her name is katie butler and is in the audience today. hi, katie. good for you.00,000 people have signed katie's petition, including ellen, but will it make a difference? katie butler is joining me now. nice to see you today. >> you too, thank you so much for having me. >> absolutely. you, yourself, had a personal reaction to bullying, the experience that you suffered in your own life and now seeing this film, what can you tell us about your own personal experiences and why you want a petition to make sure kids see this film? >> well, when i was in seventh grade, i came out as a lesbian to my school, and a lot of people in any school didn't like. that they bullied me and pushed me into lockers and ended up one daybreaking my finger. and that was a really horrible experience. so when i saw that the new movie "bully" was coming out, i thought it was a wonderful thing. it was so exciting because it could be such a new take on bullying in the united states. >> so, katie, when you decided to do this petition, did you ever think you would get the attention of ellen deg

enter katie butler. >> we're missing the entire target audience. >> reporter: katie, 17 years old andllying survivor herself decided to fight the motion picture association of america, which gave the movie its r rating. >> middle school and high school students need to see this movie, will have a really hard time receiving it because of that r rating. i went on change.org and signed a petition to change the rating. >> reporter: so far, more than 450,000 people have signed the petition, including johnny depp, justin bieber, kelly ripa. >> it should be mandatory viewing for all kids going into middle school. >> reporter: and ellen degeneres. >> i have signed it, i hope you will, too. >> reporter: as of now, the rating for "bully" is unchanged. we joined alex, lee and the longs, the people who are apart of "bully" for a screening in washington, d.c. for them, and for so many others, they want this moment to be a call to action. >> i think our young people are finally saying, enough is enough. and that's what it's going to take to change the culture and the climate. >> reporter: a dream?

katie butler helped gather 200,000 signatures on a petition. >> the kids that are being bullied need to see it. those are the bullies need to see the movie. bullied kids may feel trapped. >> she would say you told anyone i would run away. it was, show didn't want to be picked on worse than what she wasson during -- wasp enduring. >> they will try to generate support for the campaign to get a lower rating for the antibullying film. >>> it's amazing no one is seriously hurt after a plane crashed in a back yard in sacramento county. the craft went down last night. the federal aviation administration said the pilot crash-landed in the backyard after both engines failed. the family was having dinner when it heard a noise. >> it took my attention to the east and saw what appeared to be a flashlight and i heard a thud. call 911, a plane crashed in our yard. >> if the plane had not hit a telephone pole it would smash into the dining room. the three people on the plane suffered on minor injuries. >>> honor and rememberance in japan a year after the massive earthquake and tsunami they observed

katie butler, a high school junior started the petition urging the mpaa to reconsider. now. thanks so much for joining us. >> thank you. >> i understand in this particular documentary it's the f word that's mentioned six times and that's the reason for this r rating. why is it so important to get these r ratings changed to pb13? >> i started my petition on change.org to change the rating from r to pg13 because the kids need to see this movie. the kids who are bullied need to see the movie because that way they'll see other kids going through the same thing and they'll realize that they're not alone and if we all stand up together because there are so many of us we can definitely make a change and then the kids who are doing the bullying need to see the movie also because they can see the direct repercussions of their actions without having a teacher yell at them or parent yell at them and they'll receive that really important message in a better way. >> i heard you use the word us. have you experienced bullying in your life? >> yes. when i was in middle school, i came ou

her name is katie butler. she's in the audience today. hi, katie. >> okay. have signed that petition started by katie butler. ellen says she hopes that more are going to lend their signatures in support. >>> some other entertainers are joining forces to give a voice and be a beacon of hope to the lbgt community in kansas city. the woman spearheading a new community center in that city is an acclaimed singer/songwriter and author. the superstar and my friend, country singer, shellchely wrig. we're talking about the like me center you're opening in kansas city, missouri, which is a beacon of light to at-risk lgbt youth. explain to me how this all came about? >> the likeme lighthouse is a manifestation of -- i came out a couple of years ago. has it been that long ago? >> it has, 2010, right? >> i came out and i started to understand what community meant, because i was all of a sudden identifying with my community. when you're out and open, you are able to do that, to connect the dots within your community. and the pie in the sky dream for me was to start an lbg

includingga girl named katy butler... who was bullied as a hollywood studio group...change the rating to pg-13. butler says young audiences should be allooed to see it... without parental approoal. "the kids who are bullied need to see. the kids who are the bullies also need to see thh movie because they can see the direct repercussion of their ac" butler ssys she was bullied in lesbian... and knows the harm - bullying can do o kids. so farr.. she's collected over 200-thousand signatures. if you''e on ffcebook or twwtter... then you have probably seen this next video. viddo.the 30 minute video has gone viral... getting 21 million views since it was posted on monday. ((:24 right now there are more people on facebook than ere on the planet 200 years ago. :3) :31))titled ákony 20-12á... the video was produced by the san diego based charity, "invisible children." the documentary is about a ugandan warlord... joseph kony.he's the leader of the álord's pesistance armyá.... which is notorious for abducting and raping its victimss.. as well as recruittng child soldiers. soldd

