, the Savage Lovecast.

Besides his writing, Savage supports progressive politics. He has appeared on many TV shows, like Countdown with Keith Olbermann and Anderson Cooper 360, to talk about important issues. His work has been praised by many people, including former president Barack Obama.

Early Life and Schooling

Dan Savage was born in Chicago, Illinois. His mother, Judith, worked at Loyola University, and his father was William Savage Sr. He is the third of four children, with two brothers and a sister.

Savage grew up in a Catholic family and went to a Catholic high school. Today, he says he is an atheist but still feels connected to his Catholic background. He earned a degree in acting from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. From 1988 to 1990, he lived in West Berlin, Germany.

Career

Writing and Journalism

In 1991, Savage began writing his advice column, Savage Love, for the Seattle newspaper The Stranger. He was offered the job by his friend Tim Keck, the newspaper's founder. Savage had suggested that the paper should have an advice column, and Keck was impressed by a sample column he wrote.

The column became very popular and is now published in newspapers around the world. Savage also became the editorial director of The Stranger.

Theater Work

As a theater director, Savage used the name Keenan Hollohan. He was one of the founders of the Greek Active Theater in Seattle. The group was known for putting new and interesting twists on classic plays. For example, they once performed Macbeth where the main characters were played by actors of the opposite gender.

Media Appearances

Speaking at Illinois Wesleyan University, 2007

Savage has been involved in many projects besides his column. From 1994 to 1997, he hosted a weekly radio call-in show. He is also a regular contributor to This American Life and Out magazine.

He often appears on news shows like HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher and on networks like MSNBC and CNN. On these shows, he discusses political issues affecting the LGBTQ community, such as same-sex marriage.

In 2014, he was in a documentary film called Do I Sound Gay?. The film explored stereotypes about how gay men speak.

Podcast

The Savage Lovecast is a popular weekly podcast based on his advice column. In each episode, Savage answers questions from callers. He sometimes talks with doctors and other experts to help answer difficult questions. The podcast is often ranked as one of the top podcasts in the "Health" category on iTunes.

Personal Life

Dan Savage and Terry Miller's wedding at Seattle City Hall on December 9, 2012.

Savage married Terry Miller in Vancouver, Canada, in 2005. In 2012, when same-sex marriage became legal in Washington state, they were among the first couples to get married there. Their wedding took place at Seattle City Hall, with Mayor Mike McGinn in attendance.

Savage and Miller have a son, whom they adopted in 1998. Savage wrote about their experience of becoming parents in his 1999 book, The Kid.

Important Causes

It Gets Better Project

Savage speaking at Google about the It Gets Better Project.

In 2010, Savage and his husband started the It Gets Better Project. They were inspired to act after hearing about Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old who took his own life because he was bullied.

The project's goal is to show young LGBTQ people that their lives can and will improve. It encourages adults to share videos with messages of hope and support. The project has collected over 50,000 videos and has been viewed more than 50 million times.

Political Activism

Savage is known for being a voice in Seattle politics. He has also spoken out on national issues. For example, he has disagreed with politicians who have made comments against the LGBTQ community.

In 2003, he began a public campaign against former senator Rick Santorum because of Santorum's views on gay rights. Savage has also spoken out against the Mormon Church for its support of California Proposition 8, a law that temporarily banned same-sex marriage in California.

Views

Savage at an awards show in 2006.

Savage generally holds liberal political views. He often writes about political topics in his column, especially those related to family and personal freedom. He encourages his readers to be active in politics and to let public officials know their opinions.

Savage has also spoken out against laws that he believes interfere with people's private lives. He believes in protecting personal freedoms and has been a vocal critic of what he sees as government overreach.

Awards

Images for kids

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  Dan Savage discussing education with his brother, Bill Savage, in 2010.

See also

In Spanish: Dan Savage para niños