. >> reporter: and kids themselves are rallying to change the rating, led by katie butler, 17 years old a bullying survivor. so far, more than 450,000 people have signed the petition katie started, including johnny depp, justin bieber, kelly ripa. >> it should be mandatory viewing for all kids going into middle school. >> reporter: the rating remains unchanged for now. but change ishappening, for alex, the quiet kid at the heart of the movie. he's 15 now, no longer a victim. and he hopes his experience can be a lesson for all of us. >> i feel like i'm the teacher. i feel like i'm actually teaching them to -- how to make the world a better place. >> reporter: terry moran, abc news, washington. >>> and ahead, the wind beneath his wings. how this man's astonishing flight caught on tape turned to how this man's astonishing flight caught on tape turned to be a lot of hot air. ave used androgel 1%, there's big news. presenting androgel 1.62%. both are used to treat men with low testosterone. androgel 1.62% is from the makers of the number one prescribed testosterone replacement therapy. it ra

a story familiar to katy butler who came out as a lesbian in the seventh grade. >> they pushed me into lockers or waums. one day they ended up slamming my hand in my locker and broke my finger. >> inspired by the film's message, the michigan high school student launched an internet petition to change its rating to pg-13. making it more accessible. >> no one who is 13 wants to see a movie with their mom or dad. >> collecting 300,000 signatures in only two weeks, butler has support from celebrities like ellen degeneres, meryl streep, justin bieber and 20 members of congress. >> that's like no time at all. it's amazing. it's taken off. >> despite the petition and an appeal by the film's mega hollywood distributor harvey weinstein, the rating stands. the motion picture association of america defended its decision saying in a statement, the r-rating is not a judgment on the value of any movie. parents will decide if they want their children to see it. >> the association has found unlikely allies in parents groups who usually think the ratings are too weak. >> do you think this film is unfit

seconds of the trailer the film is getting attention because of its r rating a high school junior in katy butler who need to see the movie the most would not be able to. the movement earned support of 20 members of congress, numerous celebrities and katie's petition received more than 300,000 signatures, thank you for coming in we do appreciate it. >> thank you so much for having me. >> you are a junior in high school right now from michigan, but you really took an interest in this, this documentary, doesn't portray your story yourself, but you took a personal interest because you were bullied yourself, throughout school as well tell us a little bit about that. >> yes, well, i started this petition on change.org to change the rating, i love the movie bullied because when i was in middle school i came out as a lesbian to my school not a lot of people liked that so they bullied me called me names pushed me into walls, and one day they ended up slamming my hands in my locker and breaking my finger so i have a personal connection to this. >> mm-hmm so did you feel during that time, did you have you

her name is katie butler. hi. good for you.you. >> you have several hundred thousand signature ons a petition to try to change this rate l. i also really struck, and i know we sdroent a lot of time by how you got access to this community. how did they let you in? >> i have the biggest smile on my face seeing katie. how awesome is she starting this petition. access was incredibly difficult to get. we asked a lot of districts if they would be willing to let us do this film. we were lucky to find partners. we worked with their superintendent, with the school board. they're very -- they're awesome. they were awesome for letting us in. we couldn't have made this film. we couldn't have add the access and shown what happens had they not been willing to support us. we're really fortunate. >> lee hirsh the film is awesome. thank you. we will stay on this story. >> thank you so much for your support. >> we'll be right back. hey, heard any updates on the game? i think it's final seconds, ohh, down by two, shoots a three, game over. so two

this is contact katie butler wants parents to know. >> if kids see this movie, it could save their lives tormented for being gay started a petition on change.org to have the "rfrp" changed to pg-13. >> the kids being bullied needs to see it. it lets them know they're not alone. the kids who are the bullies need to see the movie because they can see the direct rep cushions of their actions. >> reporter: more than 300,000 people, parents, teachers, pastors, even 19 members of congress have signed in support, as well as a growing list of pop culture icons, including justin bieber, allen degeneres and drew brees. >> it's so tragic to see some of our young people taking their own life because their self-esteem was beat down by bullies. >> a boy 11 years old, believed to have been desperate enough to take his own life. >> this is what people say. kids need to see it. >> reporter: for children who have seen the film, hersh says the response has been remarkable. >> we had thousands of kids writing in. this movie has given them confidence and made them feel like they belong and they're not alone.

. >> there's a young girl name katie butler started an online petition to get the rating changed.ed her and i asked what she thought about cleaning up the film. this is what she said. >> taking out the language in the movie is taking away from the message. the message is so strong. the language in this movie is a language that kids hear every day. the language that kid are bullied with. if we go in and take it out, it's definitely taking away from that. no one goes into schools and edit out the language that kids hear in schools. it doesn't happen. >> so to sanitize this film would ruin it? >> no one can say it better than katie who lives it, in the moment, in high school, who experiences bullying. it's absolutely true. if you take out the language, you further minimize the experience that kids deal with when they're bullied. if we don't allow those scenes, if we don't allow the experience to be what it is, then we're cutting out that experience for the audience and also saying to the kids, one more time you have to have that experience silenced. you have to modify, edit, not be d

. >>> and katie butler is joining us on her efforts to get school kids access to the all-important filmthank you, thomas. so far this yearless than a quarter into 2012, 430 reproductive bills have surfaced in states across the country, including in a heartbeat bill, one to ban abortion once a heartbeat is detected. but now a state senator is calling for equal rights for men. introducing a bill for viagra before a prescription is written men have to see a sex therapist. ohio state senator nina turner is joining me now. good to see you, senator. good morning. >> good morning, chris. >> if we're getting viagra or those types of drugs, you want men to get a cardiac stress test, and an affidavit from the sex partner. you know the yes everyone is asking, are you serious? >> i'm just as serious as the men policymakers across the nation who introduced bills to regulate a woman's reproductive health. for far too long elected officials, especially women, we have advocated our responsibility to show men much love in the reproductive health arena as they have shown us over the years. so my senate b

including aagirl named katy butler... who wwssbullied s a kid...who are ullied need to see. the kids who are the bullies also need to see the mooie bbcause they an see the direct repercussion of their ac" actions."butler says she was bullied innschool after coming outtas a lesbian... aad nows the harr bullying can do to kids. so far... shees collected ooer 200-thousand signatures. a miccigan woman... who woo a million dollarssin the using food stamps. stamps.amanda clayton used the wwnnings to buy a new house and a new car.but the winnings apparently weren't enough to cover her grocery bill. the woman was spotted using a state issued food assistance card to buy food. listen to her reasoning. well, i thought that they would cut me off. but since it was ok because i'm not be - working."((butted)) reporter: dollars...""no, i won a - million but after i took the lump sum, it dropped down to it was just a little bit over - half."((bbtted)) reporter: "tax payers aae really strugglinggthat realll need that money. do you really do.""(butted)) "i mean, i ha

but according to high school student katie butler, that light will never be turned on. >> by rating thisrom actually seeing the movie, but they feel like their lives are being rated r. >> reporter: the r rating given by the motion picture association of america is being challenged by the michigan teen. surrounded by entourage from the website change.org, butler arrived to the mpaa offices in sherman oaks with over 200,000 signatures, all to get the righting on this documentary changed to pg-13. >> we want the mpaa to change the rating so these kids can see it so we can help save their lives. >> a perkins boy, just 11 years old, believed to have been desperate enough to take his own life. >> reporter: like many kids featured in the movie, butler was bullied herself when she came out as a lesbian in middle school. >> they taunted me and bullied me and harassed me almost every day. it got to the point where i just didn't want to go to school anymore. and eventually, i had my hand slammed in my locker, and they broke my finger. >> reporter: the mpaa says their hands are tied since an appeals

joining us is lee hurst who directed the documentary and katie butler which started the campaign whichore than 450,000 signatures. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> lee, i watched this film last night. i have to say, it was troubling as well as moving. why do you think more kids knee to see this and knee to have access to it? >> yeah, i think that millions of kids are dealing with bullying day in and day out. not only here but abroad. so, the access to this film belongs to kids. this story was made not only for them but for them in a way. it's sort of -- i mean you and understand that in a way and speak to that but we really think kids ought to see the film because it's for them. >> what about the argument of kids ought to see the film, they could see it with their parents, with an "r" rating on it. do you agree with that from watching it, as a child, i could see having the conversation with my parents and getting something out of that krvrgs because we saw the film together. >> a lot of parents said thank you for this film because i can go with my kid and i'll have an o

katie butler is leading the way and she joins us live from detroit. eing with us, katie. you actually posted a petition -- >> no problem. >> -- on change.org and the support has been overwhelming. how many people have signed that petition so far? >> 162,000. >> and i know you were bullied, too. can you tell us your story? >> yes, i can. when i was in seventh grade, i identified as a lesbian, and i still do. and i was out in my school. and there were not a lot of people that were in support of that, and one day i was putting my stuff away in my locker and a couple guys came up behind me and started calling me names and using horrible derogatory language. and i tried to get away because it was a really, really scary situation like a lot of kids are put in now. and they slammed my finger in my locker. and ended up breaking my fingering. >> now, katy, you saw the documentary. how did you feel when you saw it? >> i think it's an absolutely powerful, wonderful movie because these are real kids, and they're telling their real stories. >> now, there are some p

17-year-old katie butler.is working on a petition to have it changed. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> you would like this movie to be downgraded to a pg-13. why? >> i definitely think it should be rated pg-13 so the kids who have been intended to see the movie can see it. >> obviously, it's a very hot topic. i just said 13 million american kids, it's such a sad commentary of where we are on in society because it pains me because i'm the mom of a child who has faced it as well. you face it. what was your story? >> yes, when i was in middle school, i came out of a lesbian and there weren't a lot of people in my school who were supporting that. and i was bullied every day. >> to the point where you were physically harmed. >> yes. i ended up having my hand slammed in my locker and my finger was broken. >> so you've been active in michigan, your home state, as far as the anti-bullying bill there. >> yes. >> and now you want people to sign a petition to do what? >> well, we want the rating to be changed fro